BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football brought back a lot of its offensive line from last season’s national championship run.
Consensus All-American Carter Smith returns at left tackle, though he’s been sidelined this spring as he continues recovering from a torn labrum. Guards Drew Evans and Bray Lynch are also back, with Lynch enduring limited availability while working through his own injury recovery. Adedamola Ajani was part of IU’s right tackle rotation throughout the College Football Playoff and saw plenty of action all season, and he should be lined up for an expanded role this year.
Center Pat Coogan is the key starter who isn’t back for 2026, and the Hoosiers do not yet have a clear plan for that position. They didn’t bring in a clear replacement center in the portal.
Wisconsin transfer Joe Brunner has played left guard the last two years with the Badgers. Evans has only played left guard in 2024 and 2025. Lynch has been IU’s starting right guard since Curt Cignetti took over in Bloomington. He did get one play at center last year, during the Peach Bowl — the only snap Coogan didn’t play in 2025-26.
That one snap is the only collegiate game action that trio has at center. But they’re all experienced interior offensive linemen, and are flexible enough positionally to have someone shift to the middle.
“I think, definitely, (the interior offensive line can be) super flexible. We’re all open to trying new positions and trying new things,” Lynch said Tuesday. “And then one thing about Drew and Joe that I can’t speak enough on is how willing they are to put the team first. So they’ll, as long as we’re in a good position to win football games, all three of us will do whatever it takes.”
Lynch has taken some reps at center in practice throughout his time at Indiana, with several offensive line coaches: Darren Hiller, Rod Carey, and now Bob Bostad. The Austin, Texas native said he enjoys the position.
Evans has also worked at that spot during spring ball, and has tried to watch tape from a center’s point of view to get more comfortable.
“When we watch film from last year, I’m always watching Pat and just thinking like the little things he does, the stuff he says, the calls he makes. Trying to learn everything I can, because I think Pat’s a really good example of a really good center,” Evans said Tuesday. “It‘s been an adjustment, but slowly getting better. Getting used to it.”
Evans and Lynch — if available — could both line up at center during Indiana’s spring game on Thursday night. Spring games are typically difficult environments for judging offensive line performance, and on top of that, the line won’t be at full strength without Smith at left tackle. So IU’s plan at center will likely remain unclear until fall.
But the Hoosiers have options.
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