In December, Indiana won its first Big Ten title since 1967.
In January the Hoosiers won the program’s first-ever national championship.
Are repeats coming for Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers?
That won’t be easy.
The Hoosiers have a challenging schedule in 2026, but according to the following criteria, an ESPN panel says IU football had the best offseason of any team not just in the Big Ten, but in the entire country:
- Roster additions through the portal and the high school ranks
- Retention of top players who could leave for the NFL draft or the portal
- Coaching staff continuity or key additions/upgrades
Here’s what ESPN wrote about Indiana, ranking the Hoosiers above Miami (Fla.), Oregon, Texas and LSU in its national top-5 for best offseason:
Indiana isn’t going anywhere after winning its first national title, putting together an offseason that sets up the team for even more success. The coaching staff continuity is staggering, and Indiana addressed clear portal needs at quarterback, wide receiver and pass rusher, while retaining core players at offensive line, defensive tackle and linebacker.
In the Big Ten, ESPN ranked IU ahead of Oregon, USC, Ohio State and Penn State. Again, these aren’t predictions for the 2026 standings, but instead an assessment of who had the best offseason.
Indiana’s ability to perform well during the offseason is particularly notable because the Hoosiers were playing the latest into January, with less time to focus on recruiting and retention. But on the other hand, IU’s run to the national title was the best public relations campaign anyone could hope for.
What stood out for ESPN about IU’s offseason?
First, the retention of the coaching staff, including Broyles Award winning defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan. Cignetti and the IU administration have been very aggressive when it comes to paying assistant coaches, and to this point their approach has worked masterfully.
Indiana did lose quarterbacks coach Chandler Whitmer from last year’s team, but replaced him with longtime Cignetti assistant Tino Sunseri. The Hoosiers also lost strength coach Derek Owings — and replaced him with Tyson Brown — who Cignetti had tried to hire several years ago.
ESPN couldn’t find much to criticize, but did note some early NFL departures as a downside to IU’s offseason. Fernando Mendoza, Omar Cooper, Jr. and D’Angelo Ponds all left Bloomington with eligibility remaining. But all three were chosen in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft last month, leaving little doubt they made the right choice.
Indiana was able to reload the roster, while not losing anyone they were looking to retain with the exception of Alberto Mendoza. Here’s what ESPN said about Indiana’s transfer portal additions:
The Hoosiers had an excellent portal haul, headlined by Josh Hoover (TCU) and Nick Marsh (Michigan State) but also featuring key line-of-scrimmage pickups, including Tobi Osunsanmi (Kansas State), edges Joshua Burnham (Notre Dame) and Chiddi Obiazor (Kansas State), and safety Preston Zachman and guard Joe Brunner from Wisconsin. Indiana also retained key linemen on both sides of the ball, including left tackle Carter Smith, defensive tackle Tyrique Tucker and guard Drew Evans. The team’s recruiting efforts aren’t elite but ascending, as the 2026 class included SC Next 300 defensive tackles Gabe Hill and Cam McHaney.
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