Former IU football starting defensive tackle James Carpenter is joining the 2026 staff with a title of Defensive Quality Control.
Carpenter transferred from James Madison to Indiana when head coach Curt Cignetti was hired.
The Roanoke, Va. product was named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten following the 2024 season.
A finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy for the nation’s most outstanding player who began his career as a walk-on, Carpenter started all 13 games for IU in 2024. He logged 37 tackles from the defensive interior, totaled 10.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks. He also broke up two passes and blocked a kick.
Carpenter served as a captain for all of Indiana’s games in 2024 and was spoken of highly by Cignetti and the staff.
“One of the best I’ve ever coached and one of my favorites all time! Will be a huge asset to the staff and our defensive line,” defensive tackles coach Pat Kuntz said on X. “Let’s work Coach Carp!”
He was Second Team All-Sun Belt at JMU in both 2022 and 2023.
Carpenter signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a free agent following the 2025 NFL Draft. He attended training camp and most of the exhibition season but did not make the team.
The addition of Carpenter is part of a trend of bringing back former players by Cignetti at Indiana. Running back Justice Ellison went from a player in 2024 to an offensive quality control analyst in 2025. Safety Bryson Bonds is also joining the special teams staff.
For complete coverage of IU football, GO HERE.
The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”
- You can follow us on X: @daily_hoosier and find us on Facebook and Instagram
- Seven ways to support completely free IU coverage at no cost to you.
