Veteran offensive lineman Kahlil Benson will start at right tackle when IU football kicks off the 2025 season Saturday against Old Dominion.
He’ll be joined on the starting unit up front by Carter Smith (left tackle), Drew Evans (left guard), Pat Coogan (center), and Bray Lynch (right guard).
That’s all according to head coach Curt Cignetti on his radio show Thursday evening.
Benson’s primary competition at right tackle has been Ohio State transfer Zen Michalski, who will back up the guard and tackle spots, Cignetti says.
Benson started his career at Indiana but transferred to Colorado for the 2024 season. He came back via the portal during the offseason. Benson was reunited in Bloomington this year with offensive line coach Bob Bostad, who he played for at IU in 2023.
Listed at 6-foot-6 and 319 pounds, Benson has appeared in 33 career games with 21 starts. He has started games at right tackle (12) and right guard (9).
The Southaven Miss. product began his career at Indiana in 2020 and played in 25 games with 17 starts after not playing at all in 2020 or 2021. He made his college debut on special teams against Illinois in 2022.
Benson played in nine games with four starts in one season at Colorado (2024).
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