“People don’t know but I have a little bit of speed, so I feel like I’m a little bit of deep threat.”
That was IU tight end Riley Nowakowski when he met with the media in August during fall camp.
Nowakowski made the comment with a playful grin that seemed part unsure of himself, and part you just wait and see.
We found out.
With the game on the line Saturday at Penn State, who did IU have on the field as a receiver in their four verticals package?
None other than former Wisconsin walk-on linebacker, turned fullback, turned tight end Riley Nowakowski.
Indiana’s last two catches of their unforgettable 80-yard march at Penn State were two of the best you’ll ever see — dazzling toe tap extraordinaires by Charlie Becker and Omar Cooper, Jr.
But the biggest gain of the drive, the play that really got IU and their fans believing, was Fernando Mendoza’s 29-yard completion to a streaking Nowakowski that got the Hoosiers to the Penn State 24.
On 2nd and 10 from their own 47, Nowakowski read the safety and, with that little bit of speed, angled towards the middle of the field to find the opening in Penn State’s zone. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza delivered a perfect throw. 1st down Indiana at the Penn State 24….and the drive suddenly felt destined for greatness.
He called his shot. #iufb pic.twitter.com/2rJx9Fv1K8
— Mike Schumann @ The Daily Hoosier (@daily_hoosier) November 14, 2025
Where was Nowakowski on Becker’s great catch that followed? On the sideline. On Cooper’s game-winner? Pass blocking.
That’s the life of a do-it-all former walk-on/linebacker/fullback/tight end.
Indiana fans will be talking about Mendoza’s heroics on the final drive for decades to come. They’ll remember where they were when Cooper made “the catch.”
But Nowakowski’s 29-yarder?
His head coach knows.
“He’s an unsung hero in the greater realm of things,” IU coach Curt Cignetti said Thursday evening on his radio show.
“He’s a leader on the team, and he leads by example. He’s very consistent. He always tries to do the right thing.”
Indiana had a major void to fill during the offseason when tight end Zach Horton exhausted his eligibility and headed to the NFL.
IU’s head coach acknowledged Thursday Nowakowski has picked up right where Horton left off last season.
“I totally agree with that, no doubt about it,” Cignetti said.
Nowakowski has lined up all over the field for IU. Among his 637 snaps, Nowakowski has been in the backfield, where he scored a rushing touchdown, on the line, in the slot, out wide, and on kick return, punt coverage and field goals/extra points.
On the season Nowakowski has caught 19 passes for 231 yards and a score. His reception and yardage totals are career highs by a healthy margin, and he hasn’t had a drop. While he made the big downfield catch vs. Penn State, most of Nowakowski’s yards have come once he reverts back to fullback mode upon making catch. 133 of his receiving yards are the after the catch variety.
“I’ve never seen a guy catch more short passes and turn them into long gains as him. Does a nice job blocking, too,” Cignetti said.
2025 isn’t the first season Nowakowski played at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. In 2023 he played for Wisconsin at Indiana and caught two passes for 31 yards. On that afternoon he also showed off his ability to extend plays.
From Milwaukee, Nowakowski originally walked-on at Wisconsin before earning a scholarship from their current head coach, Luke Fickell. Now in his final college season, he’ll face the Badgers for his Senior Day at Indiana.
Like other Wisconsin players who have joined the IU program, Nowakowski was in Madison at the same time as IU offensive line coach Bob Bostad. Their time overlapped for three seasons — 2020 to 2022. Another former Wisconsin walk-on, left guard Drew Evans, falls in the same category. Evans won’t be available to play Saturday against his former team.
Nowakowski’s parents are Wisconsin grads. He got his walk-on opportunity and ultimately a scholarship there.
So why leave home for Indiana?
“Just the culture, the culture of the guys,” Nowakowski said on the Under the Hood podcast was the appeal of IU. “The locker room. It seemed like everybody was in it, and in it for the right reasons. Everyone was committed, showing up every day.
Oh, and he wanted to show off that little bit of speed.
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