BLOOMINGTON — Halfway through spring practice, Indiana football appears to have avoided to this point a major injury that would cost anyone the 2026 season.
But like every spring, the Hoosiers are dealing with their share of postseason surgeries and bumps and bruises as they’ve returned to the field.
Wide receiver Charlie Becker had a breakout 2025 campaign with 34 receptions for 679 yards and four touchdowns. But there’s a good chance he’s done for the remainder of spring practice after suffering a hamstring injury over the weekend.
“He tweaked his hammy last Saturday,” IU coach Curt Cignetti said Thursday. “He did the same thing last August. I don’t know if he’ll be back or not the rest of spring. Certainly we miss him being out there right now.”
Becker earned a larger role last season when Elijah Sarratt was injured midseason. And Cignetti remarked Thursday Becker did so well capitalizing on that opportunity they couldn’t afford to take him off the field.
“I think the way he finished this season, he was one of the top receivers certainly in the Big Ten Conference,” Cignetti said.
Indiana concludes spring practice on April 23 with the spring game, so Becker would only have two weeks from today to attempt to return — and that’s probably something that is not worth the risk given his importance to the team.
In Becker’s absence, Cignetti noted sophomore receivers Davion Chandler and Lebron Bond as two who were standing out this spring. Becker noted the same duo when asked Thursday about emerging players in the receiver room.
Bray Lynch is one of five players Indiana is getting snaps at center this spring as they look for Pat Coogan’s replacement. But Lynch hasn’t been able to do much. Last season’s starting right guard has been dealing with multiple issues that have kept him limited over the last couple weeks.
“He (Lynch) had clean up surgery after the season, and he has a little issue with his other leg,” Cignetti said.
Cignetti noted last season’s starting left guard Drew Evans is one of the five who has been playing center this spring as well, and the third-year coach believe both Evans and Lynch are smart enough to make the transition to snapping the football.
As previously reported, All-American left tackle Carter Smith is out for the spring after shoulder surgery.
IU is also a little thin at running back right now, with anticipated key contributor Lee Beebe, Jr. is still rehabbing from knee surgery and unavailable this spring, while redshirt freshman Sean Cuono has missed the last two practices.
It isn’t all bad news for IU, as young tight ends Brock Schott (redshirt freshman) and Trevor Gibbs (freshman), who both had offseason cleanup work done, are progressing. Both are in full pads at practice and doing individual drills and 7-on-7 work.
Cignetti said he likes the progression of redshirt freshman tight ends Andrew Barker and Blake Thiry.
“They’re both competing and both getting better,” he said.
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