Indiana football getting starting offensive lineman back in time for fall camp
Evans went down with an Achilles injury during a practice leading up to IU 's game against Michigan last season.
The former Wisconsin walk-on followed his position coach Bob Bostad to Bloomington before the 2023 season. He went two full seasons without playing in any games before starting IU's 2024 opener against FIU and remained a fixture in the lineup until his injury.
He was IU's highest-graded pass-blocker with a 81.7 grade, per PFF, and didn't allow a sack or quarterback hit on 282 pass blocking attempts over nine games.
"He's full go, he's cleared," Cignetti said. "We'll manage him somewhat early in camp, I expect him to be out there."
Redshirt freshman Adedamola Ajani spent the entire spring working with the first-team offense in place of Evans.
He would give IU three returning starters from last year's line alongside left tackle Carter Smith and right guard Bray Lynch. The Hoosiers landed Notre Dame center Pat Coogan out of the transfer portal to replace Mike Katic and have an open competition at right tackle that includes Colorado transfer Kahlil Benson and Ohio State transfer Zen Michalski.
Benson, who also missed camp with an unspecified injury, played mostly right guard last year for Colorado. Cignetti said there's ongoing discussions about where he best fits on line.
"We're keeping all options open, you want to put the best five guys on the field," Cignetti said. "You have a good competition over there with Zen, Benson and some of those guys. Benson has played both, but played more right tackle with Bob more than anything. We'll let it play out in camp."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
4 minutes ago
- USA Today
Iowa football trio named to preseason USA TODAY Sports All-Big Ten team
With Big Ten media days just around the corner for Iowa on Thursday in Las Vegas, USA TODAY Sports released its preseason All-Big Ten team. And the Hawkeyes had some good representation. The team was created by writers who cover every single team in the conference and features five unanimous selections, one of which was a Hawkeye. It may be a surprise to note that Iowa doesn't have a single defensive player on the team, a sign that people are taking a wait-and-see approach to a Hawkeyes defense that lost Jay Higgins, Nick Jackson, and Sebastian Castro, among others. Regardless, it's a nice nod for the three Hawkeyes named to this team and should have Iowa fans feeling more confident about the offense and special teams units on this year's team. Without any further ado, let's take a look at which Hawkeyes made USA TODAY Sports' preseason All-Big Ten team. Which Hawkeyes made the USA TODAY Sports preseason All-Big Ten team? Logan Jones, Gennings Dunker, and Kaden Wetjen were the three Hawkeyes named to the team. Jones was one of five unanimous selections to the team, joining Jeremiah Smith and Sonny Styles of Ohio State, Olaivavega Ioane of Penn State, and Dominic Zvada of Michigan. The 6-foot-3, 302-pound graduate student center has anchored the Iowa offensive line for three years and was named first-team All-Big Ten by the media last season. Jones has also been named a preseason first-team All-Big Ten player by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele this offseason. Jones is joined on the USA TODAY Sports All-Big Ten team by another offensive lineman in Gennings Dunker. The 6-foot-5, 315-pound senior right tackle was named second-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and third-team All-Big Ten by the media last season. Dunker started at right tackle the last two seasons and has been a big stabilizing force on the offensive line alongside Jones. Dunker's role will be imperative this season with a new quarterback under center. The final Hawkeye to make the team was Kaden Wetjen, named as the All-Purpose player. The 5-foot-9, 196-pound senior return specialist started his collegiate career at Iowa Western Community College before transferring to Iowa. He was named first-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media last season, in addition to taking home the Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year award. Wetjen was named a preseason first-team All-Big Ten player by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele as well. This trio of Hawkeyes will be hugely important to the success of Iowa football in 2025. Assuming they play up to the standards that everyone believes they can, Iowa's offensive line should be really good and the special teams will set them up with short fields. The Hawkeyes return to the field in just over a month for the season opener on Aug. 30 against Albany. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Zach on X: @zach_hiney
USA Today
4 minutes ago
- USA Today
The absurdity of absolute power. Big Ten, SEC fight to shape College Football Playoff
LAS VEGAS — The Big Ten and SEC control the future of the College Football Playoff. The Big Ten and the SEC can't agree on anything. Which tracks about just how you think it would in Sin City, driving directly into the theater of the absurd. 'I'm not going to put any deadline on it,' Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti said Tuesday of negotiations for the new CFP format, while opening Big Ten Media Days at Mandalay Bay Resort. I know this is going to shock you, but SEC commissioner Greg Sankey made it clear last week during SEC Media Days that, 'We have a deadline of Dec. 1.' Just when you thought the great College Football Playoff format debate couldn't devolve to more ridiculous levels, Indiana coach Curt Cignetti entered the chat and changed everything. Forget about the Big Ten and its desired 16-team format that focuses on automatic qualifiers (four each for the Big Ten and SEC) and the need for CFP play-in games during championship week. Forget about the SEC and its desire for 11 at-large selections of the 16, based heavily on strength of schedule. Cignetti wants everyone to know that the CFP selection committee has too much power in the process. The very committee that last year selected his 11-win team – with one win against a team with a winning record – to the exclusive party. The same guy who, when asked Tuesday about Indiana dropping a non-conference game against big, bad Virginia for a Championship Subdivision directional school, responded with, 'We figured we'd just adopt the SEC scheduling philosophy.' I swear I'm not making this up. SCHEDULE DEBATE: Indiana coach fires hot at SEC after dropping Virginia POWER RANKINGS: Where the Big Ten teams stack from first to worst But at this point, nothing should be surprising in this ever-more-absurd cock walk. Each ego-driven, billion dollar conference trying to exert power over the other, in a blatantly awkward swinging dictator contest. The Big Ten doesn't want to be seen as the SEC's little brother. The SEC doesn't want to be pushed into a corner, and bend the knee to the conference it has dominated on the field for decades. Sankey touted the SEC's historical strength of schedule in defense of 11 at-large selections. Winning 14 national titles since 2000 doesn't hurt, either. Petitti responded by declaring the Big Ten played in eight of the 11 CFP games in 2024, had the four most viewed television games on the season and seven of the top 10. Then he dropped the ultimate "scoreboard" hammer: 'We just stand by what we do in the Big Ten. I think the national results have shown the last couple of seasons.' Translation: the Big Ten has won the last two national titles. The SEC has done … what exactly? There's nothing logical about this public spat, nothing tangible that can be easily negotiated with clear minds or paid off with more money — which a 16-team CFP most certainly brings. This is about superiority and inferiority, and where the SEC and Big Ten fit. No matter the collateral damage. Imagine you're Rich Clark, executive director of the College Football Playoff. A distinguished 38-year career in the Air Force, retired as a Lieutenant General — the second-highest general officer rank. You're minding your own business at Big Ten media days, sitting quietly in the back of the large ballroom when some schlub who just picked up his first power conference coaching job starts throwing darts at your committee. A committee the SEC and Big Ten played a critical role in creating and developing, and growing into the singular, insular monster it has become. So I asked this titan of service to his country, and frankly, to the Big Ten and SEC and every other college football conference, what it was like to watch Cignetti kneecap his committee. Was it difficult to watch? 'Yeah,' Clark said, smiling wide — and then he stopped himself. Because like all military personnel, he knows there's oder and there's consequences for going outside it. 'The committee selected Indiana,' Clark continued, 'And I think it was the right decision, too.' Would you look at that, a lesson in swallowing ego and pride for the greater good. No swinging dictators necessary. Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.
USA Today
4 minutes ago
- USA Today
Where does Nebraska rank in the annual Big Ten preseason poll?
Right before the Big Ten Media Days in Las Vegas, fans got a glimpse of the Big Ten preseason rankings based on how members of the press predict the Big Ten will finish the 2025 football season. Of the 18 teams on the list, Nebraska ranked 8th, ahead of six of its conference opponents scheduled for this season. Stephen Means of highlighted how the media group assumed responsibility for organizing the poll when the Big Ten dropped it 15 years ago. Beat writers from all 18 Big Ten teams were invited to participate, as were some who cover the entire league or have a national perspective. A total of 24 voters participated. Each writer was asked to vote 1-18, with first-place votes worth 18 points, second-place votes worth 17, and so on. Penn State sits atop the rankings with 435 points, and the defending national champions, Ohio State, finished close behind them with 431. James Parks of Sports Illustrated pointed out how if Penn State's offensive continuity gets them into the playoff, then the Nittany Lions may make another deep run. With returning quarterback Drew Allar and star running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton, Penn State is looking to make a run for the championship. Nebraska nestled into eighth with 277 points, 10 points behind Iowa and eight points ahead of USC. Parks mentioned that this is head coach Matt Rhule's third year with the Huskers, which is typically when he starts turning things around with his college teams. Rhule's third year certainly holds such possibilities with Dylan Raiola back under center after his freshman year, and with Dana Holgorsen now at the helm as offensive coordinator. Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions.
