Big Ten football coaches showcase style at media days. See their suits
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Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti speaks to the media during the Big Ten college football media days Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.
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Indiana coach Curt Cignetti speaks to the media during Big Ten football media days Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.
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Indiana coach Curt Cignetti speaks to the media during Big Ten football media days Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.
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Illinois coach Bret Bielema speaks to the media during Big Ten football media days Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.
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Illinois coach Bret Bielema speaks to the media during Big Ten football media days Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.
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Rutgers coach Greg Schiano speaks to the media during Big Ten football media days Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.
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Rutgers coach Greg Schiano speaks to the media during Big Ten football media days Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.
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Ohio State coach Ryan Day speaks to the media during Big Ten football media days Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.
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Ohio State coach Ryan Day speaks to the media during Big Ten football media days Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.
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Nebraska coach Matt Rhule speaks to the media during Big Ten football media days Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.
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Nebraska coach Matt Rhule speaks to the media during Big Ten football media days Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.
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Indiana football position preview: Hoosiers figuring out pieces on talented offensive line
BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football opens fall camp on July 30 as Curt Cignetti and crew look to build on the foundation they laid with an historic run to the College Football Playoffs. The Hoosiers were once again active participants in the transfer portal, but they also retained many of the key faces behind last year's success. We're taking a position-by-position look at their roster this week that continues with a breakdown of the team's offensive line. More: 'We are really playing for postseason opportunities': Indiana football's recent scheduling moves explained Meet Indiana football's offensive line Returning: Carter Smith (R-Jr), Drew Evans (R-Jr), Bray Lynch (R-Jr), Adedamola Ajani (R-Fr), Austin Leibfried (R-Fr), Evan Lawrence (R-Fr), Mitch Verstegen (R-Fr) Transfers: Kahlil Benson (R-Sr), Pat Coogan (R-Sr), Zen Michalski (R-Sr) Early enrollees: Matt Marek, Baylor Wilkin Fall enrollees: Evan Parker More: Indiana football: New turf installed at Memorial Stadium, Mellencamp Pavilion gets a makeover Can Indiana football returning starter Drew Evans avoid a setback? Cignetti told reporters at Big Ten Media Days that Evans was cleared for fall camp from the Achilles injury he suffered at the end of last season. The coaching staff will monitor his workload as he returns to practice after missing spring camp. Will IU look to have Evans back in the starting lineup at left guard for Week 1 against Old Dominion? Or will the Hoosiers give him additional time to work back into form for the Big Ten opener against Illinois a few weeks later? Adedamola Ajani, who spent spring camp with the first-team offense, would benefit from the game reps while taking the pressure off Evans who is coming back from an injury that can take up to 12 months to fully recover from. More: 'Phenomenal': Indiana football's season ticket sales for 2025 reach historic levels Will Indiana football have a moment of Zen this fall? Zen Michalski stands out among IU's transfer class, but not because he's a former top rated-prospect — the Floyd Central grad was the No. 2 ranked recruit from Indiana in the 2021 signing class — or because he played for the national champs last season. Michalski's lack of experience as a fifth-year senior makes him an outlier. He has one career start under his belt and played just 260 snaps with all those reps coming at left tackle. He gave up four quarterback pressures (two sacks) in that lone career start against Nebraska last season. Will a change of scenery and change of position to right tackle help Michalski unlock the potential he showed as a preps player? Indiana offensive line coach Bob Bostad has drawn rave reviews from Cignetti, but the success he's had with transfers has mostly come from players he previously coached (Evans and Trey Wedig). Where does Kahlil Benson fit into Indiana football's plans? Benson is the most experienced of Indiana's offensive lineman having played in 33 career games and 1,828 career snaps, with the bulk of those coming in Bloomington. He was one of two former Hoosiers (Louis Moore) who transferred back to the program after spending a year away. Cignetti envisioned Benson competing at right tackle since that's where he played for Bostad in 2023, but that's not set in stone. Will his experience give him an edge over Michalski? Or will IU shake things up and have Benson compete for playing time at guard? The uncertainty surrounding Benson's spot on the two-deep given his experience is one of the bigger storylines of fall camp. More: Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti: Opposing team offered Hoosiers player $1.5 million to transfer Predicted depth chart for Indiana's offensive line First team: Carter Smith (LT), Drew Evans (LG), Pat Coogan (C), Bray Lynch (RG), Kahlil Benson (RT) Second team: Evan Lawrence (LT), Adedamola Ajani (LG), Matt Marek (C), Austin Leibfried (RG), Zen Michalski (RT) More: 'I've watched it countless times': Indiana football not done learning from CFP loss to Notre Dame Indiana football position preview roundup Wide receivers Tight ends Running backs Secondary Defensive line Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here. This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Indiana football 2025 position preview: Offensive line
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Indiana football position preview: Hoosiers cornerback battle is one to watch
BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football opens fall camp on July 30 as Curt Cignetti and crew look to build on the foundation they laid with an historic run to the College Football Playoffs. The Hoosiers were once again active participants in the transfer portal, but they also retained many of the key faces behind last year's success. We're taking a position-by-position look at their roster this week that continues with a breakdown of the team's secondary. More: 'Phenomenal': Indiana football's season ticket sales for 2025 reach historic levels Meet Indiana football's secondary Cornerbacks Returning: D'Angelo Ponds (Jr); Jamari Sharpe (R-Jr); Amariyun Knighten (R-Jr) Transfers: Ryland Gandy (R-So); Dontrae Henderson (R-Fr) Early enrollees: Jaylen Bell; Seaonta Stewart; Zacharey Smith Fall enrollees: N/A Safeties Returning: Bryson Bonds (R-Sr); Devan Boykin (R-Sr); Amare Ferrell (Jr); Jah Jah Boyd (R-Fr) Transfers: Louis Moore (R-Sr) Early enrollees: Byron Baldwin Jr. Fall enrollees: Garrett Reese More: 'We are really playing for postseason opportunities': Indiana football's recent scheduling moves explained Indiana football's cornerback position battle is one to watch One of IU's most intriguing position battles this fall is between Jamari Sharpe and Ryland Gandy at corner. The winner gets a spot in the starting lineup alongside D'Angelo Ponds, a former freshman standout at JMU who didn't have any issues adjusting to competition in the Big Ten last season. Sharpe heads into fall camp with at least a slight advantage in the competition after getting the starting nod with the first-team defense in Indiana's spring game. He was part of a three-man starting rotation at corner as a redshirt freshman for the Hoosiers in 2023. Last fall, he was their top reserve at the position and came through at various points in the season when Ponds (targeting) and Jamier Johnson (undisclosed injury) were sidelined. Sharpe is one of the few defenders left from the Tom Allen-era in line for a prominent role on the team, but Gandy is an intriguing talent. The redshirt sophomore won three state titles while playing for Buford High School, a known powerhouse, and ran track at the school. He ended up at Pitt where he landed the starting job last season for a coach (Pat Narduzzi) who runs an aggressive scheme aimed at stopping the run that more often than not leaves the cornerbacks to fend for themselves. Tackling was Gandy's biggest issue last season with Pro Football Focus crediting him with 14 missed tackles and that contributed to notable struggles in games against West Virginia and Louisville. Can he overcome the issue in time to land a starting role? Or will he need some additional practice time to sand off some of those rough edges to his game? More: Indiana football: New turf installed at Memorial Stadium, Mellencamp Pavilion gets a makeover Byron Baldwin Jr. is the top breakout candidate from IU's 2025 signing class Baldwin could follow in Rolijah Hardy's footsteps as IU's next true freshman standout on defense. Hardy was part of a 2024 signing class that featured a handful of contributors on special teams, but he was the only one to break through and get meaningful reps on either side of the ball. He earned a larger role by making impact plays that helped the Hoosiers close out a series of blowout wins early in the year. Cignetti's staff made Baldwin a top priority on the recruiting trail and fought off stiff competition from Colorado to land him. He was the highest-ranked recruit in IU's class (No. 258 nationally, per 247 Sports composite rankings) and only one with a 4-star ranking. Baldwin will likely get similar opportunities during Indiana's non-conference schedule after impressing the coaches as an early enrollee in a safety room that isn't exactly flush with depth. 'He flies around, got a lot of talent, likes contact, good ball skills,' Cignetti said, after the spring game. More: Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti: Opposing team offered Hoosiers player $1.5 million to transfer Will Indiana's starting trio at safety in Week 1 stay the course? Indiana hit the reset button in the secondary midway through the 2024 season with Amare Ferrell moving from rover to safety and Terry Jones Jr. jumping into the starting lineup at his former position. The coaching staff praised the group's improved communication while defensive coordinator Bryant Haines leaned into Ferrell's playmaking skills and physicality. Ferrell provides Indiana continuity at the position as the lone holdover from the starting group that features a mix of veterans — IU signed sixth-year transfers Louis Moore (Ole Miss) and Devan Boykin (NC State) while Bryson Bonds is one of the longest tenured members of the team — and youngsters like Baldwin. The transfers aren't lacking experience, but Boykin hasn't played in a game since tearing his ACL in the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl. That adds another layer of uncertainty as the Hoosiers try to find the right mix. It's a position where actual game film might ultimately determine where everyone fits best and who gets the most reps. More: 'I've watched it countless times': Indiana football not done learning from CFP loss to Notre Dame Predicted depth chart for Indiana football's secondary Cornerback First Team: D'Angelo Ponds, Ryland Gandy Second Team: Amariyun Knighten, Jamari Sharpe Safety First Team: Amare Ferrell, Louis Moore Second Team: Bryon Baldwin, Bryson Bonds Rover First Team: Devan Boykin Second Team: Bryson Bonds Indiana football position preview roundup Wide receivers Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here. This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Indiana football 2025 position preview: Secondary
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Indiana football position preview: Veteran transfers battling it out for starting spot at tight end
BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football opens fall camp on July 30 as Curt Cignetti and crew look to build on the foundation they laid with an historic run to the College Football Playoffs. The Hoosiers were once again active participants in the transfer portal, but they also retained many of the key faces behind last year's success. We're taking a position-by-position look at their roster this week that continues with a breakdown of the tight end room. Indiana signed a pair of veteran transfers at the position who head into fall camp battling to take over Zach Horton's starting role. More: 'We are really playing for postseason opportunities': Indiana football's recent scheduling moves explained Meet Indiana football's tight ends Returning: James Bomba (R-Sr) Transfers: Riley Nowakowski (R-Sr), Holden Staes (Sr) Early enrollees: Andrew Barker Fall enrollees: Blake Thiry More: Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti: Opposing team offered Hoosiers player $1.5 million to transfer Wisconsin transfer Riley Nowakowski could be Zach Horton 2.0 Zach Horton was a vital part of Curt Cignetti's offense at JMU and Indiana, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by opposing coaches who frequently brought up the tight end's effort and toughness after scouting the Hoosiers last season. While he had modest production in the passing game — 21 catches for 189 yards with four touchdowns — he was an invaluable in-line blocker who Cignetti described as a 'blood-and-guts, hard-nosed' talent. There wasn't a guarantee Indiana would be able to find someone in the portal at tight end that matched Horton's skills and intangibles, but Riley Nowakowski comes awfully close. The sixth-year senior is a former walk-on turned starter for the Badgers with plenty of experience (40 games with 10 starts). He's also displayed a team-first attitude throughout his career having moved from linebacker to fullback to tight end. Last year, Wisconsin coaches praised his attention to detail and growth as a leader. The 6-foot-1, 243-pounder could slide right into Horton's role as IU's glue in 2025. More: Indiana football: New turf installed at Memorial Stadium, Mellencamp Pavilion gets a makeover Is the third time the charm for transfer tight end Holden Staes? Holden Staes has the physical tools to be a top pass-catching threat in the Power Four, but he hasn't quite reached those heights during stints with Notre Dame and Tennessee. He came out of high school as a 4-star recruit and 11th overall tight end in the 2022 signing class out of Atlanta. Staes went from being the heir apparent to Michael Mayer at Notre Dame to the SEC last season, where a fellow transfer (Miles Kitselman) ended up as Vols' top receiving threat. Staes is in the minor of IU transfers as a player that falls in the potential over production category. He's never caught more than 15 passes in a single-season and was only sporadically counted on as a lead blocking tight end. Will another change in scenery help him reach new heights? At a minimum, he gives IU a bid-bodied target able to line up the slot. That's certainly a valuable commodity for a coaching staff that has a long history of putting their skill players in the best position to succeed. More: 'Phenomenal': Indiana football's season ticket sales for 2025 reach historic levels Tight end rotation would be change of pace for Curt Cignetti Will the competition in fall camp between Nowaskowski and Staes be a winner-take–all situation? Or will IU's coaching staff opt to split up reps while leaning into each of their strengths? Horton accounted for more than 75% of the snaps among Cignetti's tight ends each of the last two seasons. Cignetti rotated tight ends in 2022 at JMU with Horton and Drew Painter splitting up the workload, but they shared similar skill sets and were nearly interchangeable. The most likely scenario based on that recent history is IU picking the most reliable blocker of the two and giving them the bulk of the reps. More: 'I've watched it countless times': Indiana football not done learning from CFP loss to Notre Dame Predicted depth chart for Indiana's tight ends First Team: Riley Nowakowski Second Team: Holden Staes Indiana football position preview roundup Wide receivers Secondary Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here. This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Indiana football 2025 position preview: Tight ends
