Indiana’s running back picture is starting to clear up, and Khobie Martin looks like the next piece close to returning.
For a stretch, the Hoosiers were scrambling just to piece together enough bodies in the backfield. Indiana even had to move freshman linebacker Henry Ohlinger into the running back room before the Rutgers game after injuries piled up. Two weeks ago, Turbo Richard, Lee Beebe, Jr., Khobie Martin and Sean Cuono were all on Indiana’s availability report, and that group represented four of the team’s five scholarship running backs.
All but Martin played against Rutgers, and the Hoosiers now appear to be edging back toward full strength.
Martin has been sidelined since the first quarter of week one, when he suffered multiple breaks in his right forearm while pass blocking on his second snap of the season opener. At the time, head coach Curt Cignetti said he expected Martin back around midseason, and with the regular season now at its halfway point, that timeline is coming into view.
“He’s getting close to returning,” Cignetti said Monday on the Triple Option podcast.
The 6-foot, 210-pound running back from Fishers, Indiana, has been listed out for Indiana’s first three Big Ten games. His status will be one to monitor in the days ahead.
Martin’s absence has been notable because he came into the season with plenty of momentum after a strong 2025 campaign. As a redshirt freshman, he was a productive and explosive piece of Indiana’s offense, finishing with 78 carries for 505 yards and six touchdowns.
The Hoosiers went into the 2026 season planning to rotate Martin, Richard and Beebe, Jr. How quickly they can get back to that setup now depends on how soon Martin is ready to go.
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For Indiana supporters, it is the sort of scattered but meaningful NFL footprint that makes the weekly scoreboard worth checking beyond the college game. Mendozas first action offered a small but notable milestone, and Prices continued usage as a returner and depth piece shows the Hoosiers pipeline is still sending talent into places where it can help right away, even if the bigger breakout moment is still waiting to come. [Read more 🡒]
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Cignetti also used the Nebraska game as a reminder of what Indiana still needs to clean up before facing Ohio State. He cited missed defensive assignments and a limited running game, noting that the ground attack was affected by the conditions and by Nebraskas defense. For Indiana, the challenge is now less about carrying momentum and more about proving it can sharpen the rough edges quickly enough to hang with a Buckeyes team that punishes hesitation. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Faces One Harsh Reality Ahead Of Ohio State
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Still, the comparison with Ohio State drives home the gap Indiana is trying to close. The Buckeyes simply have more highly ranked prospects across the board and far fewer unranked players, which is the harsh reality facing Indiana as it prepares for the game. For the Hoosiers, the next step is not just recruiting better, but building enough roster depth and high-end talent to make these kinds of meetings feel less lopsided. [Read more 🡒]