Not even two full years into his Indiana run, Darian DeVries is already showing a pattern in how he uses the back end of his roster. The last three or four spots among the 15 available have started to look like a place for developmental bets, and Tuesday’s commitment from Felix Kiehlneker fits right into that approach.
DeVries has leaned toward international players in those spots, and Indiana’s roster history under him already shows it. In his first season, the Hoosiers had Aleksa Ristic and Andrej Acimovic. Acimovic never appeared in an NCAA game, while Ristic played in 12 contests and finished with six points after hitting two three-pointers.
This season, Indiana added Clemens Sokolov, a seven-foot center from Germany who looks positioned as a bench option behind Aiden Sherrell and Samet Yigitoglu. But with Ristic and Acimovic no longer on the roster, Sokolov’s long-term fit is still up in the air.
Sam Alexis’ eligibility decision adds another layer, since he would likely sit ahead of Sokolov if granted a final season. Kiehlneker, at least early on, seems likely to land in a similar lane.
The reality is that international players are tough to evaluate. There are so many leagues, and the level of competition varies so much from country to country that even finding a clean scouting picture can be difficult. In Kiehlneker’s case, there doesn’t even appear to be usable tape available on YouTube.
Still, the lack of a major on-court impact from Ristic or Acimovic doesn’t really change the bigger picture. Few college programs can keep all 15 scholarship players satisfied with minutes and roles. Some roster spots are going to be for players who may not matter right away.
That’s why DeVries’ approach makes sense. The more established recruits are usually going to choose places where they know they’ll play, which leaves programs like Indiana with a choice: leave those spots empty or use them on prospects who might develop over time.
For Indiana, the second option is the safer play. If one of these international pieces becomes a real contributor, that’s a win. If not, a seven-foot body in practice still has value.
In Other News...
Curt Cignetti Is Proving Indiana Needs More Than NIL To Dream Big
Curt Cignetti has turned Indiana football into a national-championship program in just two seasons, and he has done it without the Hoosiers operating like one of college footballs biggest NIL spenders. The numbers around roster investment still matter, of course, but Indianas estimated spending for 2026 sits in the $36 million to $40 million range, which places the program 13th nationally and tied for fourth in the Big Ten.
What makes the rise so striking is how much of it has come from Cignettis eye for talent and his coaching, not just from competing at the top of the financial market. Indiana has shown it can dream bigger in the NIL era, but Cignettis success suggests the path forward is still about more than money, and the real question is how long the Hoosiers can keep building that way as the spending race keeps escalating. [Read more 🡒]
Curt Cignetti Had The Perfect Self-Own About His Quarterback Days
Long before Curt Cignetti was rebuilding Indiana football, he was taking a hard look at his own game. Asked to assess his days as a high school quarterback in 1979, the Hoosiers coach gave himself a brutally honest scouting report, saying his ankles and lower body were stiff and his arm was below average. It was the kind of self-evaluation that sounds more like a coach than a player, and it fit the path his career ultimately took.
Cignetti went on to play at West Virginia under his father, Frank Cignetti Sr., where he competed with Oliver Luck for the quarterback job and saw limited action. Soon after, he moved into coaching, beginning as a graduate assistant at Pitt in 1983 before eventually working with Nick Saban at Alabama. For Indiana fans, it is another reminder that the man now leading the program has spent most of his life knowing exactly what he was, and what he was not, on a football field. [Read more 🡒]
Darian DeVries Has A Chance To Change Indiana's Recruiting Buzz
Darian DeVries is still early in his run at Indiana, but the recruiting energy around his program is already starting to shift. This weekend, the Hoosiers are hosting 5-star 2028 combo guard Brady Pettigrew on an official visit, a notable get for a staff trying to build traction with elite prospects while also laying out its long-term vision in Bloomington.
Pettigrew is expected to keep taking visits to other programs, so Indiana is competing in a crowded race rather than enjoying any sort of clean lead. The Hoosiers are also in the mix for 5-star 2027 recruit Darius Wabbington, giving DeVries a chance to stack high-end targets around a class that already includes commitments from 4-star Chase Branham and Felix Kiehlneker, and maybe change the way Indiana is talked about on the trail. [Read more 🡒]