Indiana football has added Stephen Daley back into the mix for 2026, and the next step is a careful one.
With fall camp opening Wednesday, Daley was already back on the practice field in Bloomington after a season-ending injury he suffered while celebrating Indiana’s win over Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game in early December. The injury wiped out his offseason plans, including any chance at NFL workouts while he recovered from knee surgery.
Curt Cignetti made it clear Wednesday that Indiana is not going to force the issue.
“It’s a potential opportunity (for the team) to get better,” Cignetti said Wednesday. “Stephen would’ve been cleared for camp.
He’s in pretty good shape. We’ll have a plan for his return to play.
We’re not in a hurry (or) in a rush. We’ll bring him along, evaluate it day by day.
And if it works out for him long term, I think it’s a great thing.”
Daley is back with the Hoosiers after recent court rulings gave players from the class of 2022 an extra year of eligibility. This will be his second season at IU after transferring in from Kent State last year.
For now, his workload is limited. Cignetti said Daley is on a modified program, will dress for practice and take part in some individual work, but won’t do any 11-on-11 work yet. From there, the strength and conditioning staff will handle the rest until they feel comfortable with where he is physically.
“He’s on a modified program. He’s going to dress out for practice, participate in some individual (activity) right now.
No 11 on 11. And then get with the strength and conditioning staff who will bring him along till they feel confident he’s ready to go,” Cignetti said.
“He was training to be ready for next year. Looks like he’s in pretty good shape.”
Indiana’s defensive front already looked deep without him. Kansas State transfers Tobi Osunsanmi and Chiddi Obiazor, Notre Dame transfer Josh Burnham and Indiana returnee Daniel Ndukwe give the Hoosiers plenty of options on the edges. Daley’s return only adds to that group.
Cignetti said he has not yet considered whether Daley could be ready for the season opener against North Texas on September 5. Even so, he knows what a healthy comeback could mean for the Winchester, Virginia native.
“Here’s a guy who played at Kent State, then came to us last fall. And it really took him three to four games before he started to get the hang of it.
Wasn’t playing a key role. And then became the most dominant defensive lineman in the Big Ten, led the Big Ten in TFLs with 19.
Suffers the injury, and so ends up not getting drafted, and so on and so forth. So if it all works out and he can participate and help this football team, then his life could change,” Cignetti said.
“But I know one thing about him: he’ll give it his best shot. He really will.”
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