Indiana heads into the Rose Bowl with plenty of momentum after their Big Ten Championship win-but they’ll be without one of their key defensive playmakers. Head coach Curt Cignetti confirmed that edge rusher Stephen Daley is out for the remainder of the season due to an injury sustained after the conference title game.
That’s a tough loss, no sugarcoating it. Daley wasn’t just a starter-he was a tone-setter.
Alongside Mikail Kamara, he was one of only two edge rushers to appear in all 13 games for Indiana this season. His production speaks volumes: 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and a Big Ten-best 19 tackles for loss.
That kind of disruption off the edge doesn’t just show up on the stat sheet-it changes game plans.
Now, Indiana’s coaching staff, led by defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, has to figure out how to fill that void. And it likely won’t be a one-man job.
There are a few names already in the rotation who could step into bigger roles. Daniel Ndukwe has seen the most action among the backups, appearing in seven games this season.
But keep an eye on Andrew Turvy and Andrew DePaepe. They’ve played in fewer games-four each-but both have graded out better than Ndukwe as pure pass rushers.
And that’s going to matter, especially against an Alabama offense that leans heavily on the pass and features Ty Simpson under center.
Alabama’s offensive line is no joke-they’re solid across the board in pass protection. That means whoever steps into Daley’s role won’t just need to hold their own; they’ll need to create pressure consistently.
Expect Haines to get creative. If the edge rush isn’t generating enough heat on its own, don’t be surprised if we see more blitz packages dialed up, especially with Rolijah Hardy and Isaiah Jones, who lead the team in sacks.
Bringing pressure from different levels could be the key to rattling Simpson and disrupting Alabama’s rhythm.
The silver lining for Indiana? This defensive line isn’t a one-man show.
Kamara is still healthy, and so are Tyrique Tucker and Mario Landino. That trio gives Haines a strong foundation to work with, even without Daley.
It’s a deeper unit than Indiana has at most other positions, and that depth is going to be tested in Pasadena.
Losing Daley stings-no doubt about it. But Indiana’s defense has the pieces to adjust.
The question now is whether that front can still bring the kind of chaos that’s become a calling card for this unit. If they can, Indiana’s got a real shot to make life uncomfortable for Alabama on one of college football’s biggest stages.