Indiana’s start to 2026 already has the fan base buzzing after a 52-16 win over North Texas in Week 1, and Curt Cignetti may have just pointed to a special-teams wrinkle that could matter later in the year.
The Hoosiers rolled in their opener with several players making loud early statements, but Thursday night’s press conference turned attention to a potential weapon that has not really entered the spotlight yet: Paddy McAteer.
McAteer arrived at Indiana through the transfer portal this offseason and appears to be carving out a role as the team’s long-range field goal option. He handled kickoff duties in Week 1, and Cignetti said McAteer has range beyond 60 yards, a trait that could become valuable as the season goes on.
That matters because Nico Radicic is still the primary placekicker. He was excellent last season, going 87-for-87 on extra points and 17-for-18 on field goals.
But Radicic has not yet made a field goal from 50 yards or longer in his college career, and he has not even attempted one from that distance. He is 7-for-8 on kicks from 40-49 yards and hit a career-best 49-yarder against North Texas.
In a college game that increasingly demands range, Indiana may need more than one kicking answer. Radicic has been steady inside 50, but Cignetti’s comments suggest McAteer is the one with the bigger leg if the Hoosiers ever need to attack from deeper out.
McAteer’s path is a unique one. The native of Mullaghbawn, Ireland, first kicked an American football in April 2024 at age 20. After two seasons at Troy, he began turning heads with his long-distance ability, including a 53-yard field goal last season at Texas State.
Indiana’s offense has already shown it can move the ball and cash in on scoring chances. Still, there will be games when a long field goal becomes the swing point, and that is where McAteer could enter the picture. If the Hoosiers call on him, they may have a kicker built for that exact moment.
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Against Howard, Becker did most of his damage before halftime, catching three touchdown passes in the first half and putting his name squarely in the middle of Indianas title conversation. For a team trying to defend its place atop the league, having another playmaker emerging this fast only raises the ceiling, and it is starting to look like Becker will be hard to ignore as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]