Indiana is heading into its 2026 season opener in pretty good shape physically, and that alone counts as a win after the wear and tear of fall camp.
Head coach Curt Cignetti said Monday the Hoosiers came through camp without any serious injuries. The only possible exception is freshman tight end Trevor Gibbs, who is questionable for the game.
“We didn’t lose anyone other than probably (freshman tight end Trevor) Gibbs would be questionable for the game,” Cignetti said. “He would be the only one.”
Gibbs had worked his way into the mix as one of three young tight ends fighting for snaps in camp. If he can’t go, Andrew Barker or Brock Schott figures to handle most of the workload there.
That good health report stands out after a spring in which multiple players were sidelined following postseason surgeries. Indiana’s offseason also included a change in the strength program, with Tyson Brown taking over as the new head of strength and conditioning in January.
Another familiar face will be on the opposite sideline Saturday: Tayven Jackson. The former Indiana quarterback, who played for Tom Allen in 2023 and for Cignetti in 2024, was named North Texas’ starter last week.
Jackson served as Kurtis Rourke’s backup and delivered when his number was called for Indiana.
“Tayven played really good football for us in ’24,” Cignetti said on Monday. “Came in at halftime in a Nebraska game and played a great second half. Started the next week against Washington, a game that we won.
“He’s very talented. He’s got a live arm.
He can run. He’s a good athlete.
Started a number of games last season. He’s a good player.”
Jackson’s brother, IU basketball icon Trayce Jackson-Davis, said on social media that he’ll be in attendance Saturday.
Elsewhere on the depth chart, Indiana’s starting corner spot opposite Jamari Sharpe is still up for grabs. Penn State transfer A.J.
Harris and returner Ryland Gandy remain in the fight for that job. Harris dealt with a minor knee injury during camp, but Cignetti said he has returned to practice and the battle continues.
The secondary, in general, is still a work in progress when it comes to depth. Cignetti pointed to Amare Ferrell’s strong camp and said the Hoosiers have two veterans who can also slide to rover, but he’d prefer more bodies back there.
“(Amare) Ferrell has had a really good camp. The free safety spot, got two veterans there that can also play rover,” Cignetti said. “Wish we had a little bit more depth at the safety position, but we are where we are.”
Indiana’s main options at free safety, strong safety and rover are Ferrell, Wisconsin transfer Preston Zachman, Cincinnati transfer Quan Sanks and sophomore Byron Baldwin.
One spot has already been settled, though. Cignetti said Bray Lynch will start at center on Saturday.
“Bray Lynch will be the center,” Cignetti said. “He’s a veteran guy.
He’s smart. Snaps the ball well.
I feel good about it.”
In Other News...
Indiana Fans Finally Have The Full NFL Roster Cut Picture
Indianas run through the 2026 NFL Draft already made school history, but the picture got even clearer after preseason cutdowns. Eighteen former Hoosiers made their teams initial 53-man rosters, adding another layer to a year in which the program set a record with eight players drafted and saw Fernando Mendoza and Omar Cooper Jr. become the first Indiana teammates taken in the first round of the same draft.
The final roster math also gave a better sense of just how deep this group really was, even as several other former Hoosiers were waived or released and now wait to see whether a practice-squad opportunity or another chance comes next. For Indiana fans, it is the kind of NFL inventory that speaks to where the program has gone under the spotlight and how much more of its 2026 class still has a path to carve out on Sundays. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Players Reveal What Makes Curt Cignetti Feel Different
Indiana footballs undefeated 2025 run has already given the program plenty to talk about, but a recent 30-minute CBS Sports roundtable offered a quieter look at what life has been like inside Curt Cignettis first season of real momentum in Bloomington. Charlie Becker, Tyrique Tucker, Carter Smith and Isaiah Jones each took part, and the conversation drifted well beyond game results into the everyday details that tend to define a coachs imprint, from spring camp moments to championship-game memories and the kind of off-field time that can help a team bond.
What stood out most was the way the players described Cignetti himself, not just as a practice field taskmaster but as someone whose personality and routines have shaped the room in a different way. They also traded stories that gave the discussion some texture, including Nick Marshs gold cleats during spring camp, plus bits about golfing and fishing, the sort of side-door details that make a coach feel more human and a team culture feel more real. [Read more 🡒]
Indianas NFL Rise Just Showed Up In Final Roster Cuts
The latest round of NFL roster cuts brought another reminder of how far Indiana footballs pipeline has come. When the league settled on its final 53-man rosters for the 2026 season, 18 former Hoosiers had landed spots across 12 different teams, a showing that underscores how consistently Indiana has been sending talent into the pro ranks.
There is still some movement to watch, though. Nine other former Hoosiers were waived or released and could surface again on practice squads or elsewhere as teams continue sorting out the back end of their rosters, which means Indianas NFL footprint is likely to keep shifting even after the cutdown deadline. [Read more 🡒]