Indiana’s defensive front looks built to dominate again, and the depth chart reads like a flex
Indiana spent last season making life miserable for opposing offenses. The Hoosiers led the nation with 30 turnovers created, finished second in the country in points allowed per game at 11.7, and ranked fourth in yards allowed per game at 266.0. That kind of production doesn’t happen by accident, and it sets the stage for another big year on that side of the ball.
The real headline for 2026 is what Indiana has coming back up front. The Hoosiers already had a strong core in place, and then the offseason only made that group deeper and more dangerous. With returning talent, late eligibility developments, and a fresh batch of transfer additions, Indiana’s defensive front has become the envy of college football programs around the country.
The returning production alone is eye-catching. Tackles Mario Landino and Tyrique Tucker are both back after huge seasons.
Landino put up 32 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, and 5.0 sacks, while Tucker added 40 tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss, and 6.0 sacks. That gives Indiana a proven pair in the middle of the defensive front.
The Hoosiers also bring back linebackers Elijah Hardy and Isaiah Jones. Hardy led the team with 108 tackles and added 8.0 sacks, while Jones recorded 7.0 sacks. That kind of experience in the middle gives Indiana a steady backbone heading into 2026.
Then came a late boost that made the group even more formidable. Right before fall camp was set to open, a ruling from a U.S.
District Court judge in Colorado opened the door for some athletes from the high school Class of 2022 to gain another year of eligibility. That decision allowed Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt to return.
Daley was one of the best defensive linemen in college football last season. He was tied for the national lead with 19.0 tackles for loss through 13 games before a season-ending knee injury after the Big Ten Championship Game against Ohio State.
Wyatt also lost his season to a knee injury, going down against Michigan State after starting 7 games. In that span, he posted 27.0 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks.
Put it together, and Indiana is bringing back its top five sack leaders from last season. That’s rare anywhere, let alone at a program trying to reload without losing its edge.
The transfer portal only added more fuel. Kansas State EDGE Tobi Osunsanmi and Chiddi Obiazor headline the incoming group.
Osunsanmi had 6.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks in only 6 games before his own season-ending injury, while Obiazor earned Honorable Mention All-Big 12 recognition after finishing with 28 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 2.0 sacks. Both are projected to start at EDGE, and Osunsanmi can also line up at STUD.
Notre Dame transfer EDGE Josh Burnham is another major piece. At 6'4" and 260 pounds, he brings size and production after appearing in all 12 games for the Fighting Irish last season and recording 16.0 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, and 3.0 sacks. He also had a pair of sacks in the 2024 National Championship Game against Ohio State.
For defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, the options are almost overwhelming. Indiana has proven production, athleticism, size, and physicality across the front, along with the kind of depth that can carry a defense through a season. That mix gives the Hoosiers a real chance to field the best defensive front in the Big Ten, and maybe the country.
In Other News...
Indiana Just Sent A Clear Message About Scott Dolson
Indiana is making a point about Scott Dolson at a moment when the athletic department has every reason to feel good about itself. The Hoosiers athletic director has been rewarded for a run that includes national recognition and one of the more stable tenures in the Big Ten, and his latest extension reflects how much value the school places on the job he has done across the department.
The timing is hard to miss, too. Dolson hired Curt Cignetti, and the football programs rise under him has become part of the backdrop for this decision, which comes after Cignettis own extension and amid Indianas perfect season. For a program that has spent so much time trying to build something durable, the message is clear: the university sees Dolson as part of the foundation, not just the face of the moment. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana May Have Its Most Dangerous Unit Heading Into 2026
Indianas defensive front has quietly become one of the most intriguing parts of the roster build for 2026, and the latest movement only adds to that. With past production already giving the line a solid foundation, the Hoosiers have spent the offseason layering experience on top of it, a sign that the staff is not treating this group like an area to merely patch together.
The mix now includes proven returners and transfer additions, giving Indiana more bodies and more options at the edge than it had a year ago. Even with the bigger picture still unfolding, the depth chart is starting to look unusually sturdy for a unit that could end up setting the tone for the entire defense. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Just Sent A Clear Message About Scott Dolson
Indianas athletic department has made its confidence in Scott Dolson plain. The Hoosiers extended the athletic directors contract through 2031 and raised his base salary to $1.15 million a year, a move that reflects how much ground the department believes it has gained under his watch since he took over in 2020.
Dolsons rise has tracked with a broader lift across Indiana athletics, including notable financial and programmatic improvements and a football resurgence that has helped change the conversation around the department. Add in his recognition as NACDA Athletics Director of the Year, and the extension reads less like a routine personnel note than a clear signal that Indiana sees him as central to what comes next. [Read more 🡒]