Curt Cignetti has not been shy about using the transfer portal in Bloomington, and that trend continued this offseason. But Indiana’s 2026 outlook is not built only on outside additions. A core group of returners from last year’s national championship team is back, and a few familiar names could end up steering how far the Hoosiers go.
Charlie Becker looks like the headliner on offense. He did not crack the starting lineup until Oct. 25 against UCLA, then quickly turned into one of the most dangerous receivers in college football.
Becker was central to Indiana’s CFP run to the title, coming up with several huge catches and moments that Hoosier fans won’t forget anytime soon. Now he returns as a likely top option for TCU transfer quarterback Josh Hoover, giving Indiana a receiver-QB pairing worth watching closely.
On the other side of the ball, Jamari Sharpe carries one of the biggest moments from last season into 2026. His game-sealing interception against Miami (FL) in the National Championship Game finished off Indiana’s title run and marked the second pick of his career.
With D’Angelo Ponds now in the NFL, Sharpe is positioned for a much bigger role in the cornerback room. The Miami, FL native is entering his fifth college season, all of them with Indiana, and his résumé already includes 40 games played, 85 tackles, 14 pass break-ups and 4 forced fumbles.
Rolijah Hardy is back, too, and he brings production that jumps off the page. The junior linebacker led the Hoosiers with 8.0 sacks last season and was even more active against the run, piling up 98 tackles in the regular season to rank ninth nationally and lead Indiana. Hardy has become one of the Big Ten’s most reliable tacklers, and with Isaiah Jones returning alongside him, the middle of the defense should have a familiar anchor.
Up front, the center spot is one of the key battles to watch, and Bray Lynch appears to be the favorite to open the season there. Cignetti said at Big Ten Media Days that both Lynch and Drew Evans can play center, but Lynch is expected to be the Week 1 starter.
He has already logged plenty of game action for Indiana - 38 appearances and 29 starts - but center is not a position he has spent a significant amount of time playing. With Pat Coogan gone, Lynch’s adjustment could have a major impact on how high the Hoosiers’ offense can climb.
There is also room for Khobie Martin to make a real leap in the backfield. Indiana could wind up with a three-man rotation that includes Boston College transfer Turbo Richard along with Martin and Lee Beebe Jr., but Martin is the most intriguing of the bunch.
As a redshirt freshman last season, he ran for 505 yards, averaged 6.5 yards per carry and scored 6 rushing touchdowns. With Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black both in the NFL, Martin should see a larger workload even if the depth chart stays crowded.
If he takes the next step, Indiana’s run game could look a lot different this fall.
In Other News...
Former Hoosiers Are Suddenly Facing Big NFL Camp Stakes
At the start of NFL training camp, 27 former Hoosiers were scattered across league rosters and fighting for the kind of opportunities that can define a summer. For Indiana fans, it is the sort of snapshot that keeps the programs pro pipeline in view, with players in all sorts of camp roles: Fernando Mendoza getting work with the Raiders, Riley Nowakowski sitting as the only fullback on the Steelers depth chart and Zach Horton finding himself back with Detroit after a teammates injury created another opening.
The early days have not been especially clean for everyone, either. Kaelon Black and DAngelo Ponds have already missed practice time, which is the sort of setback that can tighten the margins when rosters are still taking shape and every rep matters. For a group of Hoosiers trying to turn camp invitations into something more permanent, the next few days will tell plenty about who is holding ground and who still has work to do. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Just Got A Late Roster Boost Fans Will Want To See
A court ruling on NCAA eligibility has given Indiana a late jolt of roster clarity, and it comes at a useful time with fall camp opening for football and the rest of the athletic calendar already moving full speed ahead. The ripple effect reaches both major programs, with IU basketball also adding transfers Aiden Sherrell and Samet Yigitoglu as the Hoosiers continue to reshape the look of the roster.
For football, the ruling matters because it gives the program another layer of long-term stability heading into the upcoming season and beyond. With IU volleyball also making the rounds at Big Ten media day, it has been a busy stretch across the department, but this latest development is the one that could pay off most down the line if the added eligibility turns into real continuity for a team still sorting out its future pieces. [Read more 🡒]
Rolijah Hardy Has Become Indianas Defensive Standard Bearer
Rolijah Hardy enters the season as the clear defensive centerpiece for Indiana, and the accolades reflect how far he has come. The junior linebacker led the Hoosiers in tackles and sacks last season, and his name keeps popping up on preseason All-American and All-Big Ten lists, a sign that outside evaluators see him as more than just a productive returning starter. With Aiden Fisher gone, Indiana will lean harder on Hardy and Isaiah Jones to help set the tone for a defense that now needs new voices as much as new production.
Hardys value has been about more than chasing ball carriers. He has shown the kind of versatility that gives a defense flexibility, from a pick-six in the 2024 spring game to coverage plays that stood out during the previous season. The question for Indiana is no longer whether Hardy can make impact plays. It is how much more he can carry when the Hoosiers ask him to become the standard everyone else is measured against. [Read more 🡒]