Sam Alexis’ decision to come back gives Indiana a lot more clarity for 2026-27, and it also gives Darian DeVries a frontcourt with real size, real flexibility and a few different ways to win.
Alexis announced his return on Sunday after spending late July with the Hoosiers at the FISU America Games, making it clear he wants to run it back in Bloomington. His return matters because Indiana already had pieces in place up front, and now the puzzle looks even more crowded in a good way.
The biggest name in the middle of it all is Aiden Sherrell, who should be a locked-in starter after arriving as one of the most coveted forwards in the portal. Indiana expects him to be one of the top two-way bigs in the Big Ten, and maybe beyond it.
Alongside him, Samet Yigitoglu brings a different kind of force entirely. At 7-foot-2 and 270 pounds, he gives the Hoosiers the kind of bulk DeVries said the program needed to handle the Big Ten’s physicality.
That leaves Alexis in a much more natural spot. He spent most of 2025-26 functioning as Indiana’s de facto center, playing bigger than his listed 6-foot-9 frame and doing everything he could to help the Hoosiers survive on the glass and at the rim. Now he can slide back into the four without much fuss, while still offering DeVries the option to play him at center in smaller, more up-tempo looks.
That versatility is what makes this group so interesting. With sophomore Trent Sisley able to move up to small forward at times, Indiana can mix and match its front line depending on the matchup. The Hoosiers could go with positionless defense, a rebounding-heavy group or a faster lineup built to push the pace.
Up top, Burton is the starter at lead guard for 2026-27, no matter how things looked in Peru. He brings scoring, passing and defense, and he’s the kind of point guard Indiana needs to organize everything else around him.
The backcourt pieces around Burton give DeVries options, too. Jaeden Mustaf brings downhill pressure and defensive upside.
Freshman Prince-Alexander Moody is in the mix as well. But the projected look here leans toward Lindsay, whose shooting and secondary playmaking fit cleanly with the rest of the group.
Harris also makes a strong case because he adds another deep threat, which should help open the floor for Burton and create room for the bigs inside.
The main takeaway is simple: Indiana isn’t short on choices. Alexis’ return only adds to a frontcourt that already includes Sherrell and Yigitoglu, and it gives DeVries the ability to build lineups that can look completely different from one possession to the next. That kind of depth should keep the Hoosiers from getting beat in just one area.
In Other News...
Mikail Kamaras NFL Shot Just Hit A Brutal New Obstacle
Mikail Kamaras path to the NFL took another hard turn this week after the former Indiana edge rusher, who signed with the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent following the 2026 NFL Draft, was sidelined in training camp. Kamara had earned his chance to stick with the 49ers after his college career in Bloomington, but his first summer in the league quickly turned uncertain once he went down on the practice field.
San Francisco later waived Kamara with an injury designation, leaving his immediate future murky and no recovery timeline announced. For a player still trying to turn a post-draft opportunity into a roster spot, the setback is a frustrating one, and it leaves open the question of what comes next once he gets healthy enough to resume his push. [Read more 🡒]
Curt Cignetti Faces Indianas Next Big Culture Test
When Curt Cignetti arrived at Indiana, he brought familiar faces with him from James Madison, but most of that group is now gone, leaving redshirt senior defensive lineman Tyrique Tucker as the lone holdover from that original wave. It is a familiar reality in modern college football, where roster turnover can wipe out the comfort of old ties just as quickly as it creates them, and it puts even more weight on how a coach builds something lasting beyond the transfer portal.
Cignetti has made that part of the job feel intentional, leaning on a culture where leadership is supposed to surface from within rather than be handed out from the top. He does not name captains, preferring to let those roles develop naturally, and he believes the players now in the program have the kind of character that can keep the standard in place even as the roster keeps changing. For Indiana, the next test is not just replacing production, but proving the locker room can police itself the way a winning program requires. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas Quarterback Battle Could Decide More Than Just The Starting Job
Fall practice has a way of clarifying what a team thinks it has, and for Indiana, the quarterback spot is one of the most watched jobs heading into the season. The Hoosiers are trying to find stability at the most important position, and the player stepping into that role is doing so with a heavy load of expectation attached to him.
Around the sport, Alabamas quarterback competition is drawing plenty of attention because it could shape more than the depth chart, but Indiana is dealing with its own version of that pressure. The Hoosiers need their new starter to settle in quickly, and how he handles the coming months will go a long way toward telling the story of the offense and the season that follows. [Read more 🡒]