Curt Cignetti has built Indiana football’s rise on the transfer portal, and the formula is still front and center as the Hoosiers head into another season with championship expectations.
Indiana is bringing in 17 transfers this fall, and if the Hoosiers are going to push for another national title, a handful of those newcomers will have to hit big right away. The group is headlined by quarterback Josh Hoover, but the impact pieces stretch across the roster.
Hoover is the clearest swing factor. Indiana’s offense is expected to stay balanced, but there’s no getting around how much the season will ride on the former TCU quarterback. He brings experience and a strong fit for the RPO-heavy approach Cignetti and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan want to run, which puts him in position to settle in quickly.
The passing game also got a major boost with wide receiver Nick Marsh. The former Michigan State standout was ranked by On3 as the No. 2 wide receiver and No. 13 overall transfer in the market, and he should be a major part of Indiana’s aerial attack.
Charlie Becker is back too, and the two bring different tools to the table. Becker is the contested-catch threat downfield, while Marsh is the one who can turn short throws into big gains after the catch.
That combination could be dangerous.
At running back, Turbo Richard arrives from Boston College with a profile that screams breakout candidate. He posted 749 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns on 145 carries last season, averaging 5.2 yards per carry. He added 30 receptions for 213 yards and two more scores, giving Indiana another back who can contribute in multiple ways.
On the defensive side, EDGE Tobi Osunsanmi looks ready to make noise immediately. He is Indiana’s highest-ranked defensive transfer and comes in as On3’s No.
10 EDGE and No. 73 overall portal player. Even though he was limited to six games at Kansas State last season, he still managed 6.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, 20 total tackles and a fumble recovery.
With several returners already in place up front, Osunsanmi gives the Hoosiers another real weapon in the pass rush.
Indiana also made a key move in the trenches by adding interior offensive lineman Joe Brunner from Wisconsin. Carter Smith has drawn plenty of attention on the line, but Brunner is a major pickup in his own right.
He was ranked by On3 as the No. 2 interior offensive lineman in the portal, and his arrival matters because protecting Hoover will be one of the biggest jobs on the team. Indiana’s line has been a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award in each of the last two seasons, and Brunner gives the Hoosiers a legitimate shot to go after it again.
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Smith retired from IUs radio broadcast in 2022, but he never really disappeared from the conversation around the program, staying involved with IU sports coverage until his death. For a fan base that measures its memories in voices as much as victories, the loss lands hard, especially when so many listeners can still picture the cadence and warmth that made him such a trusted part of game day. [Read more 🡒]
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Indiana has stayed firmly in the mix as Sales narrows toward a decision, and Rivals Industry Consensus currently gives the Hoosiers an 81.7% chance to land him. For a program trying to keep building momentum on the recruiting trail, this is the kind of announcement that can shape how the next wave of prospects views Indiana, even before the final call is made. [Read more 🡒]