Curt Cignetti enters his third season at Indiana after leading the Hoosiers to the 2025 national championship. Indiana must replace quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who departed for the NFL, along with Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black in the backfield and seven of last season’s top eight receivers. Mike Shanahan returns as offensive coordinator. TCU transfer Josh Hoover takes over as Indiana’s starting quarterback after Mendoza leaves. Lee Beebe Jr. returns after averaging approximately 70 rushing yards per game in three appearances last season, while Boston College transfer Turbo Richard joins the backfield as a primary option. Update (Oct. 13): RB Khobie Martin continues recovering from multiple fractures in his right forearm suffered in the season opener. Head coach Curt Cignetti said Martin is getting close to returning, although he has not yet been cleared for game action. At receiver, Charlie Becker is the lone returning contributor from last season, while Tyler Morris returns after missing the 2025 season and Michigan State transfer Nick Marsh joins the corps. Becker and Marsh have emerged as important targets in Indiana’s passing game. The offensive line returns three full-time starters, Carter Smith, Bray Lynch, and Drew Evans, after making 16, 16, and 12 starts, respectively, and Wisconsin transfer Joe Brunner joins the group after 11 starts last season.

Indiana returns six of its top eleven tacklers from last season, including leading tackler Rolijah Hardy. Up front, the defensive line returns full-time starters Tyrique Tucker and Mario Landino after 16 and 11 starts, respectively, while Keilan Wyatt and Stephen Daley return after seven and six starts. Kansas State transfers Chiddi Obiazor and Tobi Osunsanmi also join after making seven and five starts, respectively. At linebacker, Hardy and Isaiah Jones return, and in the secondary, Jamari Sharpe and Amare Ferrell return.

Indiana enters 2026 as the defending national champion, but with significant turnover, including the loss of Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, Roman Hemby, Kaelon Black, and seven of its top eight receiving players. Even so, the Hoosiers return three full-time offensive line starters and six of their top eleven tacklers on defense. Nico Radicic returns at placekicker, while Indiana features new primary kickoff and punt returners after Jonathan Brady and Roman Hemby depart.