CHICAGO — Indiana football left tackle Carter Smith took plenty of pride in representing his team at Big Ten Media Days on Thursday.
He had just as much reason to be excited about the return trip home.
Before IU opens fall camp on Wednesday, Smith will visit the doctor in hopes of getting the all clear to return to practice.
“Just waiting for the final call,” Smith said.
Smith had surgery after the season to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder that sidelined him for the entire spring.
The All-American lineman remained a limited participant throughout Indiana’s summer conditioning program. The training staff kept a watchful eye on Smith to make sure he didn’t suffer any setbacks for what he described as a “delicate injury.”
“Just trying to get into it slowly but surely, making sure that my load management is tolerable,” Smith said. “(The training staff) has been very lenient about how I’m feeling throughout it, like if maybe one day it’s too sore, hey, let’s maybe shelf this exercise and let’s move over to this, which I think is very helpful on my end.”
That doesn’t mean Smith isn’t eager to ramp things up.
While Smith won Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the year in 2025, he returned to school in hopes of winning another title and improving his draft stock. He had discussions about leaving for the NFL with his inner circle ahead of the national championship game, but shut down that talk before walking off the field in Miami.
Smith will anchor Indiana’s offensive line as one of three full-time returning starters. He’s been a workhorse for the Hoosiers since landing the starting job at the start of the 2023 season. Smith has made 41 consecutive starts and played 2,655 snaps during that stretch.
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Latest on Indiana OT Carter Smith’s injury and his status for fall camp
Reporting by Michael Niziolek, The Herald-Times / Indianapolis Star
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By Michael Niziolek, The Herald-Times | USA TODAY Network
