BLOOMINGTON — If there’s been one constant among the handful of spring games during Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti’s tenure, it’s that they’ve all been brief affairs.
Don’t expect anything different on Thursday night, April 23 when the team gathers under the lights at Memorial Stadium.
While Cignetti wants to get solid work in, he doesn’t want anyone to suffer an injury that might impact their status for the fall. The Hoosiers will be extra mindful of that this year with a large number of players already expected to be sidelined, most from getting clean up procedures after going through a grueling 16-game schedule.
Indiana’s scrimmage — it’s lone contact practice of the offseason — still should provide fans with a glimpse at many of new faces Cignetti brought in. Here’s what to watch for:
How comfortable is TCU quarterback Josh Hoover running IU’s offense?
For the second straight year, there’s no quarterback competition to speak of at the very top of the depth chart.
Hoover is the most productive returning quarterback in the country, and Cignetti treated him accordingly. The TCU transfer had such a lengthy resume that Cignetti felt comfortable enough sidelining him during one spring practice to get more reps for the younger quarterbacks on the roster.
Indiana won’t show much offensively, but this will still be an opportunity to see Hoover’s progress in the system. It will also give fans a chance to see what kind of chemistry he’s built up with his new receivers, including Michigan State transfer Nick Marsh.
Taking the temperature of Indiana football’s various position battles
Not all of the spots on Indiana’s roster are as clear cut as QB1.
The offensive line is in flux as Drew Evans and Bray Lynch, both multi-year starters, get try-outs at center. Cignetti hasn’t hinted at who is ahead in the competition, but did note that Lynch has been limited throughout camp as he recovers from offseason ankle surgery. Once IU lands on a starting center, the rest of the line will quickly come together thanks to all the experience the Hoosiers are bringing back.
Indiana doesn’t have that luxury as it seeks out a replacement for Riley Nowakowski at tight end.
Cignetti is evaluating a bunch of youngsters at the position, including Andrew Barker, Blak Thiry and Brock Schott. Schott is another player who has been limited this spring. Barker, a 6-foot-4, 250-pound redshirt freshman, could take a step forward in the competition with a strong performance in the spring game.
On the defensive side of the ball, there’s plenty of intrigue at corner where Indiana needs someone to step up alongside Jamari Sharpe. Former Pitt transfer Ryland Gandy is in the mix alongside high-profile Penn State transfer A.J. Harris. Gandy has a full year of experience in defensive coordinator Bryant Haines’ scheme, while Harris has earned All-Big Ten honors each of the last two seasons.
With IU rarely rotating at the position, it’s more of a winner-take-all battle than at a position like running back where there are carries to go around.
Will Indiana football’s new edge rushers hit the ground running
Haines knows how to draw up pressure. Indiana’s starting linebackers combined for 19.5 sacks and 72 quarterback pressures last season. Indiana’s starting tandem at defensive tackle of Tyrique Tucker and Mario Landino — who are back in the starting lineup for 2026 — each had 30 quarterback pressures.
Both groups benefited from all the attention IU’s edge rushers receive. Even though Mikail Kamara’s sack numbers dropped dramatically, he still tied for the 10th-most quarterback pressures in the FBS. Daley emerged as one of the Big Ten’s top defensive playmakers with 19 tackles for loss, most in the conference.
Indiana emphasized the position in the portal by signing three defensive ends — Notre Dame transfer Joshua Burnham, along with former TCU defenders Tobi Osunsanmi and Chiddi Obiazor — to compete for reps alongside Daniel Ndukwe. In the spring game, they will be facing an IU offensive line without its starting left tackle Carter Smith.
That should open the door for them to put their stamp on the scrimmage.
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 The Herald-Times: What to watch for in Indiana football’s 2026 spring game
Reporting by Michael Niziolek, The Herald-Times / The Herald-Times
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