2026 IUFB Season

[AZ Hoosier]

SIAP

Indiana co-offensive coordinator Chandler Whitmer interviewed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the QBs coach job, sources tell @On3. @CameronWolfe first.

 

[jermhoosierfan]

15 hours ago, AZ Hoosier said:

SIAP

Indiana co-offensive coordinator Chandler Whitmer interviewed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the QBs coach job, sources tell @On3. @CameronWolfe first.

 

Success means that coaches will be leaving for those promotions.  Hate to see him go, but good for him.   

[AZ Hoosier]

1 hour ago, jermhoosierfan said:

Success means that coaches will be leaving for those promotions.  Hate to see him go, but good for him.   

Yeah, this is one of the costs of success.

[BtownStrength]

https://iuhoosiers.com/sports/football/roster

Spring roster posted. Tyler Cherry is still not listed. I was hoping he would be able to return and give it a shot. 

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

14 hours ago, BtownStrength said:

https://iuhoosiers.com/sports/football/roster

Spring roster posted. Tyler Cherry is still not listed. I was hoping he would be able to return and give it a shot. 

According to this story he's back on scholarship and on the roster.

https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/sports/college/iu/2026/02/11/indiana-football-qb-tyler-cherry-back-on-official-roster-for-2026-season-heres-what-we-know/88584931007/

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Combine invites

https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/here-are-the-former-iu-football-players-invited-to-the-2026-nfl-draft-combine/

[Stuhoo]

4 minutes ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

According to this story he's back on scholarship and on the roster.

https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/sports/college/iu/2026/02/11/indiana-football-qb-tyler-cherry-back-on-official-roster-for-2026-season-heres-what-we-know/88584931007/

Would be odd if he wasn't in the mix and the likely candidate for primary backup to Hoover.

Without Cherry we'd only have Wilson and Bell, and I wouldn't think either is a projected high-end backup.

[Stuhoo]

3 minutes ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

Combine invites

https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/here-are-the-former-iu-football-players-invited-to-the-2026-nfl-draft-combine/

I am very grateful for the talent, mindset, and production that Kamara brought to the D line, but Chiddi, Tobi (especially), and Burnham are a talent upgrade that collectively align more with Stephen Daley potential. 

[rayl456]

15 hours ago, BtownStrength said:

https://iuhoosiers.com/sports/football/roster

Spring roster posted. Tyler Cherry is still not listed. I was hoping he would be able to return and give it a shot. 

Likely you saw that he’s now been listed on the roster.

[CSP]

1 hour ago, Stuhoo said:

I am very grateful for the talent, mindset, and production that Kamara brought to the D line, but Chiddi, Tobi (especially), and Burnham are a talent upgrade that collectively align more with Stephen Daley potential. 

shewww... Kamara, Wyatt, and Daley vs Chiddi, Tobi, and Burnhman. ehhh... haha... not sure I agree. 

[Stuhoo]

Just now, CSP said:

shewww... Kamara, Wyatt, and Daley vs Chiddi, Tobi, and Burnham. ehhh... haha... not sure I agree. 

My point is that Tobi is more similar to Daley than Tobi is to Kamara or Wyatt. Chiddi and Burnham are similar to Kamara and Wyatt. And during the CFP we did not have Daley or Wyatt. So we are starting next year with a DE rotation similar to the really dominant Daley and Wyatt included version; not just the 'slightly less dominant' post-Daley/Wyatt version.

Also, Ndukwe is destined to continue improving (I would hope). Cig mentioned Ndukwe by name in the extended Wonkman interview, and when Cig mentions a young player by name that's a pretty sure sign that player is a really good one about to happen.

[Hovadipo]

3 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

My point is that Tobi is more similar to Daley than Tobi is to Kamara or Wyatt. Chiddi and Burnham are similar to Kamara and Wyatt. And during the CFP we did not have Daley or Wyatt. So we are starting next year with a DE rotation similar to the really dominant Daley and Wyatt included version; not just the 'slightly less dominant' post-Daley/Wyatt version.

I don't think I totally understand the point being made, but if it's anything other than "Kamara is the best player of any names mentioned" I disagree wholeheartedly. He will be a load and a half to replace.

And that's being said with me loving the rotation for next year.

[CSP]

5 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

My point is that Tobi is more similar to Daley than Tobi is to Kamara or Wyatt. Chiddi and Burnham are similar to Kamara and Wyatt. And during the CFP we did not have Daley or Wyatt. So we are starting next year with a DE rotation similar to the really dominant Daley and Wyatt included version; not just the 'slightly less dominant' post-Daley/Wyatt version.

Also, Ndukwe is destined to continue improving (I would hope). Cig mentioned Ndukwe by name in the extended Wonkman interview, and when Cig mentions a young player by name that's a pretty sure sign that player is a really good one about to happen.

I think DE4 is absolutely better than DE4 last year... just not sure I think 1-3 are better, but still very good. 

[BtownStrength]

1 hour ago, rayl456 said:

Likely you saw that he’s now been listed on the roster.

Yep must have been added after the initial roster post. Appreciate the heads up. 

[BtownStrength]

3 hours ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

According to this story he's back on scholarship and on the roster.

https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/sports/college/iu/2026/02/11/indiana-football-qb-tyler-cherry-back-on-official-roster-for-2026-season-heres-what-we-know/88584931007/

Glad to see. Hope he can work his way up the depth chart. 

[Stuhoo]

18 hours ago, CSP said:

I think DE4 is absolutely better than DE4 last year... just not sure I think 1-3 are better, but still very good. 

There's a monumental difference between the

• 2025 DE 1-4 when all healthy (Daley, Kamara, Wyatt, Ndukwe) and
• 2025 DE 1-4 in the CFP (Kamara, Ndukwe, move a DT over, move a different DT over).

My contention is that the current 2026 1-4 is comparable, but probably not as good as 2025 at it's best (until and unless proven otherwise), but the 2026 1-4 is already better than 2025 DE 1-4 post-Wyatt injury and definitely better than the 2025 CFP DE 1-4.

[Hardwood83]

Pure conjecture, obviously, but how do the assumed position groups beginning 2026 compare to the beginning of 2025? Better, worse or equal? Without too much thought my 2026 projections:

OL better, RB worse, QB worse, WR equal(!), TE worse. I think the offense should still be very good, even if individual groups aren't as good as this past season. I am counting on Marsh to be all he can be.  

DL Worse, LB equal, DB worse. I am putting a lot of faith in Hardy & Jones, because Fischer was a machine. I think Moore was the unsung hero of the secondary in '25. Tough to replace him and Ponds. I still expect an excellent Defense, but a step back from the historic '25 squad isn't shameful. 

Spec teams equal. Hopefully, because they were flippin excellent. 

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Jared Kelly -

CBs coach Rod Ojong has added Defensive Pass Game Coordinator/Defensive Backs coach to his official job title. Looks like an upgrade for Ojong to bolster his long-term résumé, similar to Bob Bostad serving as Run Game Coordinator.

[CSP]

14 hours ago, Hardwood83 said:

Pure conjecture, obviously, but how do the assumed position groups beginning 2026 compare to the beginning of 2025? Better, worse or equal? Without too much thought my 2026 projections:

OL better, RB worse, QB worse, WR equal(!), TE worse. I think the offense should still be very good, even if individual groups aren't as good as this past season. I am counting on Marsh to be all he can be.  

DL Worse, LB equal, DB worse. I am putting a lot of faith in Hardy & Jones, because Fischer was a machine. I think Moore was the unsung hero of the secondary in '25. Tough to replace him and Ponds. I still expect an excellent Defense, but a step back from the historic '25 squad isn't shameful. 

Spec teams equal. Hopefully, because they were flippin excellent. 

 

I don't think our WR core will be equal, I think Cooper and Sarratt are just too good to match. But I think it'll still be excellent. I agree with the other position groups

I don't think DL will be worse, as a whole. I think it'll be equal or better. I don't think LB will be equal, but still excellent. DB... ehhh I'm leaning equal. But.. Ponds/Moore is tough to replace. But our 5 safeties are incredible and will play a ton. Sharpe is damn good, and Harris is solid. 

15 hours ago, Stuhoo said:

There's a monumental difference between the

• 2025 DE 1-4 when all healthy (Daley, Kamara, Wyatt, Ndukwe) and
• 2025 DE 1-4 by the CFP (Kamara, Ndukwe, move a DT over, move a different DT over).

My contention is that the current 2026 1-4 is comparable, but probably not as good as 2025 at it's best (until and unless proven otherwise), but the 2026 1-4 is already better than 2025 DE 1-4 post-Wyatt injury and definitely better than the 2025 CFP DE 1-4.

I would concur. 

I just remember this past year thinking... (when Wyatt went down and I saw how Daley was dominating)... like "damn, this DL they built was absolutely legit".. 4 damn good DTs, too, and that position group, I absolutely think will be better, miraculously. 

 

[Stuhoo]

2 minutes ago, CSP said:

I don't think our WR core will be equal, I think Cooper and Sarratt are just too good to match. But I think it'll still be excellent. I agree with the other position groups

I don't think DL will be worse, as a whole. I think it'll be equal or better. I don't think LB will be equal, but still excellent. DB... ehhh I'm leaning equal. But.. Ponds/Moore is tough to replace. But our 5 safeties are incredible and will play a ton. Sharpe is damn good, and Harris is solid. 

I would concur. 

I just remember this past year thinking... (when Wyatt went down and I saw how Daley was dominating)... like "damn, this DL they built was absolutely legit".. 4 damn good DTs, too, and that position group, I absolutely think will be better, miraculously. 

 

DT should absolutely be better. We return our two best and get a big-time portal addition.

Landino is still a relatively inexperienced player; he is excellent and still destined to improve. Tucker is back and is already 'all that'. We lose Ratcliffe, who was a very good get, and Wheeler, who good-ish but was a relative disappointment.

They are replaced by Joe Hjelle, who has been largely undiscussed, but may be one of the best additions to the team, and by the one best from a talented group of young tackles; Garcia, Hall, and four star freshmen McHaney and Hill.

That is a position group that is absolutely stacked for the future, and that's without Jalen Brewster (!).