Championships are won in the trenches. Following a historic National Championship season in 2025, defensive linemen Tyrique Tucker and Mario Landino are making sure that the championship standard continues in 2026.
Perhaps no position group had as much turnover heading into the 2026 season as Indiana’s defensive line. No one is as aware of this as redshirt senior defensive lineman Tyrique Tucker. Tucker is one of the oldest members of the defensive line and the last James Madison transfer left on the roster.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Tucker said, “My role is to be the anchor of this defense…and try to lead by example. More so because I know that a lot of the young guys kind of look up [to me], and they’re watching, so I have to be on my P’s and Q’s even more than I was even last season. I definitely think it changes in the way that I have to be even more mature and kind of lead the way because I’m one of the oldest ones.”
Expanding on how he is mentoring the younger players in the room, Tucker said, “I’m trying to [step up] a lot. We’ve got a lot of young guys, a lot of [young] defensive tackles and defensive linemen at that, and a lot of young guys in general, so I kind of wanted to be the example and set the standard because I know what the standard is, and hopefully everybody else rises to that standard. Just got to show them a prime example and lead by example.”
It is not just the younger players who are learning from Tucker; fellow veteran lineman Mario Landino said, “I’m always learning from Tyrique.” He continued saying, “It’s great chemistry between me and [Tyrique]; there’s certain plays that we were able to help each other make, and it’s not all about ourselves. We both know that and we both have goals in mind. So, just getting on the same page this offseason and wanting to build upon what we did last season, because what we did last year doesn’t affect this year, we’ve gotta be better this year…I think it’s gonna work out great.”
Landino echoed Tucker’s statements on the youth of the defensive line, saying, “We have a lot of new guys, we have four new freshmen, and we have three new redshirt freshmen. So, it’s a lot of new people, a lot of new faces, but [I’m] just trying to be vocally a leader and then also show them on the field cause that’s the most important. But they’ve been doing a really good job stepping up in the meeting rooms and now on the field.”
When asked how his role will change this season with all the fresh faces on the line, Landino explained, “Definitely a leadership role. Last year and the year before that, I got to watch Mikail Kamara, Aiden Fisher, D’Angelo Ponds, the leaders of the defense, and how they were able to be leaders throughout the game and then also off the field. I learned a lot from them, and now I think I can take that upon myself, and that’s how I can get better this year.”
For Landino, that leadership role means ensuring that the Cignetti culture that has been built over the past two years will continue to grow.
“Having the two years of that culture being built up and continuing to build as well; because when I first came in it was kinda a little iffy, people weren’t sure about football…but bringing those guys in set a base and a standard, so I think being the person to continue that and have more people teach them, and the standard will continue to rise and the culture will continue to rise as well.” He said.
While the Hoosiers will lose several of the players who created the culture, with leaders like Tucker and Landino, the Indiana defensive line is in good hands.