The memories of IU’s unprecedented and historic unbeaten run to the National Championship are still fresh in our minds but the work is just beginning for the 2026-2027 Indiana Hoosiers. As Curt Cignetti and his staff gear up for year number three in Bloomington and embark on a quest to become repeat champs, Hoosier Huddle’s Countdown to Kickoff rolls on!
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 219 pounds
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio (Princeton)
Class/Position: Redshirt Freshman/Linebacker
The 2025-2026 Indiana Hoosiers had one of the best defenses in the country. Right in the middle of that defense, a pair of linebackers led the team in tackles as Rolijah Hardy and Aiden Fisher operated as the spine of the unit and performed at an All-American level. A third standout at linebacker, Isaiah “Bones” Jones, played a large amount of snaps and was fourth on the team in tackles.
Defensive coordinator Bryant Haines is also the position coach for the linebackers and he knows what kinds of players work in his system. Rolijah Hardy and Isaiah Jones are both back for another season and can be penciled in as starters but the next generation of stars at the position are working hard to be ready to step up as depth pieces. One of those young linebackers is redshirt freshman PJ Nelson.
Nelson was a star at Princeton High School in Cincinnati, Ohio and was a consensus top-50 linebacker nationally by both ESPN and Rivals. In the talent-rich state of Ohio, he was the Greater Miami Conference Player of the Year and the Cincinnati Enquirer Defensive Player of the Year, earning all-state honors. Nelson was incredibly productive as a senior with 24 tackles for loss and a total of 137 tackles.
As expected, his freshman season was largely one of development. Nelson appeared in two games and had his first collegiate tackle against the Maryland Terrapins. With another full offseason in the program, Nelson returns as a redshirt freshman. Hardy and Jones are the unquestioned starters but Indiana will likely often play three linebackers and there are definitely snaps up for grabs.
Veteran Kaiden Turner is the most likely person in line to be the primary backup but the depth chart beyond that is a toss-up. Jeff Utzinger is a veteran who can get the job done and the three incoming freshmen are very talented (Henry Ohlinger, Jacob Savage, Ja’Dyn Williams) but it’s reasonable to expect PJ Nelson to start off ahead of the young trio of newcomers.
The coaching staff did not dive into the transfer portal for any linebackers, placing trust into Nelson and the other depth pieces. This season should be one that sees increased playing time in a backup role with the potential for a major jump up in snaps in the 2027 campaign with at least both Jones and Turner moving on.
The countdown continues each day on Hoosier Huddle until IU kicks off the 2026 season against the North Texas Mean Green!
Discover more from Hoosier Huddle
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.