The 2025 Indiana Hoosier Football season was home to a dominant dynamic duo in Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby. Both players spearheaded the ground game and created a versatile and unpredictable offense. Black and Hemby finished the season with over 1,000 yards on the ground. Black accumulated 1,040 rushing yards, averaging 5.6 yards per carry, and Hemby totaled 1,120 rushing yards, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. Together, they helped bring the Hoosiers to an impressive 3,406 yards over 659 attempts and 35 rushing touchdowns. The national championship season set a new benchmark of what a balanced and talented running back room could do for the Hoosiers. As a team, they averaged 212.9 rushing yards per game, proving that each game these running backs wore down opposing defenses and maintained sustained control on offense.
With Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby moving on to the National Football League, Indiana’s running back room is open for business heading into the season. However, when Black and Hemby weren’t creating plays on the field, Khobie Martin could be found filling in and contributing to points on the ground. Martin added to the running back depth in the 2025 season, and now he will seek to find an even larger role. The 2026 running back room will be designed by new faces, transfers, and veterans, and together they can hopefully create two things that Hemby and Black brought to the table: consistency and dominance.
The Main Trio
Turbo Richard-Junior/ Transfer from Boston College
Turbo Richard entered the transfer portal on Dec. 29, 2025, and he soon found his way to Indiana on Jan. 4. Richard represents one of the new faces for this running back room. Still, his veteran experience at Boston College will likely earn him the starting position for the Hoosiers. In his 2025 sophomore season at Boston College, Richard started in 11 games and recorded three 100-yard rushing games. He rushed for 749 yards, accumulating nine touchdowns. He even displayed solid catching ability, reeling in 32 receptions for 275 yards. Richard was clearly a dominant threat for Boston College, and he entered the transfer portal as a four-star prospect according to 247Sports. With a name like “Turbo,” one can’t be anything but fast, and Richard lives up to the name. Richard’s 5-foot-9, 204-pound frame allows him to stay low to the ground, get downfield quickly and bounce off of defenders. His versatility as a receiver will also allow Richard to contribute in multiple offensive schemes and on all three downs.
Khobie Martin- Redshirt Sophomore/ Fishers, Ind.
In 2025, Khobie Martin displayed signs of great potential as a rotational piece for Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby. When Lee Beebe Jr. went down with a knee injury last season, Martin filled in, becoming a reliable man in the backfield. In his redshirt freshman season, Martin appeared in 14 games and accumulated two 100-yard rushing games. Martin recorded 78 carries for 505 yards on the ground, equaling 6.5 yards per attempt. He brought in six touchdowns for the Hoosiers and became a solid third man for this running back room. With two years of Indiana Football under his belt, Martin will likely take on a stronger leadership role this season. The three-star prospect brings speed and explosiveness to the running back position and will emerge as a productive player for this Indiana Hoosiers offense in the 2026 campaign.
Lee Beebe Jr.- Redshirt Senior/ UAB Transfer
Lee Beebe Jr. and Khobie Martin could likely alternate at the starting position, but both provide great depth in the backfield. As a zero-star prospect out of high school, Beebe Jr. has earned everything. His time at UAB has exemplified the kind of player he is: one who is productive when the ball is placed in his hands. Beebe Jr. transferred from UAB to Indiana in December of 2024 as a three-star transfer prospect according to 247Sports.
Beebe Jr. was expected to slot in as a rotational piece for Black and Hemby before a knee injury sidelined him for the 2025 season. Before his injury, Beebe Jr. appeared in three games and rushed for 209 yards, averaging an impressive 7.7 yards per carry, and accumulating one touchdown. In his 2024 season at UAB, he rushed for 884 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and he found the end zone seven times. Beebe’s time at UAB and brief appearances as a Hoosier display a productive player who will make a substantial difference in the backfield when given the opportunity. Beebe Jr. is expected to be fully healthy by the time fall comes around. His power, veteran ability, and health should create a recipe for success for the young player.
Depth Peices
Sean Cuono- Redshirt Freshman/ Clearwater, Fla.
Sean Cuono appeared in just one game for the Hoosiers in the 2025 season and redshirted his freshman season. At Calvary Christian High School, Cuono recorded two 1,000-yard rushing seasons. As a senior at Clearwater Central Catholic High School, Cuono recorded 69 carries for 518 yards and six touchdowns. He displayed versatility as a receiver, recording four receptions for 34 yards and one touchdown. Throughout his time in high school, Cuono posted two 1,000-yard seasons. Cuono is clearly productive on the ground and will serve as a reliable rotational piece when potential injuries occur.
Jayreon Campbell- Freshman/ Powder Springs, Ga.
Jayreon Campbell was a consensus three-star prospect out of McEachern High School. According to 247Sports, Campbell was a No. 73 prospect at the running back position. In 2025, he helped bring McEachern High School to a Region 3-6A playoff appearance. Campbell tallied 930 rushing yards through 168 carries and accumulated 18 touchdowns as a junior. He also posed as a threat at receiver, recording 16 receptions for 100 yards and one touchdown. As a true freshman, Campbell will learn from the veterans around him and likely become a rotational piece early on for the Hoosiers.
Final Assessment
Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby became one of the most dynamic and dominating running back duos Indiana Football had seen in recent history. Their absence leaves a void for the 2026 season; however, portal transfer Turbo Richard and veteran Khobie Martin will string this running back room back together.
Richard and Martin have displayed productivity on the ground in their previous years, and together they will become a duo that will dismantle opposing defenses. Richard is patient, waits for openings, and quickly adjusts. His catch ability is another layer that defenses will be forced to account for.
Martin is a downhill accelerator and displays a great burst when he hits an opening. Lee Beebe Jr. is a great third-man option, and with health on his side, he could easily work up to the second man position. Campbell and Cuono both lack experience at the collegiate level, but that can quickly change once the fall hits, and their continued development will be another layer to this running back room. Shoes have to be filled, but Richard, Martin, and Beebe Jr. are all capable of providing the consistency, stability, and productivity that Black and Hemby left behind.
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