Indiana has completely lost all of its tight-end production from its 2025 campaign. They lost all but 10 snaps from last season. This is the reason that many Indiana football fans were crying for Indiana to bring back Holden Staes when the courts ruled him eligible for one more season, but Indiana held out at the tight end room.
What does this tell us? This tells us that Head Coach Curt Cignetti, offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan, and tight ends coach Grant Cain like what they have in the tight end room. This position is the largest question mark on the reigning champs’ roster, but it brings a ton of promise and upside.
Curt Cignetti demands that his tight ends are fearless blockers, as well as serious receiving threats. Riley Nowakowski was one of the most underrated players in the country last season. He was potentially the best blocking tight end in football, while also being a sneaky good receiving threat. He had 32 catches for 327 yards and four touchdowns.
So how does Indiana rebuild its tight end room? They steal a player from their opponent in the national title game, they bring in two freshmen, and they hold on to the two homegrown players that they could.
The Transfer
Brock Schott – Second year/ Miami (FL)
If you can’t beat them, join them. Brock Schott was a highly touted recruit out of Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was a consensus four-star prospect and wanted to come back home for his second season. Indiana was in desperate need of some tight end depth, so it seemed like a great match.
There is a ton of upside to Schott’s game. He isn’t a similar player to Nowakowski at all; rather, he is a very versatile receiving threat. He was a dominant two-way player in high school, playing both edge and tight end. He was seen as more of a tight end prospect, but put up a remarkable 19 sacks in his junior season.
He is potentially the best running tight end of his class. He can be lethal in the screen game and can potentially spot up at wide receiver if needed. He brings something to Indiana’s offense that they didn’t have before.
Now, realistically, Cignetti will only play him if he develops into a better run blocker. But at 6’3″, 240 pounds, he certainly has the size; he just needs to develop the technique. A critical thing to watch him for will be his blocking early in the season.
The Freshmen
Trevor Gibbs – First year/ Crown Point, Indiana
Trevor Gibbs has been a standout in camp for the Hoosiers. When Cignetti has been asked about the tight ends, he has singled out Gibbs. Gibbs has been noted as a really good blocking tight end, especially for a first-year player.
Gibbs was a consensus three-star prospect and a top-15 prospect out of Indiana. ESPN had him as the number 19 tight end in the class. He also played both sides of the ball as a linebacker in high school. He logged 60 tackles his junior season as well as 600 yards in the air. He helped Crown Point High School go 35-3 in his time there.
Gibbs will likely not be the starter at the start of the season, but he does have the potential to. Especially if he is the blocking talent that he has been proposed as. Cignetti might prefer the blocker over a receiver. Especially when Cignetti does his more common one-tight-end sets.
Parker Elmore – First year/ Columbus, Indiana
IU only went 40 miles east to recruit Parker Elmore out of Columbus, Indiana. He was a consensus three-star prospect and the number five-ranked recruit out of Indiana. IU continued its local-kid trend with the tight end room.
Once again, Elmore played linebacker in high school, as well as being an excellent tight end. He made all-conference as a senior, totaling 927 yards and 13 touchdowns. He is a better receiving tight end prospect compared to Gibbs, who is more of a blocking prospect.
Elmore will be a prime candidate to improve, as he missed most of his sophomore season with a knee injury and then missed his entire junior year due to Indiana state transfer laws. He could really use more training and playing experience. Look for him to improve every time he touches the field.
The Returners
Andrew Barker – Second year/ Kokomo, Indiana
Andrew Barker played 10 offensive snaps for Indiana last year in the Kennesaw State game. Then he rode the bench for the rest of the year, never recording a stat. In High school, he couldn’t be taken off the field. He played linebacker, tight end, and punter for Kokomo High School.
The jack-of-all-trades was a three-star prospect and a top-35 prospect in Indiana. He tabbed first-team all-conference as a junior. It will be difficult for him to play this season, as I ultimately see the rest of the tight end room coming in ahead of him. However, in a young group like this one, if he has a strong camp, anything can happen.
Blake Thiry – Second year/ Prairie Du Chein, Wisconsin
Blake Thiry is the only tight end not from Indiana, but IU had good reasoning for bringing him in. He is extremely versatile and saw 2,100 all-purpose yards and 40 touchdowns.
Thiry played running back, wide receiver, tight end, and linebacker in high school. I know that I called Barker a jack-of-all-trades, but Thiry is the actual one. His unique skill set didn’t catch on in the field last season, but will likely be showcased this year. He has added 15 pounds of muscle, so hopefully his body is more ready for collegiate play.
Final Assessment
Indiana doesn’t have a Riley Nowakowski, but they have a deeper room than they did last year. This room is unpolished and very young, but I feel like the future couldn’t be brighter. There are many tools for IU’s coaches to use in the room this season. You have your receiving threats and elite blockers, but it doesn’t appear like there is one player who jumps out.
The starting job is up for grabs, and it very well may change throughout the season. Indiana will continue to develop the way that they have, and the fanbase can fully trust that these tight ends will be ready to play high-level, winning football next month.
Other Position Previews
Offensive Linemen
Quarterback:
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