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! Thank goodness, we are just a mere 15 days away from the return of Indiana Hoosiers football!
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 220 pounds
Hometown: Greenwood, IN (Center Grove High School)
Class/Position: Redshirt Freshman/Quarterback
Center Grove High School has been a bit of pipeline to Bloomington in recent years. Trayce Jackson-Davis and his younger brother Tayven both went to Indiana, with wildly varying degrees of success and the successor at quarterback to Tayven Jackson in Greenwood was yet another four-star recruit that chose Indiana. That man was Tyler Cherry and he is one of the more interesting players on the roster, plus the focus of today’s countdown profile piece.
Cherry was ranked as a top 25 quarterback by 247, Rivals and On3 and led Center Grove to a 23-4 record in his two seasons as the starter for the Trojans. That included him accounting for 64 career touchdowns (56 passing and 8 rushing) and he won the state championship as a junior. Cherry committed to Duke while Tom Allen was the head coach at Indiana but changed his mind when he heard from Curt Cignetti. Cherry decommitted from the Blue Devils and chose to stay close to home, making his debut against Western Illinois during the 2024 season. A serious leg injury during preparation for the College Football Playoff game against Notre Dame derailed his progress and threatened to end his football career. There were concerns that Cherry would not be able to play again and he was removed from the roster ahead of the 2025 campaign, serving as a student assistant coach for the year.
Rumors began to circulate during IU’s run to the National Championship that Tyler Cherry was moving well and planning a return to the field. Those rumors came to fruition and Cherry was on the field as spring practice began. Indiana fans were able to see him during the spring game and he made it clear that he was still very capable of slinging the ball with a very live arm.
Tyler Cherry is still a young player and he has at least three seasons of eligibility remaining. The plan for this season is clear: battle with Grant Wilson for the backup role and continue to improve his mobility and comfortability in the pocket and offense. If he looks the part and proves his readiness to the coaching staff, there is a chance they entrust him with the starting position next season.
The countdown continues each day on Hoosier Huddle until IU kicks off the 2026 season against the North Texas Mean Green!
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