https://hoosierhuddle.com/2026/08/06/indiana-adds-kellan-wyatt-back-to-the-roster-for-5th-season/
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Just an absolute embarrassment of riches on the defensive line this year. When everyone is healthy they can all just T off 100% of the time. Knowing they will get a breather from someone as good as themselves.
60% of the time, I get called crazy everytime, with my predictions.
I still believe at least one of our most athletic and fast/quick DE's is coached up and leans up physically to be able to play LB this season.
My lean from many months ago was it would be Burnham transitioning to play some backer.
Obviously, being in practice and seeing the bodies and speed these guys possess makes it difficult to throw a high level of confidence on this prediction.
This is awesome.
So how many defensive starters return? ha Wyatt started to begin the season, Daley started the rest of the reg season and Ndukwe started in the playoffs. Both DT's are returning, 2 LBers, a CB and a safety. So really we "just" lost Ponds, Fisher and Kamara.....however we also added a ton more in depth at every position. How people think this team is going to fall off is beyond me.
@middawg Wyatt can play LB too. He did at Maryland. I think there could be a role for him there as well.
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Daaang. I hope Wyatt & Daley make it back all the way, and are able to stay healthy. They both deserve their day in the sun, and an opportunity to play on Sundays.
Now we just wait on Holden Staes?
@yothn I wouldn't count on it. Having 8 scholarship TEs is absurd.
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The only area that somewhat concerns me is the loss of Ponds. It seemed like the defense really relied on him locking down one side of the field. Can Sharpe fill that role, and if so can Harris or Gandy be just as good as Sharpe was last year? Our DL will be awesome and although Fisher was a great player o think we can absorb his loss much easier with the rise of Isaiah Jones.So how many defensive starters return? ha Wyatt started to begin the season, Daley started the rest of the reg season and Ndukwe started in the playoffs. Both DT's are returning, 2 LBers, a CB and a safety. So really we "just" lost Ponds, Fisher and Kamara.....however we also added a ton more in depth at every position. How people think this team is going to fall off is beyond me.
I am just giddy about the returners though. I’m interested to see how Wyatt does at LB. I never saw him play the position at MD. This is great news for those guys. I’m glad they both are getting a second chance with how their seasons ended last year.
@olympian97 Ponds was absolutely special, but so is Bryant Haines. He gets paid big bucks to figure this out and scheme it so that IU's DBs can be successful. IU survived without Ponds against Iowa when they basically scraped the game plan a day or so before because of a late-week injury. Maybe look at that game and see how IU played Gandy in that spot for a little bit of a peek (even with the last-minute game plan).
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My doc says watching all those horrendous calls in that Iowa game gets my blood pressure to dangerously high levels, even knowing the end result.
