Grocery Shopping: What Do Cignetti’s Hoosiers Still Need?
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Written by: TJ Inman
Curt Cignetti and the new coaching staff at Indiana University have been busy on multiple fronts. Current Hoosiers like offensive tackle Carter Smith, running back Trent Howland and wide receiver Donaven McCulley were convinced to exit the transfer portal and return to IU. They scoured the transfer portal and brought in likely starters like Kurtis Rourke, Myles Price, Trey Wedig and others.
They added former James Madison starters like James Carpenter, Aiden Fisher and Zach Horton. In total, the Hoosiers have added more than 30 players via the transfer portal and the high school level and the roster is in a much better spot now than it was when Curt Cignetti took over. That does not mean the “grocery shopping” is done. What areas does IU still need to address as they prepare for 2024?
We’ll begin with the offense before finishing with the defense.
Quarterback
IU added three quarterbacks and is now carrying five scholarship players at the position. Kurtis Rourke, spending his final season of collegiate eligibility in Bloomington, is expected to be the starter. Tayven Jackson will be a redshirt sophomore while Broc Lowry returns as a redshirt freshman. Tyler Cherry and Alberto Mendoza are true freshman. IU can check this position off the list.
Wide Receiver
Curt Cignetti clearly did not love the returning production of the IU wide receiver room. New offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan is also the wide receiver position coach and the new staff was able to bring back emerging star Donaven McCulley and added in productive transfers Miles Cross, Myles Price and Ke’Shawn Williams. With EJ Williams, Andison Coby and a now healthy Omar Cooper back, the wide receiver room looks terrific. Curt Cignetti has mentioned wanting a true “home run deep threat” addition on the outside but players like that are very tough to find. It is likely IU is done at wideout.
Tight End
Indiana’s offense probably won’t feature the tight end much. Mike Shanahan prefers to utilize four wide receiver sets so there is rarely a need for more than one tight end to be on the field. The Hoosiers recently added James Madison’s top tight end, all-Sun Belt performer Zach Horton. He joins a crowded room with veterans James Bomba and Bradley Archer and younger players Brody Foley, Anthony Miller, Sam West and true freshman Brody Kosin. IU won’t be adding any other players to this group but they could certainly use one of the younger players to emerge as a receiving threat.
Running Back
The running back position will look significantly different than it did in 2023 but the return of Trent Howland keeps some continuity and leaves this group rather crowded. IU now has seven scholarship running backs after adding Kaelon Black and Ty Son Lawton from James Madison as well as Justice Ellison from Wake Forest and true freshman Khobie Martin. Howland, David Holloman and Josh Henderson return. If Henderson is healthy, the competition for snaps will be fierce.
Offensive Line
If there is a position group on offense that needs any additional players brought in, it’s the offensive line. The level of need has dropped substantially over the past few days though as IU added transfers Tyler Stephens and Nick Kidwell from James Madison and convinced Hoosier Mike Katic to withdraw from the NFL Draft process. Getting developing star Carter Smith back from the transfer portal was massive and he’ll start at left tackle.
With the additions of Wisconsin transfer Trey Wedig and Tyler Stephens and Nick Kidwell, Mike Katic likely slides to center as the starter with Wedig, Stephens and Kidwell rounding out the remaining starting positions. Only five will start but you need another four or five linemen that you feel really good about. IU has veterans like Max Longman and Noah Bolticoff that have played.
Do they have two to three more that Bob Bostad would feel good putting into the game?
There are a lot of interior linemen but a lack of depth options at tackle. Finding a backup offensive tackle that IU would feel good about playing in a Big Ten game will be difficult but if there is a need on offense, that would be it.
Defense
Defensive Line
There are two significant areas of need for the IU Hoosiers roster and this is one of them. IU added transfer James Carpenter from James Madison and true freshman Mario Landino as interior players and edge rusher Mikail Kamara plus true freshman William Depaepe and Daniel Ndukwe. Of the true freshmen, Ndukwe could potentially see time because of raw athleticism but he needs to add quite a bit of weight to his frame to have any kind of impact. Kamara can play inside or on the edge but he’s best on the edge. As of right now, the Hoosiers have a total of three interior linemen you’d feel good about (Blidi, Burris and Carpenter) with the unproven Robby Harrison and J’mari Monette behind them. Another beefy space eater in the middle (or two) is really needed. Lanell Carr is a proven difference maker and he’ll start at edge or “stud” (the equivalent of the Bull position in Tom Allen’s defense). Kamara nearly double-digit sacks for James Madison last season. Beyond that, the Hoosiers are currently counting on a lot of development from players like Venson Sneed, TaDerius Collins and Orlando Greenlow. They have physical tools but another edge rusher or two with proven collegiate production would be ideal.
Linebacker
The Indiana Hoosiers added both of James Madison’s starting linebackers to address what had been a glaring need. Aiden Fisher and Jailin Walker will both likely start for Indiana in 2024. The third linebacker is probably the returning Josh Rudolph with returners Darryl Minor, Matt Holht, Isaiah Jones and Kaiden Turner rounding out the room. I’ll plant my flag on this statement: true freshman Quentin Clark will emerge and see playing time in 2024 and he will excel. The coaching staff’s feelings on this room will be entirely dependent on whether or not they believe Jones, Turner or Clark are ready to contribute. If the answer ends up being “no”, they need to add another linebacker.
Cornerback
James Madison uses a “rover” position as a hybrid cornerback and safety spot. That fits the skillset of Nic Toomer perfectly. He played both safety and corner at Stanford and played eight games for the Hoosiers in 2023. True freshman Jah Jah Boyd was a nice get for Curt Cignetti’s staff and he’ll factor in at rover as well. This is actually a position IU should feel pretty darn good about, despite the loss of Jordan Shaw to the transfer portal. IU returns Jamier Johnson, Jamari Sharpe, Kobee Minor and JoJo Johnson and adds well-regarded true freshman Josh Philostin. Barring defections, IU is done at cornerback/rover.
Safety
I mentioned two areas of urgent need: this is the other one. Nic Toomer can play safety but he’s likely needed at rover. That leaves Josh Sanguinetti and Bryson Bonds as the only experienced options. Senior Tyrik McDaniel played some in 2023 after transferring to IU from junior college. The most exciting player in the group is probably sophomore Amare Ferrell. The physically imposing Ferrell could move to linebacker but he’s really still needed at strong safety. The Hoosiers need to add at least one, if not two, safeties that can play right away.
Special Teams
IU has two scholarship kickers with the addition of Derek McCormick. He joins Nico Radicic who IU hopes is healthy for the 2024 season. James Evans is one of the best punters in the Big Ten and Mark Langston was added as a transfer long snapper. They will not be adding any other specialists and are in good shape.