Hoosier Transfer Portal Needs: Offense

Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

On Monday the NCAA Transfer Portal opens for college football players. The Indiana Hoosiers already have more than a dozen players entering the portal as of publishing. Indiana, like many teams, will need to fill some needs via the portal. Especially with Curt Cignetti taking over for the 2024 season. Here are IU’s biggest needs from the transfer portal on offense.

1. Team Speed

The Hoosiers lacked big play speed on offense in 2023, especially in the running game. IU tried to force Jaylin Lucas the ball early in the season and it did not work. He was used mainly as a decoy the rest of the season. However, his speed is a weapon and IU needs more of it at the running back and wide receiver position. The Hoosiers can use the portal to grab a speedster or two from a Group of Five or FCS team to help spark the offense.

2. Offensive Line

IU lost their entire starting offensive line to graduation or the portal. However, the players in the portal can choose to return. Offensive linemen are a premium in the portal and while the Hoosiers have put a high emphasis in NIL, they don’t have the war chest to go get multiple Big Ten level starters from the portal. Coach Curt Cignetti and his staff should make keeping Carter Smith their top priority then try and bring Kahlil Benson and others back from the portal.

3. Veteran Quarterback

IU fans would love to bring Brendan Sorsby back from the portal and that would be a nice building block. However, the Hoosiers also lost Dexter Williams to the portal. The IU quarterback room is once again filled with youth and inexperience which could be helped out by bringing in a veteran quarterback. A player to keep an eye on is former JMU QB Jordan McCloud who threw for 3,400 yards and accounted for 40 touchdowns.

4. Veteran Running Back

The Hoosiers will lose Christian Turner to graduation and Trent Howland has entered the transfer portal. Josh Henderson does have another year of eligibility. That leaves a thin and inexperienced room. IU has good luck in the portal with running backs in the past. Adding a speed back and a feature back would be asking a lot.

5. Wide Receiver Depth

IU loses DeQuece Carter to graduation while breakout wide receiver Donaven McCulley has entered the transfer portal nd taking visits to other schools. IU has some pieces returning in E.J. Williams, Omar Cooper and Kam Perry, but will need more at the position. Bringing McCulley back would be huge and a scholarship opens up with Jaquez Smith entering the portal as well. JMU’s top receiver Elijah Sarratt has eligibility left and could be targeted by IU. (Note: Cam Camper does have another year of eligibility).