Indiana football signed University of Alabama at Birmingham transfer and redshirt junior running back Lee Beebe Jr. on Dec. 13, 2024. Despite fumbling the ball on his first carry as a Hoosier, Beebe Jr. ranked second among Indiana running backs with 209 rushing yards across the first three games of the season, while leading the backfield with 7.7 yards per carry.
However, Beebe suffered a season-ending non-contact knee injury during the third quarter of Indiana football’s 73-0 victory over Indiana State University Saturday. The loss of Beebe forces the Cream and Crimson to look elsewhere to replace his production and build upon a rushing offense that ranks second in the nation with 923 total rushing yards.
After sitting behind former Indiana running backs Justice Ellison and Ty Son Lawton in his first season with the Hoosiers, redshirt senior running back Kaelon Black seized his first opportunity at leading the Indiana backfield in non-conference play. Black led the team with 217 rushing yards across the opening three games of the season.
While Black has the most yards, redshirt senior running back Roman Hemby earned 36 carries through the Hoosiers’ first three games — the highest mark on the team.
Hemby transferred to Indiana on Dec. 23, 2024, from Maryland, and immediately made his presence felt against Old Dominion University. Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti and his coaching staff entrusted Hemby with lead-back duties in the Hoosiers’ season-opener, as the redshirt senior picked up 111 yards on a team-high 23 carries.
During spring training camp, Black expressed high expectations for the Indiana running back room. Through three games, the group has measured out as one of the best in the FBS.
Cignetti echoed these praises from Black following the team’s 56-9 victory over Kennesaw State University on Sept. 6.
“All those guys are capable, and it starts up front with the tight ends and then the receivers too,” Cignetti said. “Those guys run hard and break tackles, and it just helps when you can be balanced on offense and run it and throw it.”
With the injury suffered by Beebe, Hemby and Black both appear poised to take on an even larger role in the backfield.
While Beebe is lost for the season, a three-headed backfield is not. Redshirt freshman running back Khobie Martin strung together a case for an increased role in that department against Indiana State University.
In 2024, Martin carried the ball a combined 14 times for 73 yards across two games against Western Illinois University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Cignetti said that Martin was “getting better” during fall camp, and he showcased this improvement with 11 carries for 109 yards and two touchdowns Friday night.
Martin originally committed to play football for Miami University, but after receiving an offer from Indiana in September 2023, the running back flipped his decision.
Before earning a spot with the Hoosiers, Martin starred at Fishers High School and dominated in his senior year. Despite missing two games due to injury in his final high school campaign, he collected 1,379 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns. Across three seasons at Fishers, Martin tallied 2,746 total rushing yards while adding 38 touchdowns.
Martin’s high school performance earned him three stars as a 2024 prospect, while being rated as a top-100 running back nationally, per ESPN. Now, Martin has a clear path to play his way into a consistent role in the Hoosiers’ backfield.
“He's going to need to [step up],” Cignetti said Monday. “I thought he ran well Saturday night. He's got talent and he'll get more reps and we're going to need him.”
The new-look Indiana backfield faces a stout test in its first game without Beebe matching up against the Illinois defensive front — one that has surrendered just 74 rushing yards per game, which ties for the 13th lowest mark in the nation.
That game is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.
Follow reporters Conor Banks (@Conorbanks06 and conbanks@iu.edu) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames and jamesdm@iu.edu) and columnist Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa and qmrichar@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
