Indiana football had a powerful one-two punch in the backfield during its 2024 season. But both backs — Ty Son Lawton and Justice Ellison — exhausted their eligibility.
So, the Hoosiers reloaded.
Both redshirt senior Roman Hemby and redshirt junior Lee Beebe Jr. arrived in Bloomington via the transfer portal in the winter while sixth-year senior Kaelon Black returned. And through two games this season, the Hoosiers’ rushing attack has been even more potent.
No. 22 Indiana ran for 309 yards in its season opener against Old Dominion University on Aug. 30. It followed with 316 yards in a 56-9 victory over Kennesaw State University on Sept. 6 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.
“All those guys are capable, and it starts up front with the tight ends and then the receivers too,” Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said postgame. “Those guys run hard and break tackles, and it just helps when you can be balanced on offense and run it and throw it.”
Redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza explained after his Indiana debut Aug. 30 the importance of the run game. When a team establishes the run, then they can establish the passing game, Mendoza said, and start becoming explosive as a whole.
That’s just what the Hoosiers did against the Owls.
Mendoza finished 18 for 25 for 245 yards passing and four touchdowns.
“I’m very pleased with the effort that our offensive line gave, our running backs, our receivers and our tight ends,” Mendoza said postgame. “I think they all played fantastic.”
Beebe led Indiana’s backs with 90 yards on 11 carries, scoring a second-quarter touchdown — his first as a Hoosier.
Redshirt junior wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. had one carry in the contest, but he took the designed reverse 75 yards to the end zone in the third quarter. It was a “real big play” in the victory, Cignetti said, as it gave the Cream and Crimson a four-possession lead.
“We had some really good blocks, the (offensive) linemen did well, Elijah Sarratt secured the defensive end,” Cooper said, “and then both our tight ends, Holden Staes and Riley (Nowakowski), were both blocking downfield, so I really appreciate them, and they help get the job done.”
Hemby and Black added 64 and 57 yards, respectively.
In the Hoosiers’ season opener, Hemby was the lead back. In his Indiana debut, he notched 111 yards rushing on 23 carries. Beebe carrying the load against the Owls showed Cignetti and his staff have a group of backs that are each capable of doing so.
“The thing about early in the year, I think you learn as a staff every game a little bit, like, oh, we need to have a little bit more of this kind of stuff down in this field zone or things like that,” Cignetti said. “I mean, you've got to have enough diversionary stuff, so to speak.”
Sept. 6 marked the first time Indiana earned at least 300 yards rushing in consecutive games since 2014. But the victory over the Owls was different. Not only did the rushing attack succeed, but so did the passing game.
“If I have one passing attempt and we run the ball 50 times and we win,” Mendoza said Aug. 30, “I’m happy with that.”
Through two games, Hemby leads the backs with 175 yards while Beebe and Black have gained 163 and 149, respectively.
For the Hoosiers to continue to pound the ball on the ground, they’ve “got to” keep their backs healthy, Cignetti said, as the squad has more depth at certain positions more so than others.
So far, though, the Hoosiers, who average the third-most rushing yards in the country behind the U.S. Naval Academy and Brigham Young University, have dominated games on the ground with their new-look running back room.
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.
