In 2023, Indiana football’s defensive front surrendered 156.3 rushing yards per game, and the Hoosiers finished the season with a 3-9 record. This was the final year of head coach Tom Allen’s tenure in Bloomington.
After Allen’s departure, head coach Curt Cignetti took over the program following five seasons at James Madison University. Seven members of Cignetti’s coaching staff at James Madison followed him to Indiana, including defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Bryant Haines.
In Haines’ first season at Indiana, the Hoosiers’ defensive front limited opponents to just 80.2 yards per game — the lowest mark in the nation. This success propelled the Hoosiers to their first College Football Playoff appearance in school history.
Cignetti said Haines “does a tremendous job” overseeing the defense during his weekly press conference Monday.
However, the Hoosiers lost key members from that dominant unit in the offseason, including defensive linemen CJ West and James Carpenter, who combined for 19 tackles for loss in 2024. The duo’s departure created uncertainty about replacing their production heading into 2025.
Even with the departures, Haines’ coaching reignited an Indiana defense that continues to dominate at the line of scrimmage. This high-level of play has propelled the program to a 6-0 start and No. 3 ranking in the Associated Press’ Top 25 Poll — the highest mark in program history.
Against then-No. 3 Oregon on Oct. 11, the Hoosiers’ defensive front set a physical tone. Indiana continuously generated push up front and clogged rushing lanes, holding Oregon to just 81 yards on the ground — the Ducks’ lowest rushing total of the season.
Two of the defensive linemen Indiana acquired to fill the gaps left by West and Carpenter made a significant impact in the Hoosiers’ win over the Ducks. Redshirt senior Hosea Wheeler collected three tackles and a hurry on Oregon redshirt sophomore quarterback Dante Moore. Senior Kellan Wyatt also generated pressure on Moore throughout the game and picked up 1.5 sacks.
“You know, Wheeler has been very steady, reckless in that mix,” Cignetti said Monday. “Outside, you know, Wyatt, since the day he got here, really has been impressive. He got great work ethic. He's really smart. He's very versatile. He's a good football player. And that was a key acquisition.”
Senior defensive lineman Stephen Daley was another one of the Hoosiers’ offseason additions to their defensive front. Daley transferred to Indiana from Kent State University, where he started all 12 games for the Flashes in 2024.
“Now, he came from a program that wasn't as good as Wyatt's, and when he came in the summer, you know, he wasn't in like quite as good of shape, physical condition as the other guys,” Cignetti said about Daley. “But he's a freak athlete.”
His athleticism showed late against Oregon, as Daley made a crucial play in the Hoosiers’ victory. With just over six minutes remaining in the matchup with the Ducks trailing 27-20, Moore looked to pass. Daley tipped Moore’s throw, hanging in the air for a moment before dropping into the hands of sixth-year redshirt senior defensive back Louis Moore for an interception.
Through six games, the Hoosiers tallied 57 tackles for loss. The emergence of redshirt junior linebacker Isaiah Jones has played a crucial role in Indiana’s ability to wreak havoc behind the line of scrimmage. The London, Ohio, native leads the Hoosiers with 10 tackles for loss in his fourth year with the program.
Despite his individual success, Jones praised the hard work of Indiana’s coaching staff during player media availability Tuesday.
“Those guys work really hard up in the film room and break down a lot of film,” Jones said. “They break down film from the opponent when we’re in the summer and spring as well, so they have a lot of cut-ups.”
Indiana has allowed the 12th-fewest rushing yards per game to opponents this season and looks to build upon this trend entering the second half of the season. But it will take a continued collective effort to accomplish this task.
“Well, you know, I think it's all about people and plan and then the things I just talked about, putting the work in,” Cignetti said.
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.
