Indiana football fans filed into Memorial Stadium on Thursday night for the 2026 spring game. The Crimson (offense) faced the Cream (defense), as the Hoosier faithful got their first look at the 2026 roster. Over two quarters of play and 11 total drives, the Crimson defeated the Cream 26-13.
It was the players’ first action outside of practices — something that is the “same thing every day,” redshirt senior linebacker Isaiah Jones said Thursday. The Hoosiers brought in a collection of 17 players via the transfer portal in the offseason, making the spring a valuable time to build chemistry.
Jones said it “felt good to get back out there” and “feel a little bit of the roar of Memorial (Stadium)” on Thursday.
Here are some of the biggest takeaways from the spring game:
Josh Hoover’s progression
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti found Fernando Mendoza’s successor in the transfer portal, bringing in former Texas Christian University quarterback and redshirt senior Josh Hoover. In 2025, Hoover threw for 3,472 passing yards and 29 touchdowns.
Following in the footsteps of Mendoza — a Heisman Trophy winner, national champion and now the No. 1 overall selection — would be daunting for many. But Hoover did not shy away from the opportunity.
“Well, he embraced that challenge when he made the decision to come here,” Cignetti said. “And he’s a process-oriented guy. So, trying to make the most out of every rep right now.”
Hoover struggled to begin Thursday’s spring game, missing multiple throws. He finished the first quarter just 2-9 passing but settled in throughout the second. Hoover finished 6-14 with an unofficial 94 passing yards.
Despite inconsistency Thursday, Cignetti remains confident in his projected starter.
“He’s played a lot of football, and I’m confident that he’ll come out of camp ready to play well and build off his successes,” Cignetti said.
Sixth-year redshirt senior Grant Wilson, redshirt sophomore Tyler Cherry and redshirt freshman Jacob Bell each took snaps at quarterback behind Hoover on Thursday.
Stability at defensive line and uncertainty on offensive front
While Indiana lost much of its defensive line from a season ago, the Hoosiers retained two key members of their championship roster. Now-redshirt senior defensive lineman Tyrique Tucker and junior defensive lineman Mario Landino return to anchor the Cream and Crimson’s starting unit up front.
Cignetti also brought in four transfer portal additions to help solidify his defensive line, giving him “more guys” than he can play.
The Hoosiers’ defensive line regularly penetrated the backfield Thursday, picking up five sacks and four additional tackles for loss.
In the offseason, Cignetti brought in a duo of former Kansas State University edge rushers — redshirt senior Tobi Osunsanmi and redshirt junior Chiddi Obiazor.
“I think both the K-State (Kansas State) boys are really good,” redshirt senior offensive lineman Carter Smith said Thursday. “Tobi (Osunsanmi) is really quick and really swift off the edge. He moves so fluent, too. I just can’t wait to go against them. And then obviously Chiddi being the heavier set guy. Honestly, I saw a spin move out of him today — kind of caught my eye, pretty impressed.”
While its defensive line appears to be a strength heading into the fall, Indiana’s offensive front remains questionable. Last season’s starting center, Pat Coogan, exhausted his collegiate eligibility after the national championship, leaving a hole at the position.
Redshirt senior offensive linemen Drew Evans and Bray Lynch have each been tasked with taking on the center role throughout spring camp. The team also added Wisconsin transfer Joe Brunner to the group. The redshirt senior brings experience after starting all 12 games at left guard in each of the last two seasons for the Badgers.
Meanwhile, Smith has missed all of spring camp due to surgery repairing a torn labrum, as the team has yet to build a cohesive offensive line.
“We’re continuing our quest to develop quality depth there,” Cignetti said about the team’s offensive line.
New-look running back room
The running back tandem of Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black accounted for 2,160 of the Hoosiers’ 3,406 total rushing yards last season. But with the pair now graduated, Indiana has turned to junior running back Turbo Richard and redshirt sophomore running back Khobie Martin to lead the backfield.
With Boston College last season, Richard ran for 749 yards and nine touchdowns. Meanwhile, Martin returns to Indiana after running for 506 yards and six touchdowns in a backup role.
During Thursday’s game, Richard led the backfield with an unofficial 39 yards across eight carries. Martin added six carries for an unofficial 26 yards and a touchdown.
“I think it’s a room that if we can keep them healthy,” Cignetti said. “I think there's a strength. Turbo (Richard) and Khobie (Martin) were very consistent this spring.”
Redshirt senior running back Lee Bebee Jr., who rushed for 209 yards and a touchdown last year, is also expected to contribute to the backfield this season. Bebee Jr.’s 2025 season got cut short after a season-ending ACL tear against Indiana State University on Sept. 12, 2025, but he is expected to return to action in the fall.
Wide receiver depth
Indiana lost two of the most productive wide receivers in program history in the offseason with Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt both declaring for the NFL Draft. But Cignetti replaced the duo with one of the most coveted players in the 2026 transfer cycle: junior wide receiver Nick Marsh.
Marsh spent the first two years of his collegiate career at Michigan State, where he racked up 1,311 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. In his first action in front of the Hoosier faithful, Marsh collected two catches for an unofficial 23 yards.
The Michigan State transfer will team up with junior wide receiver Charlier Becker, who brokeout in 2025. While he did not play Thursday, Becker registered 679 yards and six touchdowns through the air last season.
“He’s (Becker) there every single day,” Hoover said. “He wants to throw, wants to catch, wants to get the extra work in. And as a quarterback, you love that. So, Nick (Marsh), I mean, he’s just, he’s the same way. Just a freak athlete.”
The Hoosiers also return redshirt senior Tyler Morris, who missed all of last season with a knee injury he suffered during 2025 spring camp.
Now healthy, Morris led the Hoosiers’ wide receivers Thursday, reeling in a 70-yard touchdown catch in the game’s second drive.
“He’s made some big plays here the last five or six practices,” Cignetti said of Morris. “And that’s good to see. We’re gonna need him. He’s an experienced guy who could probably play all three positions.”
Indiana will host summer workouts, before returning for fall camp. The Hoosiers’ 2026 regular season slate is scheduled to begin Sept. 5, when they host the University of North Texas.
Follow reporter Conor Banks (@Conorbanks06 and conbanks@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana football offseason.
