⚡ CFB Dashboard

- Curt Cignetti said Indiana kicker Nico Radicic missed the Howard game after waking Thursday with a pull in his rib cage. He said the replacement missed the first attempt but was good afterward. The interview provides the reason for that game's absence, not a confirmed return date or clearance for the next opponent. - Indiana recorded 12 tackles for loss and five sacks against Howard. Cignetti said the rush became difficult to block, though finishing tackles on the quarterback initially needed work. He approved using four defensive ends together on some third-and-long snaps, citing the staff's effort to maximize personnel; that does not make it a new every-down front. - Cignetti said Nick Marsh and Shazz Preston rotated more at the left receiver position against Howard, with Marsh also playing some on the right. He included them among the leading receiver group and praised Charlie Becker's preparation, explosiveness and special-teams work. The late-game snaps did not, by themselves, announce a demotion or new depth-chart order. - Indiana gave both backup quarterbacks game action. Cignetti praised Grant's runs and two touchdown passes, along with his value as an experienced backup and teammate; Tyler missed his first two throws before completing one. Cignetti demanded better execution on those misses but did not announce a change to Josh Hoover's starting role. - Cignetti liked Indiana's ability to repeatedly hand off and sustain an early drive against Howard, while warning that Big Ten rushing yards will be harder to earn and depend on line, tight-end and perimeter blocking. Both coaches agreed to shorten the fourth quarter to 10 minutes, an important limit when interpreting this blowout's raw production.

- Indiana starting CBs Jamari Sharpe and A.J. Harris were sidelined entering Howard week. The preview says either could return as soon as this game, but also suggests Indiana might allow another recovery week. It does not confirm that either cornerback is cleared or ruled out for Howard. - Indiana RB Khobie Martin is expected to remain out until at least midseason after breaking bones in his forearm, according to the preview. Unlike the cornerbacks' possible near-term returns, the article describes a longer absence for Martin; it does not give a firm return date. - The Indiana preview identifies missed tackles and coverage busts against North Texas as issues to correct, despite allowing only one offensive touchdown. Howard's mobile quarterback adds an edge-containment test. The writer expects a fairly basic defensive approach against the FCS opponent, not a confirmed change in Bryant Haines' play-calling. - If Indiana builds a comfortable lead, the writer expects reserve QBs Grant Wilson and Tyler Cherry to handle much of the second half against Howard. That is a conditional development opportunity behind Josh Hoover, who threw four touchdowns against North Texas, not an announced quarterback rotation or a fixed starter snap limit.

- Indiana corner Jaylen Bell played 55 of 71 defensive snaps against North Texas after replacing injured field corner Jamari Sharpe, finishing with four tackles. Curt Cignetti praised his work; the Howard preview expects Bell to start only if Sharpe remains out, without confirming Sharpe's or A.J. Harris' game availability. - Quan Sanks played 16 snaps in Indiana's 2026 opener, entering mainly at strong safety in place of Preston Zachman in the third quarter and producing three tackles, half a tackle for loss and an interception. His 70.1 PFF grade supports the writer's case for more work, but a larger rotation or starting promotion remains a projection. - Tyler Morris returned from his prior ACL injury to start in Indiana's slot, catch three passes for 35 yards and add a 36-yard punt return against North Texas. Josh Hoover found him on crossing routes; the writer projects more middle-of-field space when defenses focus on outside receivers Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh, not a guaranteed target share. - With Khobie Martin already reported out until around midseason, Indiana's Howard preview identifies Sean Cuono as a candidate for reserve work behind Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe Jr. Cuono has only two career carries for 17 yards but has added roughly 15 pounds since arrival; the writer's expected third-back role is not a confirmed depth-chart decision.

- DL/DB: Indiana football enters Week 2 of the 2026 season with much to clean up but also plenty to feel optimistic about.

- QB/OL: Sitting in the stands I wasn’t particularly paying attention to what NT was doing.

- Pick/market: Well as Cig said, 8 or 9 days before game 1 they returned Brunner to his natural position in college which is guard...that means he had over 20+ practices and scrimmages to "earn" the...

- QB: Just think what Hoover could have done with one more second!!

- Pick/market: That is how I am labeling them.

- Offense: Talking offense with No.

- Indiana's missed tackles against North Texas extended to established defenders Isaiah Jones, Mario Landino and Amare Ferrell, according to Peegs, which also noted unusually heavy defensive-front rotation in the heat and the team's first live tackling since the spring game as context rather than proof the problem is fixed. - Indiana produced one sack and two quarterback hurries in the opener, but Peegs attributed some of the limited pressure to North Texas' quick throws and wide-zone approach while observing that Bryant Haines used relatively few stunts, twists and unconventional defensive packages. - Indiana receivers Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh combined for six catches, 81 yards and three touchdowns on only eight targets against North Texas, giving Josh Hoover productive top targets within an opener the report characterized as run-heavy and schematically restrained. - Indiana generated 175 combined kick- and punt-return yards against North Texas and sent eight of nine kickoffs for touchbacks, while Nico Radicic made a 49-yard field goal and all seven extra points, documenting a significant special-teams contribution without assuming the return production will repeat.

- WR/LB: Indiana whipped North Texas in Week One, but the Hoosiers weren't really dominant, and the focus will be on IU's ability to overwhelm a much-lesser opponent in the Howard Bison.

- Pick/market: Fully agree.

- WR: Trying to scheme and cover Becker/Marsh would be a nightmare.

- DL: Don’t disagree but let’s wait and see what things look like when it’s not 152 degrees on the field.

- Injury: Curt Cignetti says running back Khobie Martin "will be out for a little bit” and expected back “around midseason”.

- Pick/market: Howard feels like the game that they try to get up by 30-40 as quick as possible then flood the field with as many bodies as possible to see live game reps.

- OL: My thought was once Hoover saw the flag (which was in his line of sight) that he just let it go.

- QB: We are very lucky that the true secret sauce for Cignetti is that he is a QB whisperer.

- QB: Coach Cig isn’t going to show anything special until he has to.

- Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover earned a 92.9 PFF offensive grade against North Texas, the only Hoosier offensive player above 90 who played most of the game rather than a very small reserve sample. - Indiana's offensive-line grades were uneven, with Drew Evans and Bray Lynch at 83.5 and 81.3 in pass blocking versus Carter Smith's 48.9, while no starter reached 69 in run blocking and Lynch was lowest at 53.2. - Indiana's team run-defense grade was 78.8, with linebacker Rolijah Hardy leading that category at 80.4 and defensive linemen Tobi Osunsanmi, Joe Hjelle and Chiddi Obiazor also grading well against the run. - Indiana's pass rush received a 54.4 team grade, and its highest individual pass-rush mark was Osunsanmi's 63.3, supporting the report's concern that the defense struggled to pressure North Texas' quarterback. - Indiana's tackling grade was only 54.0 overall despite stronger individual tackling marks for defensive backs Byron Baldwin at 83.4, Jaylen Bell at 80.7 and Quan Sanks at 79.7.

- OL: Also, OL is especially hard to grade if you don’t know the blocking scheme.

- Curt Cignetti said Indiana tight end Trevor Gibbs was close to returning and might play this week, but the staff would proceed slowly because it needs him long term and the tight-end group still requires development. - Cignetti identified Josh Hoover's throwing base, delivery timing and protection decisions as corrections after the opener, noting that an unnecessary protection flip exposed him to a blitz and that a late touchdown throw made Charlie Becker's catch harder than necessary. - Cignetti praised Indiana's improved receiver blocking after making it a preparation emphasis, identifying downfield blocks as the difference between an explosive run and a touchdown run. - Indiana's offense scored on seven of eight possessions against North Texas, producing six touchdowns and going four-for-four in the red zone despite running only 48 plays.

- QB: When people were saying that Jackson wasn't a running QB I thought they were wrong.

- Coaching: With Brunner playing right guard and Ajani playing right tackle, Curt Cignetti said the coaches felt that was their best lineup on the offensive line and that is the way they plan to lineup...

- Offense: Another thing the refs missed after the scUM "win"...

- WR: You won't find many CFB coaches who demand more WR-blocking effort than #Indiana's Curt Cignetti.

- TE: I don’t understand how people are missing it.

- QB/RB: A few of the sustained drives were on missed assignments, not tackling, not speed.

- QB/DB: understand the point of not giving away mysties of your defense, but the poor tackling, and not getting pressure on the QB are still a little concerning to me.

- Pick/market: Someone needs to send Sonny Dykes a side by side stat breakdown of Hoover today vs their QB in that god awful performance last week.

- Offense: This is what I thought was the issue Football is a chess match and if you dont have film or info on the offense then they have the upper hand

- Pick/market: BLOOMINGTON, Ind.

- QB: I swear he only needs to get 1/2" of his fingertips on the ball to hall it in.

- OL/DL: I don’t typically make excuses, but for a bunch of massive humans, that heat was no joke.

- QB/OL: I’ve been amazed watching their O line execute and open up holes this game.

- QB/LB: Disgraceful officiating that makes me openly question the integrity of that game.

- Injury: hopefully Harris and Sharpe are just dinged up and will return quickly.