Indiana Football Hires Bob Bostad As Offensive Line Coach, Run Game Coordinator

Indiana football announced on Friday that Bob Bostad will be the team's new offensive line coach and run game coordinator. Bostad has experience at Wisconsin and with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans, among other stops.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana football hired Bob Bostad as its offensive line coach and run game coordinator on Friday.

“I’m really excited about this opportunity,” Bostad said. “I look forward to working with Coach Allen and his staff, and most importantly I can’t wait to meet the young men in the offensive line room.”

This news comes less than a week after Indiana's 4-8 season, which included the firing of Darren Hiller following Indiana's Week 6 loss to Michigan. Indiana replaced Hiller with Rod Carey, who moved from defensive quality control coach to interim offensive line coach and run game coordinator for the final six games. Carey will return to his role as quality control coach for the 2023 season.

“I want to thank Rod for stepping in this season,” Indiana coach Tom Allen said. “He is an integral member of our staff, and I am grateful he will remain a Hoosier!”

Bostad joins Allen's staff at Indiana with over 30 years of coaching experience, beginning in 1990 as the offensive line coach at Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Most recently, Bostad was the offensive line coach for the Wisconsin Badgers, and he's made stops in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans. 

Offensive line coach Bob Bostad works with his players the during the University of Wisconsin spring football practice at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison on Thursday :: Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

In his first stint at Wisconsin from 2006-11, Bostad helped the Badgers win back-to-back Big Ten Championships while boasting one of the nation's top rushing attacks. The Bostad-coached Wisconsin offensive line paved the way for Montee Ball to rush for 1,923 yards and match Barry Sanders' single-season record with 39 touchdowns.

At Wisconsin, Bostad coached eight first-team All-Americans, nine NFL draft picks and three first-round picks, including offensive linemen Gabe Carimi, Kevin Zeitler and Travis Frederick. Frederick became the NFL’s highest-paid center in 2016, and Zeitler signed the largest contract by a guard in NFL history in 2017. Bostad was the offensive line coach when the Tennessee Titans drafted tackle Taylor Lewan, who made the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team in 2014.

“Bob is one of the top offensive line coaches in the country,” Allen said. “He has developed All-Americans, draft picks, and NFL All-Pros, and contributed to elite offenses on championship teams. We welcome Bob and his family to Bloomington!”

As it currently stands, Indiana will lose left tackle Luke Haggard, who made 25 career starts, and right tackle Parker Hanna, who made seven starts at right tackle in his lone season at Indiana. Matthew Bedford, a 28-game starter on the offensive line, can return for his fifth year after tearing his ACL in Week 1 against Illinois. Other main contributors on the offensive line Mike Katic, Zach Carpenter, Kahlil Benson, Josh Sales, Tim Weaver and Caleb Murphy have eligibility remaining, as well.

True freshman offensive linemen Carter Smith and Bray Lynch saw limited action in 2022, and Indiana brings in Tyler Jeffries, Austin Barrett, and William Larkins in the 2023 recruiting class. 

Here's a full timeline of Bob Bostad's coaching career:

• 1990-91: Wisconsin-Stevens Point (offensive line coach)
• 1992-94: Minnesota (graduate assistant)
• 1995-96: Cal State Northridge (offensive line coach)
• 1997: San Jose State (offensive line coach)
• 1998: San Jose State (co-offensive coordinator, offensive line coach)
• 1999-2005: New Mexico (offensive line coach)
• 2006-07: Wisconsin (tight ends coach, run game coordinator)
• 2008-11: Wisconsin (offensive line coach, run game coordinator)
• 2012-13: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (offensive line coach)
• 2014-15: Tennessee Titans (offensive line coach)
• 2016: Northern Illinois (tight ends and fullbacks coach)
• 2017-21: Wisconsin (inside linebackers coach)
• 2022: Wisconsin (offensive line coach)

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