Key Hoosiers Could Miss Spring Practice With Injuries; Cignetti Not Done Adding Transfers

New Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti has rebuilt Indiana's 2024 roster through the transfer portal and high school recruiting over the last few months. He noted Wednesday that a few key players may not participate in spring practice and that Indiana may need to add defensive depth when the transfer portal opens again in the spring.

Jack Ankony | Feb 7, 2024

Key Hoosiers Could Miss Spring Practice With Injuries; Cignetti Not Done Adding Transfers /

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – It's been a busy offseason for new Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti, adding 22 new transfers and 17 high school recruits in the class of 2024.

Wednesday is National Signing Day, but Indiana has not yet added any new recruits because all 39 newcomers signed during December's early signing period. Cignetti said he walked into a crisis roster situation when he was hired due to the amount of players in the transfer portal, but he's optimistic about the additions he made.

"I hate to ever say I was pleased because you can never be pleased and satisfied," Cignetti said Wednesday. "But I thought we got a lot of good work done in December and changed the roster, which I'm very optimistic about what we got done in the transfer portal."

Indiana now enters the portion of the offseason when strength and conditioning is a major focus, led by Derek Owings, who Cignetti brought with him from James Madison in the same role. Cignetti said he spent a lot of January on the road recruiting the class of 2025, and he's already landed verbal commitments from offensive linemen Matt Marek and Evan Parker.

As for Indiana's 2024 roster, on paper, Cignetti said the offense looks like it's in pretty good shape right now. Along with quarterback transfer Kurtis Rourke, Indiana added four wide receivers and four running backs from the transfer portal.

The transfer portal opens up again after spring practice, from April 16-30, and Cignetti said he could look to fill some holes. He noted Old Dominion safety transfers Terry Jones and Shawn Asbury II should help a position of need, but Indiana may still need a piece or two in the defensive backfield after spring practice.

"Defensively, maybe some depth in some areas," Cignetti said. "Evaluate the back end, do we have what we need going into the fall? Look, if the NCAA doesn't change this multiple transfer rule back, you're looking at another transfer wave in May like you had in December. I don't think it will be as big, but you'll have people coming and going. That's just football right now."

Cignetti said he doesn't have a strong feeling about calendar and having multiple transfer windows.

"You tell me what the rules are and I'll thrive within the rules," Cignetti said.

Spring practice is right around the corner, and Cignetti noted the Hoosiers will be without a few players due to injury.

"There will be a number, probably a handful of key guys, not participating in the spring," Cignetti said. "More on defense than offense, because of post-season surgery."

Three of those players are James Madison transfers, including defensive lineman James Carpenter, linebacker Jailin Walker and offensive lineman Nick Kidwell, as well as returning Hoosiers like outside linebacker Lanell Carr Jr. and defensive end Venson Sneed.

Carpenter played 40 games on James Madison's defensive line since 2019. As a redshirt junior in 2023, he made 53 tackles, nine tackles for loss, four sacks and two fumble recoveries. At 6-foot-2 and 282 pounds, Carpenter made the All-Sun Belt second team in 2023 and joins the Hoosiers with one year of eligibility.

As a junior in 2023, Walker was second on James Madison's defense with 61 tackles, as well as 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. At 6-foot-1 and 218 pounds, Walker earned an All-Sun Belt honorable mention and joins the Hoosiers with one year of eligibility.

Walker and Carpenter played key roles on a James Madison defense that ranked second in the Sun Belt with 19.5 points allowed per game and led nation with 61.5 rushing yards allowed per game

Kidwell was a mainstay on James Madison's offensive line under Cignetti, playing 52 games since 2018 at right tackle and right guard. As a redshirt senior in 2023, Kidwell made the preseason All-Sun Belt first team and Outland Trophy Watch List. At 6-foot-5 and 316 pounds, he has one year of eligibility.

Carr joined the Hoosiers before the 2023 season and was one of the most productive transfers. He finished sixth on team with 33 tackles, third with 8.5 tackles for loss and second with five sacks. He'll be a fifth-year senior at Indiana in 2024 after beginning his career at West Virginia.

Sneed will be a redshirt sophomore in 2024. He played 11 games as a backup in 2023, making five total tackles. Former Indiana coach Tom Allen landed the three-star recruit Sneed as the nation's No. 515 player out of Winter Park, Fla.

In year one under Cignetti, the Hoosiers will play a spring game on April 18 at 8 p.m. ET and open the 2024 regular season on Aug. 31 against Florida International.

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