The countdown is officially on for Indiana's season-opening matchup against North Texas. Kick-off is quickly approaching, and plenty of excitment is in the air.
While many Hoosier fans have been dialed in to every offseason development, some may have missed the storylines that defined the last few months. If that is the case for you, don't worry! We have you covered with the top headlines from the offseason that you need to know before Saturday's Week 1 contest.
Indiana sets program record for NFL Draft picks
Indiana's overwhelming success from last year's National Championship-winning season resulted in a record-setting performance at the 2026 NFL Draft. In total, the Hoosiers had eight players selected, which set a program record. The previous record of seven came back in 1976 when there was a whopping 17 rounds in the draft.
The class was led by Heisman Trophy-winning QB Fernando Mendoza, who went No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. WR Omar Cooper Jr. was also a first rounder. He went 30th overall to the New York Jets, making him and Mendoza the first pair of Hoosier teammates to be selected in the first round of the same NFL Draft
Here is a look at where Indiana's eight draft picks were selected:
QB Fernando Mendoza: 1st round, 1st overall - Las Vegas Raiders
WR Omar Cooper Jr: 1st round, 30th overall - New York Jets
CB D'Angelo Ponds: 2nd round, 50th overall - New York Jets
RB Kaelon Black: 3rd round, 90th overall - San Francisco 49ers
WR Elijah Sarratt: 4th round, 115th overall - Baltimore Ravens
TE Riley Nowakowski: 5th round, 169th overall - Pittsburgh Steelers
C Pat Coogan: 6th round, 194th overall - Tennessee Titans
LB Aiden Fisher: 7th round, 243rd overall - Houston Texans
Curt Cignetti lands No.1-ranked transfer portal class
Curt Cignetti has become a master of the transfer portal, and that theme continued during the offseason. Cignetti and the Hoosiers brought in 17 transfers through the portal, and that group makes up the No. 1-ranked portal class in the country according to On3.
Headlining IU's portal additions is QB Josh Hoover, who comes to Bloomington after four seasons at TCU. Following in the footsteps of Mendoza isn't easy, but Hoover fits the QB formula that Cignetti has mastered over the last two seasons. Hoover has started 31 games and has thrown for nearly 10,000 yards and 71 touchdowns in his career. WR Nick Marsh, EDGE Tobi Osunsanmi, and RB Turbo Richard are also among Indiana's highest-ranked portal additions.
Curt Cignetti retains entire coaching staff, along with several key playmakers
When a program finds as much success as Indiana did last season, the coaching staff tends to get poached. Coordinators leave for head coaching jobs, leaving their former program to fill in the gaps. That was not the case for Cignetti and Indiana this offseason. The Hoosiers retain their entire coaching staff, which is extremely rare in today's era of college football. That continuity on the coaching staff is highly valuable heading into the 2026 season.
Every team's biggest weakness on Indiana's 2026 football schedule
The Hoosiers also bring back several key contributors from last year's team. On the offensive side, IU brings back WR Charlie Becker, OT Carter Smith, RB Khobie Martin, and K Nico Radicic. Having those guys back in the mix is huge. On the defensive side, Indiana brings back four of its top-five sack leaders from last year's title team. Key names coming back include DT Tyrique Tucker, DT Mario Landino, LB Rolijah Hardy, LB Isaiah Jones, CB Jamari Sharpe, and S Amare Ferrell.
Monshun Sales becomes first 5-star high school commit in IU history
Cignetti has changed what's possible for Indiana football recruiting in a major way. The Hoosiers have had some solid recruiting wins over the years, but generally speaking, have never been on the radar for the top prospects in the country. Indiana had never landed a 5-star high school commit, but that has now changed.
On July 17, Lawrence North star WR Monshun Sales became the first 5-star high school recruit to commit to Indiana. He chose the Hoosiers over other finalists Ohio State, LSU, Alabama, and Texas. Sales was ranked as the No. 2 WR and No. 7 overall player in the 2027 recruiting class by Rivals at the time of his commitment. 247Sports Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins describes Sales as a "one of the biggest freakshows in the country with his hulking frame and elite athletic markers," and projects him as a potential game-wrecker for a College Football Playoff contender. Needless to say, Sales' elite and comprehensive skill set have Hoosier fans fired up to see what he can do once on campus.
NCAA eligibility chaos has direct impact on Indiana's 2026 roster
There is plenty of chaos and confusion surrounding college football eligibility for the 2026-27 season. To give you a quick summary, a decision from a U.S. District Court judge in Colorado back in July gave an additional year of eligibility to thousands of athletes in the high school Class of 2022. Among those impacted were Indiana defensive linemen Kellan Wyatt and Stephen Daley. Shortly after they were made eligible, both Daley and Wyatt announced their plans to return to the Hoosiers for the upcoming season.
However, the NCAA won a legal appeal from the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, which put a pause on the eligibility of both Daley and Wyatt. Now, their eligibility is in serious doubt. Both have been practicing with the Hoosiers in fall camp, but at this time they won't be able to suit up. The situation continues to evolve, and more legal cases could be in the works. But with kick-off so close, it's tough to see Daley and Wyatt seeing game action anytime soon.
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