Heading into the 2026 season, there's no denying that one of the biggest names to watch for the Indiana Hoosiers will be senior offensive lineman Carter Smith. Smith has emerged as one of the best left tackles in all of college football, and played a vital role in keeping Fernando Mendoza upright during his Heisman Trophy-winning season a year ago. Thus, Carter's efforts went a long way toward the Hoosiers winning a historic National Championship.
Predicting where each ranked Indiana opponent will stand when they meet in 2026
Smith returns to Bloomington for one final year of college football, and figures to take on a leading role up front once again. However, throughout the offseason there have been some question marks surrounding Smith's health.
Smith underwent shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum in the spring, which forced him to miss all of spring practice. But as fall camp continues on, it's safe to say that Smith is feeling a lot better.
Carter Smith feeling 'extra strong' in fall camp
Fall camp is now onto its third week, and Smith himself has stated that he is feeling "extra strong." Smith spoke with the media following Wednesday's practice, and delivered a wild story about his current strength level.
"I feel strong," said Smith. "I actually had an incident today where I broke my arm brace, so I'm feeling extra strong from that," said Smith. Those heavy duty arm braces don't break easy, so it obviously took a ton of strength and physicality from Smith in order to accomplish that feat.
“I had an incident today where I broke my arm brace, so I’m feeling extra strong from that.”
— Colin McMahon (@ColinMcMahon31) August 19, 2026
Carter Smith details how he’s feeling during fall camp after missing spring while recovering from labrum surgery.
The #iufb offensive tackle has looked great in practice over the past… pic.twitter.com/aK7z0gPUWV
Dealing with a significant shoulder injury is never easy for any athlete, but it's especially tough on offensive linemen. Smith's job relies heavily on strength, leverage, and repeated contact with the upper body on a play-by-play basis. So to hear him say that he is feeling strong is a great sign for the Hoosiers heading into their title-defending season.
Carter Smith will play a big role in Indiana's back-to-back title hopes
If the Hoosiers are going to compete for another National Championship, Smith's performance will be vital. Owning a 6'5" 308-pound frame, Smith has become a model of consistency in Bloomington.
He has made 41 consecutive starts at left tackle for the Hoosiers dating back to the 2023 season, and has been an elite pass-blocker. Specifically, Smith has allowed just four sacks over the course of 2,516 snaps in his collegiate career. Not too shabby. For his efforts, Smith became the first Hoosier to win the Big Ten’s Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year Award last season.
Serving as Indiana's anchor on the left side of the offensive line, protecting TCU transfer QB Josh Hoover will be priority No. 1 for Smith and company this season. With Smith back healthy and putting forth a great showing in fall camp, it's clear that the Hoosier offensive line is in good hands with Smith leading the way.
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