Indiana Football: The Most Painful Transfer Departures
By Dante Pryor
Philip Blidi: Defensive Tackle
It remains to be seen how the loss of defensive lineman Philip Blidi ultimately affects Indiana football this fall, but the Hoosiers need depth along the defensive line and his loss affects that depth. He had value in the portal considering he went to Auburn in the portal.
Transferring is nothing new for the New Mexico native. Auburn is his third school in his college career. Blidi began his career at Texas Tech before transferring to Indiana in 2022. He was an integral part of Indiana's defensive line rotation and will likely fill the same role at Auburn.
Indiana has been busy in the portal, especially along the lines of scrimmage. The Hoosiers have most noticeably picked up commitments from defensive linemen CJ West and Tyrique Tucker. Today's game requires defenses to be able to rush the passer without bringing extra pressure.
Getting to the quarterback requires depth along the lines of scrimmage. Blidi is a proven rotational player, and not having that depth could hurt Indiana this season.