Thursday is shaping up to be a big day for the Indiana Football program. Two major events will be going on simultaneously that have Hoosier fans fired up.
On Thursday evening, the spring practice schedule is set to wrap up with the annual spring game, and the 2026 NFL Draft begins with a loaded Hoosier draft class led by presumptive No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Both events continue to put the college football spotlight on Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers.
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When it comes to the spring game, Hoosier fans may be watching a vastly different team on Thursday than what they will see suiting up on September 5 in the season opener against North Texas.
Indiana has a long list of injuries heading into the spring game
With the Hoosiers navigating the final week of spring practice, Cignetti has told reporters over the last couple days that his team is nowhere near full strength. Specifically, Cignetti stated that a total of 17 players are not practicing this week due to injury.
He's only mentioned a few players by name at this time, as specific names are typically kept private during the spring practice slate. However, the Hoosier head coach has mentioned that starting left tackle Carter Smith and star wide receiver Charlie Becker aren't expected to suit up on Thursday.
Spring game gives Cignetti a chance to evaluate depth
With the spring game not featuring a handful of projected starters, Cignetti and his staff now have a great opportunity to further evaluate depth.
With Smith sidelined, it seems likely that redshirt freshman Baylor Wilkin will get a chance to play left tackle with the first team offense. The hamstring injury to Becker could open the door for young receivers like LeBron Bond, Myles Kendrick, and Davion Chandler to see more action in the spring game. Other position battles will likely feature young players looking to earn more playing time in the fall.
Both the spring game and the NFL Draft are et to begin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday night. The video boards at Memorial Stadium will feature live look-ins of draft coverage, so Hoosier fans in the stands can watch Mendoza hear his name called.
Cignetti and the Hoosiers are set to enter the 2026 campaign with high hopes following a historic National Championship-winning season. Cignetti re-tooled Indiana's roster with a top-20 recruiting class as well as a class of 17 incoming transfers led by QB Josh Hoover and WR Nick Marsh.
All in all, Thursday is sure to be an exciting day for Hoosier Nation, even if the team on the field for the spring game isn't at full strength.
Pregame timeline for Indiana's 8 p.m. spring game Thursday at Memorial Stadium. #iufb pic.twitter.com/XULxun9qdT
— Mike Schumann @ The Daily Hoosier (@daily_hoosier) April 21, 2026
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