By Coach Griff

The talking season is officially over.

After nearly a month of training camp, countless practices, position battles, and hours spent evaluating film, Curt Cignetti and his staff have built the foundation for what they hope becomes another memorable season in Bloomington. The Hoosiers have checked every box camp can provide. Now comes the only evaluation that truly matters—Saturday afternoons.

Beginning with North Texas, Indiana enters the 2026 season carrying expectations that simply didn’t exist a few years ago. A preseason Top 10 ranking, College Football Playoff aspirations, and one of the nation’s most respected coaching staffs have changed the conversation around this program.

As a former college football coach, I always believed the final week of camp was one of the most important periods of the entire season. The installation is complete. The fundamentals have been taught. Players know the expectations. Now it’s about execution.

Here are my biggest takeaways as Indiana turns its attention toward Week One.

Five Things That Matter

1. The Offensive Line Must Become the Strength of the Team

Every successful football team is built from the inside out.

Indiana returns experience, but the offensive line remains the position group I’ll watch closest during the first month of the season.

Josh Hoover has proven he can distribute the football, but quarterbacks only become dangerous when they’re protected. Likewise, Indiana’s running backs will only reach their potential if this offensive front consistently wins first down and creates manageable situations.

The Hoosiers don’t need perfection.

They need consistency.

2. Josh Hoover Has Elevated Expectations

There’s no replacing experience under center.

Hoover enters the season with command of Mike Shanahan’s offense, and that comfort should allow Indiana to play faster than it did a year ago.

What impresses me most isn’t his arm talent.

It’s his decision-making.

Championship-level quarterbacks rarely make the spectacular play every snap.

They consistently make the correct play.

Indiana needs Hoover to continue doing exactly that.

3. Defensive Depth May Be This Team’s Biggest Strength

Bryant Haines has quietly assembled one of the deepest defensive fronts Indiana has fielded in years.

Tyrique Tucker, Mario Landino, CJ Hardy, Isaiah Jones, and several emerging young players give Indiana the ability to rotate bodies without sacrificing production.

Depth wins football games in October and November.

Indiana appears positioned better than most Big Ten teams in that regard.

4. The Secondary Will Determine Indiana’s Ceiling

Front sevens create pressure.

Secondaries finish drives.

Indiana’s defensive backs possess athleticism and experience, but they’ll be tested immediately once Big Ten play begins.

Communication.

Eye discipline.

Limiting explosive plays.

Those three areas will determine whether this defense becomes good—or elite.

5. Expectations Are Finally Different

For decades, Indiana football hoped to compete.

Today?

Indiana expects to compete.

That difference changes everything.

Every opponent now circles Indiana on its schedule.

Success is no longer surprising.

It’s expected.

Position Groups I’m Watching

Offensive Line

Can this group become one of the Big Ten’s better units by midseason?

If the answer is yes, Indiana’s offense becomes extremely difficult to defend.

Wide Receivers

Indiana has talent.

Now they must consistently create separation against Big Ten secondaries.

Explosive plays often decide conference games.

Defensive Line

This group has the chance to become special.

The combination of size, depth, and athleticism allows Indiana to pressure quarterbacks without constantly bringing extra defenders.

Linebackers

Replacing Aidan Fisher’s production is impossible with one player.

It has to become a collective effort.

Fortunately, Isaiah Jones appears ready for a significantly larger role.

Players Ready for Breakout Seasons

• Isaiah Jones
• Tyrique Tucker
• Mario Landino
• Nick Marsh
• Charlie Becker

Each has shown flashes throughout camp.

Now comes the opportunity to prove it under the lights.

Coach Griff’s Take

One lesson I learned over 28 years of coaching is simple:

Championship teams rarely win championships in August.

What camp does accomplish is building habits.

The teams that communicate well…

Finish every drill…

Protect the football…

Run to the football…

Those habits eventually become victories in November.

Indiana appears to have developed those habits.

Now we discover how they respond when adversity inevitably arrives.

Because it always does.

Final Thoughts

North Texas represents much more than the season opener.

It’s the first opportunity for Indiana to demonstrate that the momentum created over the past two seasons is sustainable.

The roster has been assembled.

The schemes have been installed.

The expectations have never been higher.

Now the Hoosiers simply need to play.

One thing is certain.

The talking season has ended.

Football season has officially arrived.