The Indiana Hoosiers have officially started practice as they try to defend their national championship. It is the first national championship in school history. After finishing last season 16-0, they will have a brand new roster after losing several seniors.
Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza is gone and will likely be the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The top two receivers are also gone from the roster. Curt Cignetti has once again utilized the Transfer Portal to replenish the roster.
Spring practice has now officially started for the Hoosiers, and Cignetti let everyone know that he had to rip a new transfer player on the first day.
Indiana Hoosiers Coach Curt Cignetti Rips New Player
Following practice, Cignetti let everyone know he ripped new wide receiver Nick Marsh a new one for wearing gold cleats to practice.
“I didn’t love those gold shoes he came out in today. He learned what getting your ass ripped is all about. I don’t know if that happened to him very often at Michigan State. That was before practice started. It was a wake-up call. He’s really worked hard. He’s done a great job for us.”
Cignetti might be able to use all of the new tools to create a championship roster, but he is an old-school coach. There is a reason he has turned the program around so quickly. He doesn’t take any nonsense from players and always wants to make sure they have the team in mind first.
Marsh was one of the top receivers available in the portal. He caught 59 passes for 662 yards and six touchdowns last season with the Spartans. Cignetti is hoping for even better numbers this season from him now that he is playing for the Hoosiers.
Indiana Will Have a Tough Time Repeating as Champions
The Indiana Hoosiers have a much tougher schedule heading into 2026 than they did in 2025. In the Big Ten Conference, their opponents are much tougher. They have to play Nebraska, Michigan, and Washington all on the road. However, they do get to face both Ohio State and USC at home.
Of course, the Hoosiers are no longer the underdogs this season as they were last year. Two straight College Football Playoff appearances now make them one of the best programs in the country. Cignetti has proven that he might be the best coach in the game, as well.
Josh Hoover is the new starting quarterback for the Hoosiers. They brought him in from TCU. Sonny Dykes made it clear that Hoover turned the ball over a lot. Cignetti clearly has a belief in him to be good, so he brought him into Bloomington.
Defensively, the Hoosiers also lose a lot of talent. They lose their three best players on that side of the ball, including on all three levels. How they are able to replace those guys might be the determining factor on how well they are able to defend their title.
Marsh will make sure he doesn’t make that mistake again next practice, and neither will the rest of the team.
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