Latest news with #IndianaFootball
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Indiana stuns 2 SEC powers by landing 4-star
The post Indiana stuns 2 SEC powers by landing 4-star appeared first on ClutchPoints. Indiana football pulled a new stunner after the Fourth of July following its surprise postseason run. The College Football Playoff team of last year not only reeled in a rare four-star recruit. But stunned two Southeastern Conference powers by winning over this prospect over them. Advertisement EDGE Ronelle Johnson is heading to Bloomington. The 6-foot-4, 265-pound defender made his choice Saturday. He adds a new relentless pass rushing option for head coach Curt Cignetti. Which SEC schools came after Johnson? Missouri and Ole Miss landed in the final running according to Hayes Fawcett of On3/Rivals. Even Big 12 power Kansas State showed up on Johnson's short list of remaining options. But IU lands a top 100 recruit for the 2026 class. And secures a rare huge recruiting win — as Cignetti built his first Hoosiers team with predominantly college football transfer portal talent. How Indiana has measured up recruiting wise Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times Johnson's pledge makes up for one big loss on Indiana's side. Advertisement Florida State coaxed four-star cornerback Jay Timmons to join its 2026 class. Timmons dipped out of his IU commitment to join the Seminoles. His father Lawrence starred for FSU as a linebacker during the early 2000s. Johnson, however, immediately eases the loss of Timmons. Indiana rose as the lone Big Ten program he became invested in. He held his other offers from conference rivals Iowa, Wisconsin, Purdue, even Big Ten champion Oregon. But he took a June 6 visit to the IU campus according to on 247Sports. That trip clearly won him over as the Hoosiers made Johnson a massive priority for the '26 class. Johnson garnered strong praise during his recruitment. He's the state of Missouri's No. 3 overall prospect for '26 by 247Sports. He's also the 22nd verbal commitment for this current class. Advertisement Indiana sits now at No. 25 across the nation for team recruiting rankings. The '25 class settled for 39th overall. Indiana even ranked 46th in recruiting back for the 2024 class. Cignetti is now building a top 25 class in Bloomington. Related: Insider reveals NIL move that won over Texas Tech's 5-star commit Related: 5-star WR shockingly picks Syracuse over Michigan football
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Indiana announces return of mascot Hoosier the Bison, set to make debut at season opener on Aug. 30
Next fall, Indiana football will be getting a little extra spirit on the sidelines. The school announced Monday that its one-time mascot, Hoosier the Bison, has been reinstated as the university's official mascot after a nearly 60-year hiatus. Indiana had hinted at Hoosier's resurgence last May with a video on social media, but made the bison's return official on Monday. Per the school, Hoosier will make his public debut on Aug. 30, as Indiana hosts Old Dominion for its 2025 season opener. Advertisement Hoosier the Bison returns to Indiana's campus decades after a very short-lived run in the 1960s. The mascot was introduced to the school in 1965, going through two re-designs. But waning interest from the students led the school to effectively retire the mascot in 1969. Last December, Indiana University Student Government voted to renew the bison as the school's official mascot, per the university. Indiana Athletics was tasked with creating and unveiling the new iteration, which will be getting a new round of merchandise and will also have official social media accounts. Indiana clarified in the announcement that the school's official nickname will still be "Hoosiers," but that the bison will become the official mascot. (Think the Miami Hurricanes and their mascot, Sebastian the Ibis, or the Stanford Cardinal and the unofficial mascot, the Stanford Tree.) Advertisement With Hoosier on the sideline, Indiana will be hoping to recreate some of the success of last season, as the Hoosiers went 11-2 to finish second in the Big Ten and advance to the college football playoff. Indiana went on to lose to Notre Dame in the first round.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What to know about the Indiana Hoosiers in 2025
After parting ways with Tom Allen, Indiana made a splashy hire by bringing in Curt Cignetti from James Madison for the 2024 season, and the program benefitted immediately. Cignetti brought with him a large contingent of Dukes and also hit the transfer portal hard for a complete roster overhaul ahead of the 2024 season. After losing many key pieces from last year's squad, Cignetti is attempting to achieve the same success with another large batch of transfer additions. Here's a look at Indiana as the 2025 season draws closer. Advertisement 2024 in review Indiana's Mike Katic (56) and the Hoosiers hoist the bucket after the Indiana versus Purdue football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. In his first year at the helm, Cignetti led the Hoosiers to their first 10-win season in program history and added an 11th win for good measure. His unprecedented success led to Indiana's first College Football Playoff appearance, which ended with a loss to Notre Dame. Though he benefited from a soft schedule, the success can't be overlooked. Head coach profile Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti watches the second half of a game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in South Bend. Notre Dame defeated Indiana 27-17. Cignetti famously told a reporter "It's pretty simple - I win. Google me" after being hired at Indiana before the 2024 season. He did just that, taking the Hoosiers to historic sights. Prior to that, Cignetti was the head coach at James Madison for five seasons. In his first season, he led the Dukes to an FCS title game appearance followed by a semifinal appearance the year after. When James Madison transitioned to the Sun Belt to join the FBS ranks, it went 8-3 and won a share of the division championship before improving to 11-2 the following year despite being ineligible for the Sun Belt title game. Advertisement Top offensive player Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (15) passes during the Indiana football spring game at Memorial Stadium on Thursday, April 17, 2025. After finding success with transfer quarterback Kurtis Rourke last season, the Hoosiers brought in Fernando Mendoza from Cal, who figures to be one of their top offensive players in 2025. Mendoza was ranked as the No. 4 quarterback transfer by 247Sports and threw for over 3,000 yards at a 68.7% clip with 16 touchdowns to six interceptions. Top defensive players Indiana's Mikail Kamara (6) celebraters during the Indiana versus Michigan football game at Memorial Stadium on Friday, Nov. 9, 2024. Edge rusher Mikail Kamara likely would've been drafted this offseason had he declared, but he opted to return for a second season at Indiana and fourth with Curt Cignetti after following the head coach from James Madison. Kamara recorded 10 sacks last season, fourth most in the Big Ten and most among returning players. Additionally, cornerback D'Angelo Ponds, another former Duke, was a first-team All-Big Ten selection last year and is a first-round hopeful after recording 55 tackles and three picks last season. Advertisement 2025 schedule Aug. 30 vs. Old Dominion Sept. 6 vs. Kennesaw State Sept. 12 (Fri.) vs. Indiana State Sept. 20 vs Illinois Sept. 27 at Iowa Oct. 11 at Oregon Oct. 18 vs Michigan State Oct. 25 vs. UCLA Nov. 1 at Maryland Nov. 8 at Penn State Nov. 15 vs. Wisconsin Nov. 28 (Fri.) at Purdue The Hoosiers will visit Happy Valley in early November for their first trip to Beaver Stadium since a 33-24 loss in 2023. Penn State has won the last three matchups and 25 of 27 total matchups, but Indiana's most recent win came on Michael Penix's infamous walk-off two-point conversion at the pylon in 2020. Both teams will serve as a major benchmark for the other, and the loser of this game may be knocked out of the playoff picture as a result. Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X, Facebook, and Threads This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Scouting the Indiana Hoosiers ahead of 2025
