Indiana
‘Definitely caught my eye’: IU football’s new running backs have impressive spring game
BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti has expressed confidence in his new-look running back room throughout spring practice.
They rewarded that confidence with a strong showing on Thursday night in the team’s spring game. The offense won 34-25 over the defense in front of fans at Memorial Stadium. The running backs scored two of the team’s five offensive touchdowns.
“I think that group definitely caught my eye,” Cignetti said. “I just think our running back room is faster, more dynamic, good at pass pro, good at catching the ball out of the backfield, can break tackles.”
Last year, Indiana’s rushing offense ranked No. 102 in the country out of 133 FBS teams with 120.1 yards per game. The team’s 3.3 yards per carry ranked even lower (No. 120). The Hoosiers put up pedestrian numbers on the ground going all the way back to the 2018 season.
Cignetti made retooling the running back room one of his top priorities after taking over.
Indiana had four backs with 50-plus carries last year and none of them are still on the roster. Their leading rusher last season Trent Howland was the most recent departure after re-entering the portal during the spring window.
David Holloman, who has 17 career carries, is the only running back still on the team from last season.
While Cignetti told offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan “to throw it 65, 75 percent of the time” on Thursday night, Indiana’s new group of running backs had some standout moments. The game also presented a glimpse at what the rotation will look like come fall.
More: Why Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti followed a new trend during spring practice
‘We have more speed and athleticism back there’
The biggest play early in the game for the first-team offense was a 23-yard run from Kaelon Black.
He bounced it to the outside with a quick lateral move and got a nice block from Myles Price to seal the edge against Amare Ferrell. Josh Sanguinetti completely misjudged Black’s speed and couldn’t do anything as the running back got into the second level. Black finished it off with a spin move to get a few extra yards.
In the second quarter, Black ducked under defensive tackle Robby Harrison’s arm to get through the line of scrimmage and convert a third down. He showed off a quick burst on the next play with a 9-yard gain up the middle.
Black led James Madison last year with 637 yards (4.5 per carry). He forced 18 missed tackles and had 18 runs of 10-yards or more on 133 rushing attempts, according to Pro Football Focus.
A finger injury late in the year limited Black’s touches, but both numbers would still have led all of IU’s running backs last year. He had 11 designed runs go for 15 yards or more while the Hoosiers combined for 14 as a team.
Fellow James Madison transfer Ty Son Lawton also had a nice night.
On his first carry, he showed nice patience going off the left side behind Drew Evans to convert a third and long.
He also prevented the first-team offense from going three and out late in the first quarter. He sidestepped a blitz on third and short and hit the hole for a short gain. Lawton made a nice blitz pick up off the edge on the next play.
One of the best plays of the night for the offense was Lawton’s 15-yard touchdown run at the start of the second quarter. He knocked Sanguinetti back with a stiff arm to get to the outside then lowered his shoulder at the goal line to power past Ferrell.
Black finished the game with a team-high 39 yards on just four carries while Lawton had four carries for 25 yards with a touchdown.
More: Indiana football RB Trent Howland announces plans to transfer ahead of spring game
Indiana’s running back rotation takes shape
Cignetti will likely feature at least three running backs in prominent roles on the offense this fall.
Wake Forest transfer Justice Ellison, who had three carries for 12 yards with a touchdown in the spring game, and Black appear to be the frontrunners to start with Lawton taking over as the team’s primary third down back.
Ellison has the most experience of all IU’s running backs with 43 career games played and 427 carries. He’s rushed for more than 500 yards each of the past three seasons against Power Five competition. He’s averaged 4.5 yards per carry during his career.
“All three of those guys just love football,” Cignetti said, after the game. “They’re football nuts. Tough guys. They’re tough guys.”
North Carolina transfer Elijah Green, who was a late addition out of the portal in the winter, will provide some added depth. He was the Tar Heels starting running back for a six-game stretch at the end of the 2022 season.
He had nine carries for 25 yards and worked with both the first- and second-team offense in the spring game.
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here
Indiana
Nicolas Cage to make his first U.S. comic convention appearance in Indiana
Catch everything that went on at day 1 of the Indiana Comic Convention
Day 1 of the 2025 Indiana Comic Convention is in the books. IndyStar reporter John Tufts gives you an inside look of everything that went on.
Oscar-winning actor Nicolas Cage is making his U.S. comic con scene debut, appearing at the Indiana Comic Convention this week.
Fans can meet Cage and get an autograph or photo with him during the June 5-7 event taking place at the Indiana Convention Center.
The appearance marks Cage’s first at a U.S. comic convention. The 62-year-old actor, who has starred in movies spanning romance, action and superhero genres over more than 40 years, appeared at the Osaka Comic Convention in 2025.
Cage’s Indiana visit comes after the May 27 release on Prime Video of “Spider-Noir,” the live-action superhero series he leads. He voiced the character in the 2018 animated film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” and will reprise the role in 2027’s “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.”
Among his other superhero genre movie roles are Big Daddy in “Kick-Ass” and Johnny Blaze in Marvel’s Ghost Rider franchise. He was set to star in director Tim Burton’s scrapped Superman movie in the 1990s. Fans finally got to see him on the big screen as the Man of Steel when he cameoed in “The Flash” in 2024.
Cage, whose movies have grossed more than $6.4 billion, also starred in “National Treasure,” “The Rock,” “Face/Off,” “Con Air,” “Valley Girl,” “Raising Arizona,” “Adaptation” and “Leaving Las Vegas,” for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor.
“Nicolas Cage is one of the most accomplished and recognizable actors in the world, and to have him choose Indiana Comic Convention as his first fan convention is huge for fans and a tribute to the reputation they’ve built for treating celebrity attendees with so much love and respect,” show producer Dan Farr said in an announcement of the appearance.
Watch ‘Spider-Noir’ on Prime
How much is a Nicolas Cage photo op?
Indiana Comic Convention features celebrities, authors, comic creators and exhibitors that cater to a wide spectrum of interests and fandoms, including comic books, magazines, toys, games, anime, manga, cosplay, artwork, sketches and apparel.
In-person Nicolas Cage autographs will cost $400. Photo ops are $250. A pre-signed autograph is $225. A photo op/pre-signed autobiography bundle is $450.
Tickets and photo ops are available now at indianacomicconvention.com.
Contact reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cjackson@usatodayco.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on X.com:@cherylvjackson or Bluesky:@cherylvjackson.bsky.social.
Indiana
Hobart police officer rescues family from house fire
Monday, June 1, 2026 3:34AM
MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (WLS) — A northwest Indiana family is safe thanks to the heroic actions of a Hobart police officer.
Adam Zormier rescued a woman and four children from a burning home.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
ABC7 talked to Zormier, who told us he was on patrol in Hobart on Sunday when he noticed heavy black smoke in the air.
He discovered it was coming from the windows and roof of a house in nearby Merrillville.
A Good Samaritan helped him knock on doors. When there was no answer, he forced his way in.
Zormier was treated for smoke inhalation. No one was seriously hurt.
Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Indiana
Indiana EMT charged with sexually assaulting 14-year-old in the back of an ambulance during transport
(WXIN/WTTV) — An EMT working for an Indiana ambulance service has been arrested after accusations that he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old while transporting them to the hospital.
Ronald D. Elliott Jr., 37, was officially charged Wednesday with a slew of child sex crimes. Online jail records show Elliott, who lives in Dunreith, was arrested Thursday and booked into Delaware County Jail without bond.
The arrest stems from accusations made by a 14-year-old who told police that Elliott sexually assaulted her in the back of an ambulance during a February transport from Muncie to Monroe County.
The alleged victim came forward on March 16 and told Indiana State Police investigators that an EMT had forced her into sexual contact while taking her to a medical facility in Bloomington.
The juvenile said that Elliott, who is listed as an EMT for Quest Ambulance Service, began showing her pictures and videos on his cell phone during the transport. The files reportedly included photos of Elliott’s genitals and videos of him engaged in sexual activities.
Elliott is then alleged to have groped the teenager under her clothes and exposed himself to her. The girl said this led to Elliott sexually assaulting her in the back of the ambulance while en route to Bloomington.
The 14-year-old said that, after the assault, Elliott provided her with his “Mr. Fogger” nicotine vape as well as his phone. The girl told officers she signed into her Instagram account on Elliott’s phone, and court documents state she failed to log off after leaving the ambulance.
It was through the girl’s Instagram account that Elliott allegedly found a second juvenile victim. Identified as Victim 2 in court documents, Elliott reportedly began messaging the 13-year-old girl on Instagram. Throughout his conversations, the 37-year-old EMT is alleged to have:
- Called the juvenile a “young sl-t”
- Lied about his age, claiming he was 18 years old
- Sent a picture of himself only wearing a towel
- Made “sexually suggestive” comments about “good naughty girls”
- Told the 13-year-old girl she “looks cute”
During an interview with Elliott conducted on March 25, the EMT reportedly admitted to letting the 14-year-old use his phone and nicotine vape. However, he denied any sexual contact with the girl and said that any nude images she may have seen on his phone were an accident.
After uncovering “corroborating evidence” from both Elliott’s cell phone and the victim’s Instagram account, police requested that a warrant be filed for his arrest. Online court records show that the warrant was granted on Thursday.
Indiana State Police said that Elliott was taken into custody without incident during a traffic stop. Delaware County Jail records show Elliott was booked around 2:30 p.m. Thursday. He now faces the following several Level 4 felony charges including child seduction, child solicitation, and sexual conduct with a minor.
No other information was included in the probable cause affidavit filed against Elliott.
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