BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football’s offensive line had a lot to say about the program’s historic success last season.

The Hoosiers only gave up 11 sacks during their 10-0 start and didn’t allow a single sack in five of those wins. The group allowed fewer quarterback pressures last season (86) than they did through the first six games of 2023 (87).

There was a noticeable drop-off in performance late in the year — the season-ending injury that starting left guard Drew Evans didn’t help — and IU coach Curt Cignetti went into the offseason looking to bolster their talent and depth up front.

Indiana had success in the portal by landing Notre Dame center Pat Coogan (26 career starts), Ohio State tackle Zen Michalski (a former 4-star prospect) and Colorado guard Kahlil Benson (21 career starts). Benson is a familiar face having spent four seasons in Bloomington as a member of the team’s 2020 signing class.

Cignetti offered his thoughts on the state of the offensive line on Tuesday morning after the team wrapped up the sixth practice of the spring.

More: Indiana football WR Tyler Morris suffers season-ending knee injury during spring practice

“I see progress,” Cignetti said. “Coogan is making progress, Carter Smith has got to get better. They all got to get better, right? All of them.”

Indiana’s new quarterback Fernando Mendoza was a bit more effusive when he talked about the offensive line last week. Mendoza was sacked 40 times last season at Cal — third-most in the FBS — and pressured on 156 of his 460 dropbacks.

“I could go on and on about all of those guys,” Mendoza said. “Those are all phenomenal players, and I have a ton of time (to throw the ball). Quite honestly it is a little more time than I am used to, I would say. But it has been great, and I have had great offensive lines in the past, and I am blessed to have an amazing offensive line this year.”

There have been some roadblocks for the line this spring.

Evan’s Achilles injury will sideline him until the fall — Cignetti hasn’t offered an exact timeline for his return — and Benson is on the shelf as well with an undisclosed injury. Indiana backup guard Austin Leibfried broke his hand during spring camp but is playing through the injury.

“He’s in a big hand cast and that’s limiting him a little bit right now,” Cignetti said.

More: Indiana football WR Tyler Morris suffers season-ending knee injury during spring practice

Cignetti said the younger linemen getting reps in their place have done a “nice job.” He specifically mentioned redshirt freshman Adedamola Ajani along with early enrollees Baylor Wilkin and Matt Marek. Ajani is working at guard while Wilkin is getting reps at tackle and Marek is at center.

“The first line looks like an offensive line for the most part,” Cignetti said. “Functions like an offensive line for the most part. We’ve got to continue to get better, working together.”

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.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Severe weather is expected to hit Indiana Wednesday evening. A dangerous line of storms will move into central Indiana between 6 p.m. and midnight.

Storm Track 8 says recent weather primed the environment for intense thunderstorms, damaging winds, large hail, and isolated tornadoes.

The western half of Indiana is under a tornado watch until 11 p.m. Parts of southern Indiana will remain under a tornado watch until 1 a.m. tomorrow.

The Indiana Department of Transportation prepared for the severe weather and has crews on standby to respond to heavy flooding. Southern Indiana is expected to get the worst of the flooding.

You’re urged to use caution and stay tuned for weather updates.

Storm Track 8 weather blog | Check the Storm Track 8 interactive radar | Indiana’s travel advisory map

5:10 p.m.

A line of intensifying thunderstorms in Illinois will move into Indiana after 6 p.m. Widespread winds up to 70-80 mph, hail, and flash floods are expected.

4:15 p.m.

A tornado watch has been issued for most of Indiana until 11 p.m.

Counties under a tornado watch are: Benton, Boon, Brown, Carroll, Cass, Clay, Clinton, Daviess, Fountain, Fulton, Grant, Greene, Hamilton, Hendricks, Howard, Jasper, Johnson, Knox, Kosciusko, Lake, Lawrence, La Porte, Marion, Marshall, Martin, Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Newton, Owen, Parke, Porter, Pulaski, Putnam, Starke, Sullivan, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Vermillion, Vigo, Wabash, Warren, White

by: Christopher Claffey and Gregg Montgomery

Posted: Apr 1, 2025 / 11:15 PM EST / Updated: Apr 1, 2025 / 11:47 PM EST

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana Pacers celebrated entering the NBA playoffs, although the team didn’t play Tuesday night.

The Portland Trailblazers beat the Atlanta Hawks 127-113, and that loss by the Hawks put the Pacers in the playoffs.

Now, the Pacers will wait to find out what team they’ll oppose. At the current standings, the Pacers say they could possibly play the Detroit Pistons with a home-court advantage.

The team’s “magic number,” to secure a top-four seed and the home-court advantage in the first round, was 5 on Tuesday night.

The Pacers put a poster on social media to celebrate and shared a link for tickets.

The Pacers went to the playoffs last season, but the Boston Celtics swept the best-of-seven conference championship series with four wins.

On Wednesday night, the Pacers play the Charlotte Hornets with a 7 p.m. tip-off.