Indiana Football Position Preview: Horton Upgrades Tight End Room

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The tight end position was not productive for Indiana during the 2023 season.

Trey Walker led the group with 10 receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown, followed by Bradley Archer and James Bomba with just six catches apiece and Aaron Steinfeldt with one reception. That put each of them outside the top 200 nationally in receiving yards among tight ends. They served an important role as blockers, but Indiana dipped into the transfer portal for a more proven pass-catching tight end.

New head coach Curt Cignetti addressed that by adding James Madison transfer Zach Horton, one of 48 players named to the preseason watch list for the John Mackey Award, given to the nation’s top tight end.

There hasn’t been as much personnel turnover in the tight ends room compared to other positions on Indiana’s roster. The group is now coached by Grant Cain, the tight ends coach and special teams coordinator at James Madison since 2019.

Here’s a full breakdown of Indiana’s tight ends heading into the 2024 season.

Personnel

Top expected contributors: Zach Horton, Trey Walker, James Bomba

Notable departures from 2023 roster: Bradley Archer, Aaron Steinfeldt

Transfer infusion

Horton is the most proven receiver among Indiana tight ends by a wide margin. Starting all 13 games at James Madison in 2023, he hauled in 27 receptions for 275 yards. Horton was a trusted red zone target for the Dukes, ranking sixth nationally among tight ends with six touchdown receptions. That production earned him a spot on the first-team All-Sun Belt. 

Horton said during spring practices that his goals in 2024 are to learn more about the opposing defensive coverages and be a vocal leader. Though he’s at a different school, Horton is excited for another year in Cignetti and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan’s offense.

“They’re really good at finding the mismatches, seeing what the defense is going to do and what their habits are and really attacking that weak area,” Horton said. “I also like how they put athletes in space. They want to get athletes the ball and allow them to work. They’re really smart but also really fundamental.”

Horton made an impact as soon as he joined James Madison in 2021, appearing in eight games as a true freshman. Then as a sophomore in 2022, he caught 13 passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns. He figures to be Indiana’s go-to receiver among tight ends, but he also embraces the blocking responsibilities required at his position.

“Cig’s big on if you block, you’ll get the rock type of motto,” Horton said. “I believe my sophomore and junior year I blocked a lot, and I love it.”

Returning Hoosiers

Indiana returns four tight ends from its 2023 roster: Walker, Bomba, Brody Foley and Sam West. Walker and Bomba, former walk-ons who are now on scholarship, each played over 250 snaps last season. 

They were mostly used as blocking tight ends, combining for just 16 receptions, and they figure to serve a similar role in 2024 after the addition of Horton. It will be important for Walker and Bomba to improve as blockers this season. In 2023, Walker (50.3) and Bomba (52.9) each had below-average run-blocking grades, per PFF.

Foley primarily played special teams last season, but he and West also saw a few snaps on offense. Along with true freshman Brody Kosin, their path to playing time could be difficult behind Horton, Walker and Bomba. 

The bottom line

Indiana upgraded its tight end room with the addition of Horton, who was a reliable and productive receiver with just one drop last season. But the rest of the group either needs to improve or is unproven at the college level, making depth a concern for this position.