Indiana
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.
Indiana
Indiana law enforcement takes up donations for Special Olympics
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — More than 50 Indiana law enforcement agencies are taking to the roof to help local athletes.
Police and safety officers will be stationed around various Dunkin’ Donuts, taking up donations for the Special Olympics. People who monetarily donate will receive a coupon for a free donut. Those who donate $10 or more will receive a coupon for a free medium hot coffee.
“Supporting the Special Olympics isn’t just an event for us — it’s a commitment to people who inspire us every day,” Sergeant Wes Rowlader said. “These athletes show what determination, courage, and community truly look like. Every dollar we raise helps transform that spirit into training, competition, and lifelong confidence.”
More than 20,000 Hoosier athletes train and compete for free within the Special Olympics. To date, Cop on a Rooftop has raised more than $125,000 for Special Olympics Indiana.
The Indiana State Police will be at the Dunkin’ Donuts at 9821 Lima Road in Fort Wayne from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Friday.
Indiana
Man shot by security guard in hospital emergency room waiting area in Gary, Indiana
A man’s family is demanding answers after he was shot by a security guard inside a hospital emergency room waiting area on Tuesday night in Gary, Indiana.
Methodist Northlake Hospital officials said, around midnight Tuesday night, its security staff responded quickly after a patient took out a gun. The hospital said he’d threatened to shoot himself or others.
The hospital commended the security guard who shot the man for “neutralizing the threat and helping ensure the safety of our patients and employees.”
Family members identified the man who was shot as Otis Brown. They said he is a kind father to a 12-year-old boy.
“Just a great person, a happy-go-lucky, always out there trying to do the right thing,” said his fiancée, Stacey Taylor.
Taylor said she was on a business trip when she got a call that Brown had been shot multiple times.
“Scared, uncertainty; you know, what story is right? You know, what happened?” she said.
After he was shot, Brown was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center for treatment.
Taylor said she had no idea why Brown went to Methodist Northlake Hospital in the first place. His family said he was trying to leave the hospital when the shooting happened, claiming that the hospital gave him his gun back after he was cleared to leave.
“We just want to get answers, just want to know what happened, particularly when people are defaming his name,” Taylor said.
She and Brown’s family hope the hospital has surveillance video footage that can help provide answers.
Gary police have not provided any details on the shooting. The Lake County Sheriff’s Department said it is investigating the shooting at the request of Gary police, but did not provide any further information.
Indiana
Indiana A.G. finishes Karl King Tower investigation, finalizes compliance order
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WSBT) — The Indiana Attorney General has finished its investigation into Karl King Tower and issued a compliance order.
This is coming after a months-long investigation into the unsafe living conditions for residents at the apartments.
From December 2025 to January 2026, there were prolonged failures with the heating and a lack of heat for residents during winter conditions at Karl King.
The property owner provided a 20% rent credit for affected tenants and documentation related to health and safety issues.
Below is the agreement from the Attorney General:
- The owner must complete boiler and heating system improvements by September 30.
- The property is subject to a monitoring period for multiple years.
- The owner needs to provide on-site security, including cameras in common areas and monthly incident reports.
- The building needs an on-site property manager to address resident concerns.
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
The Attorney General has the authority to inspect the property and enforce compliance if commitments aren’t met.
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