Indiana’s spring game is here.

IU takes the field at Memorial Stadium at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, on Big Ten Network, in the first extended look at Curt Cignetti’s team. The Hoosiers have a little over four months before they kick off the 2024 season against FIU in Bloomington.

The spring game is, obviously, much different than a real game, and should be taken with a grain of salt. But it will be the first opportunity for fans to see the group Cignetti has assembled for the coming year and how much progress the team’s made through spring camp.

Here are a few things to watch for on Thursday night.

Quarterbacks

The most important position on any football team is always worth keeping an eye on. But it’s particularly the case when the likely starting quarterback is new to Bloomington and playing for a new staff, in a new system.

Kurtis Rourke has had a good spring, by all accounts, while adapting to IU after transferring from Ohio. He’s building rapport with his receivers and making strides as a passer under Tino Sunseri and Mike Shanahan. The spring game will be the longest look we get at Rourke all spring, and potentially, at all before the season opener on August 31.

And while the redshirt senior appears likely to start for IU, the backup quarterback battle will also be noteworthy. Redshirt sophomore Tayven Jackson and true freshman Tyler Cherry are IU’s second and third-string quarterbacks, in some order. But it’s not yet evident who will be Rourke’s primary backup, and the spring game could provide an early look at who the favorite is to claim that job.

Pass rush

Indiana’s pass rush was inconsistent last season.

Andre Carter had a nice season, but opponents were sometimes able to key in on him and limit his impact. And IU just didn’t have enough other rushers who were consistently getting home and pressuring opposing quarterbacks. A more productive pass rush could’ve made a big difference for last year’s defense, and this year’s squad has a chance to improve in that area.

Lanell Carr Jr. picked it up in the second half of the season, starting with the two-sack game at Michigan, and he’s back in the fold for the coming season. Jacob Mangum-Farrar is moving to the “stud” position in Bryant Haines’ defense, which will see him rushing the passer more often. IU would greatly benefit from his continued production in a new role.

Among newcomers, JMU transfer Mikail Kamara may be the most intriguing player in this group. He was named second-team All-Sun Belt last season, and though he finished third on the team with 7.5 sacks, that would’ve led Indiana. With three forced fumbles and 18.5 tackles for loss last season, he would’ve been one of IU’s top pass-rushers. If he can establish himself in the Big Ten, Indiana’s defensive front could be much improved.

Fellow JMU transfer James Carpenter is similarly promising, but he’s missed IU’s spring camp with an injury. But the spring game will be a chance for Kamara and others to prove their value to fans. It’ll be the first sign of whether Indiana’s pass rush can truly improve going into the 2024 season.

Old regime vs new regime players

This, obviously isn’t a specific position group. But it’s one of the biggest storylines of spring ball.

Cignetti has talked frequently about establishing his standards for the program and wanting to “eliminate the old Indiana” mentalities. It’s felt like when he’s publicly praised players, it’s mainly been for new players added by his staff this offseason, and when he’s publicly called out players, it’s been holdovers from the Tom Allen era.

The spring game will give some insight as to how that dynamic is playing out so far. No, it won’t be 11 newcomers or returnees on either side of the ball; but do the new Hoosiers have an edge in Cignetti’s mind? How is that impacting roles and reps? Generally, who stands out the most from both groups of players?

For complete coverage of IU football, GO HERE.

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Related

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) Wednesday officially marked the start of its 2024 construction season and emphasized the importance of work zone safety as construction and road maintenance projects get underway across the state. INDOT said it will deliver just over 1,000 construction projects in 2024.  To prepare for construction season, Indiana drivers are encouraged to “Know Before You Go” by visiting 511in.org or downloading INDOT’s TrafficWise app to see real-time traffic conditions and construction project updates. This week, INDOT is recognizing National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 15-19, 2024. “Drivers are reminded to slow down, buckle up and avoid distractions as they travel this construction and road maintenance season,” a news release from INDOT said. More information on work zone safety is available online at http://workzonesafety.in.gov .

Indiana Basketball is experiencing a major overhaul this offseason, replacing several players from last season’s roster. Here is a list of players who have transferred out and into the program.

Transferred Out:

Kaleb Banks: Still in the Portal

The sparingly used Kaleb Banks did see his minutes double in 2023-24 (five to ten minutes per game), but he never got going last season. With no direct route to more playing time and Indiana wanting to improve in the front court, Banks entered the portal on March 19th. He has not signed with another program yet.

CJ Gunn: To Dayton

Hopes were high for the Lawrence North High School product. However, Gunn was wildly inconsistent, struggling to shoot from the outside. He found himself in and out of the rotation. Gunn enrolled at the University of Dayton on March 29th.

Payton Sparks: To Ball State

Hopes were high for Ball State transfer Payton Sparks. He was a two-time All-MAC player in Muncie and was considered someone who could contribute. However, Sparks never cracked the Ware, Reneau, and Walker front-court rotation, so he transferred back to Ball State.

Incoming Transfers

Myles Rice: From Washington State

Rice gives Woodson and the Hoosiers a point guard for at least the next two years. The Washington State transfer was All-Pac 12, All-Pac 12 Freshman team, and Pac 12 Rookie of the Year. He needs to improve his shooting, but he can get to the basket and finish.

Oumar Ballo: From Arizona

Ballo, the top-rated transfer in the class gives Indiana a rebounder and rim protector. He is a more traditional center at 260 pounds. Ballo is a double-double machine who doesn’t need the basketball to influence the outcome of the game.