CrimsonCast

Indiana football is entering a completely new reality: every home game at Memorial Stadium is sold out, ticket prices are up, expectations are rising, and the Hoosiers’ fan experience has to evolve with the program.
Galen Clavio and Scott Caulfield open CrimsonCast’s 18th season of IU football coverage by looking back at how long the show has been covering the Hoosiers — from the Bill Lynch, Kevin Wilson, and Tom Allen eras to the national championship standard now set under Curt Cignetti. The conversation turns quickly to what a sold-out Memorial Stadium means for fans, especially with a full September home slate, a massive Ohio State game, and major demand for matchups like USC, Northwestern, and the Old Oaken Bucket.
The main discussion focuses on the new Indiana football gameday: getting into the stadium earlier, changing tailgate routines, making concessions and bathrooms work with larger crowds, building traditions like Hoosier the Bison, towels, “Hurts So Good,” and Hoosiers in the NFL segments, and figuring out how Memorial Stadium can become a real home-field advantage. Galen and Scott also debate stadium renovation priorities, including the press box, premium seating, field suites, concourses, bathrooms, sound, lights, and whether a Lambeau-style suite model could make sense in Bloomington.
The episode closes with a broader look at why football success matters to Indiana University beyond wins and losses — as branding, marketing, admissions energy, alumni connection, and long-term institutional strategy. The message: IU football is not just having a moment. The whole university now has to decide how seriously it wants to build around it.
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Indiana football’s eligibility picture shifted again after the Tenth Circuit stayed the Wisne v. NCAA injunction, and CrimsonCast LIVE breaks down what it means for Stephen Daley, Kellen Wyatt, Sam Alexis, Avery Tatum, and the broader Class of 2022 eligibility fight.
Galen Clavio explains why Daley and Wyatt are currently allowed to practice but not play, why Sam Alexis remains in a different legal category through a Tennessee state-court case, and why the NCAA’s handling of the “five-for-five” eligibility rule has created so much confusion for athletes, schools, and fans. The episode also looks at possible next steps, including whether Daley and Wyatt could pursue separate legal action and how quickly anything would need to happen before the season.
The second half turns to the changing economics of college sports, NIL and revenue-share roster building, the need for eventual collective bargaining, and a major milestone for Indiana football: Memorial Stadium selling out for the full season. Galen reflects on how far IU football attendance has come, which games could be hardest to get into, and why the home-field atmosphere may matter more than ever for Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers.
Subscribe to CrimsonCast for coverage of Indiana football, IU athletics, Curt Cignetti, the Hoosiers, Big Ten football, and the 2026 college football season.

Indiana football’s offensive line has gone from a long-running concern to one of the biggest strengths of Curt Cignetti’s program — and it may be the foundation of another championship-level Hoosiers offense in 2026.
Galen Clavio continues the CrimsonCast positional preview series with a full breakdown of Indiana’s offensive line, led by Carter Smith, Drew Evans, Bray Lynch, Adedamola Ajani, and transfer addition Joe Brunner. The episode looks at why Bob Bostad’s group has become so important to IU’s offensive identity, how the line helps the Hoosiers stay ahead of schedule, and why both run blocking and pass protection will shape how quickly Josh Hoover settles into the offense.
The second half digs into career snaps, positional versatility, depth concerns, Pro Football Focus grades, pressure numbers, penalties, pass-blocking efficiency, and the challenge of replacing key contributors like Pat Coogan and Kahlil Benson. The takeaway: Indiana has the experience, talent, and coaching to make the offensive line a major 2026 advantage — but depth and health will matter if the Hoosiers are going to make another long postseason run.
Subscribe to the Back Home Network for more CrimsonCast coverage of Indiana football, IU athletics, Curt Cignetti, the Hoosiers, Big Ten football, and the 2026 college football season.

Indiana men’s soccer opens a new season at Bill Armstrong Stadium, and Todd Yeagley joins CrimsonCast to preview the Hoosiers, their loaded transfer class, and a massive opener against Notre Dame.
Galen Clavio talks with Yeagley about the energy around soccer after the World Cup in the United States, how American soccer culture has changed since 1994, and why that momentum can help college soccer as IU begins its season. From there, they revisit last year’s frustrating NCAA Tournament exit, where Indiana played well but paid for defensive mistakes and a few soft goals at the wrong time.
The main preview focuses on roster construction in the modern college soccer era, including how the transfer portal has changed the way Indiana builds a team. Yeagley breaks down returning players, new portal additions, the attack, the goalkeeper competition, freshman contributors, and why this year’s group may be more balanced after losing key midfield pieces. The episode closes with a look at the Notre Dame opener, why the series feels like a true season kickoff, and why students and IU fans should pack Armstrong Stadium.
Subscribe to the Back Home Network for more CrimsonCast coverage of Indiana men’s soccer, IU athletics, Todd Yeagley, the Hoosiers, and the 2026 college soccer season.

CrimsonCast / BHN continues its 2026 positional preview series with a deep dive into the Hoosiers’ wide receivers and tight ends — two groups that will help determine how quickly Josh Hoover settles into Curt Cignetti and Mike Shanahan’s offense.
Galen Clavio breaks down what Indiana lost from last year’s passing game, including Elijah Sarratt, Omar Cooper Jr., E.J. Williams, and Riley Nowakowski, then looks at how the 2026 group could be rebuilt around Charlie Becker, Nick Marsh, Shazz Preston, and Tyler Morris. The episode focuses heavily on efficiency, alignment, drop rate, average depth of target, slot usage, contested catches, and why Indiana’s passing game works best when the run game keeps the offense ahead of schedule.
The second half shifts to tight end, where Indiana has a fascinating but unproven room featuring Blake Thiry, Andrew Barker, Brock Schott, Trevor Gibbs, PJ MacFarlane, and others. Galen discusses who might replace Nowakowski’s do-everything role, who could emerge as a blocker, who may be the best receiving option, and why the first month of the season will reveal how much trust the staff has in this group.
Check out our IU running back room preview podcast here.
Check out our preview of the quarterbacks (well, really just Josh Hoover) here.
Subscribe to the Back Home Network for more CrimsonCast coverage of Indiana football, IU athletics, Curt Cignetti, the Hoosiers, Big Ten football, and the 2026 college football season.