This year's Indiana football team is a mix of countless new faces, both among the coaching staff and the player roster, but the majority of these guys come from one of two places: returning IU players and transfers from James Madison.
By all accounts, the melting pot that is Indiana football's 2024 roster has meshed well together throughout the offseason.
Now it's time for the Hoosiers to put it to the test on the field, as the season opener rapidly approaches.
Under first year Indiana head coach and former JMU head man Curt Cignetti, both new and old Hoosiers alike have come together in an effort to turn this Indiana program around.
Offensive lineman Mike Katic, a 2023 captain and a de-facto 2024 captain as well -- Cignetti will not name captains for 2024 -- detailed on Tuesday how he's seen everyone on the roster come together this offseason.
Just having a bunch of guys that know how to win and know that feeling of winning," Katic said. "The weeks go by quick when you win, everyone is having a good time so we want to keep that up and I’m really excited for the season."
That type of energy has been evident around Bloomington throughout the offseason and, as Katic said, the incoming transfers have a lot to do with it.
Katic's "guys that know how to win" comments certainly align with the new JMU transfers that followed Cignetti over from Harrisonburg this offseason.
In the two seasons Cignetti coached the Dukes at the FBS level, James Madison went 19-5.
"He has that swagger, that winning mentality," Katic added when speaking on how this season may be different than the past couple of years. "All the JMU transfers bring that as well."
Defensive lineman James Carpenter shared a similar view on how players from all over the country have come together this offseason in Bloomington
"It’s just that mentality, that mindset of never backing down, having that confidence, that aura about you," Carpenter said. "Coach Cignetti, he’s about it. He kind of comes down to us and coming here trying to preach that to the guys that have been here, I think has been a big thing. I just think kind of having that confidence, that aura about us that we’re going to go out there and win."
The near complete overhaul of the Indiana coaching staff this offseason has been abundantly important in changing the culture surrounding the program.
The Hoosiers have won just three Big Ten games over the last three seasons, a stark contrast to how successful James Madison had been under Cignetti.
The change in culture is something Carpenter is extremely excited about, saying it's all about "just kind of bringing Indiana Football back and kind of being part of this rebuild or kind of this new era. There’s been a lot of talk in the offseason, a lot of things here and there but I think being able to go out there and play is something I’m excited for," the defensive lineman added.
For the Hoosiers, that winning mentality starts in practice. Guys took the practice field to begin fall camp and "went out there day one competing," Carpenter said.
All this boils down to is that the players -- and the fans -- sense a different feeling around the Indiana football program.
Between a returner like Katic, or a JMU transfer like Carpenter, Cignetti has come in and changed the way the Hoosiers perceive themselves.
"The standard that Coach Cignetti brings is different," Katic said. "Everyone has come together in a melting pot...it's a big winning mentality."
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