Show notes
Galen Clavio brings in Brooks White and Andrew Garrison from Hoosier Network for a student-media preview of the 2026 Indiana football season, with the Hoosiers just days away from opening against North Texas.
The episode starts with the final week of preseason buildup: Back Home Network’s ongoing positional previews, upcoming appearances from Rhett Lewis and Grace Ybarra, the C3 Bloomington Tailgate Bash at Renwick Village Center, and the sense that Bloomington is fully shifting into football mode.
Once Brooks and Andrew join, the focus turns to what they have seen from Indiana through Big Ten Media Days, fall camp, and player availability. Andrew describes the program as almost “robotic,” but in the most complimentary way possible: consistent, disciplined, and so process-driven that there has not been much drama to react to.
A major theme is the difference between last year’s surprise and this year’s expectation. Nobody went into 2025 assuming Indiana was about to go 16-0, win the Big Ten, and claim a national title. Now, the Hoosiers are trying to defend that level while integrating new stars, new transfers, and new pressure. Galen, Brooks, and Andrew talk about whether this team still has the same edge and whether the program’s culture under Curt Cignetti can keep everything pointed in the right direction.
The player discussion starts with possible breakout names. Davion Chandler comes up as a receiver who may not be top-of-mind behind Charlie Becker, Nick Marsh, and Tyler Morris, but who has speed and explosiveness that could give Indiana another useful weapon. The group also spends time on the running backs, where Turbo Richard, Khobie Martin, and Lee Beebe Jr. give IU a deep and intriguing room behind what should be one of the better offensive lines in the Big Ten.
The longest football segment centers on Josh Hoover. Brooks pushes back hard against the idea that Hoover was the reason TCU struggled, arguing that the context around him matters: offensive line issues, defensive problems, a heavy burden in the passing game, and a very different situation from the one he inherits in Bloomington. Galen adds that TCU’s Week Zero offensive struggles only made the old Hoover criticism look shakier.
The defensive discussion focuses on the secondary. With D’Angelo Ponds gone, Indiana needs answers from players like A.J. Harris, Jamari Sharpe, and Ryland Gandy. Brooks sees cornerback as the defensive position group to watch early, especially because the biggest tests may not arrive until later against teams like Ohio State, USC, and Washington. Galen also points out that Bryant Haines’ pass rush, pressure looks, and disguised coverages were a huge part of what made Indiana’s defense work last year — and could help the secondary grow into the season.
The back half of the episode is about student energy. Andrew talks about campus feeling anticipatory, with students discussing which games they were able to get tickets for and how quickly football became part of the conversation during welcome week. Brooks reflects on arriving at IU before the rise and wishing the school simply had a good football team — only to watch the program become a national champion and turn Memorial Stadium into a real home-field environment.
The episode closes with predictions. Andrew goes all the way to 16-0 and another national championship, leaning into the idea that Indiana is still operating as a team of destiny until proven otherwise. Brooks predicts a 12-0 regular season, a College Football Playoff run, and believes Indiana is at least good enough to reach the semifinals. The group also debates a possible Indiana-Ohio State rematch in the Big Ten Championship, whether Oregon or Penn State could complicate the race, and why the Big Ten’s top teams may once again define the national title chase.
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
Stay Connected
