All pumped up after orchestrating a college football championship, Curt Cignetti refused to rest. He pulled off the No. 1 transfer portal class of 2026. But just as the hype peaked, Indiana took a gut punch with an alarming injury that could derail their plans. A late-season addition from Miami is now in trouble. 

“Miami TE Brock Schott had labrum surgery, won’t be ready until after Spring camp,” reported 247Sports’ Jared Kelly from Cignetti’s discussion on the transfer class. 

Cignetti had too many things on his plate. On January 2, the portal window opened while the Hoosiers had their biggest test on January 19. Tight end Brock Schott didn’t wait for the season to conclude, committing to Indiana on January 5. He announced his commitment to Cignetti’s program as early as January 5.

Before landing in Mario Cristobal’s squad, Schott caught four-star recruit buzz and was one of the top tight end prospects in the country. Back at Leo High School, the 6-foot-3, 245-pound standout was a do-it-all force on both sides of the ball. 

His senior year showcased his two-way dominance; not only did he haul in 28 passes for 462 yards and 5 touchdowns, but he was also a force on defense, recording 52 tackles and forcing 4 fumbles. Schott checks every box at tight end, blending run-game grit with downfield playmaking and receiving. This combination helped him claim ‘Mr. Football’ honors at the position from the Indiana Football Coaches Association.

With Schott choosing Indiana, Cignetti might have let out a gigantic sigh of relief. After all, the Hoosiers’ big trio at tight ends, Riley Nowakowski, Holden Staes, and James Bomba, all ran out of eligibility. His first run with the Hoosiers is important for Schott as well.

After all, it’s a homecoming for him. Back in March 2023, during his high school recruitment, the Leo native did pay a visit to Indiana. While he lacks the proven résumé Cignetti typically targets in the portal, Schott has all the raw tools to develop into a high-end player at the position.

“Looks like something out of the Predator movies,” Cristobal once said about him. 

Quarterback Sam Leavitt, who transferred from Arizona State and is now at LSU, will also be limited in spring practice as he continues to recover from foot surgery. While Cignetti remains patient regarding Schott’s recovery timeline, his Chapter 3 at Bloomington will also depend heavily on the influence of other key transfers brought in to reshape the program.

Curt Cignetti’s key additions from the transfer market

A native of Detroit and a transfer from Michigan State, Nick Marsh is a prized transfer recruit. He’s a prized recruit thanks to his 6’3″, 203-pound frame. In Cignetti’s program, he averaged 15.8 yards per catch as a freshman. Another key addition is Boston College transfer running back Turbo Richard. On the ground, he carried the ball 145 times and consistently moved the chains, averaging 5.2 yards per rush. Richard found the end zone eight times. 

Among all the positions, Cignetti might have faced the most pressure to find Fernando Mendoza’s heir. TCU transfer Josh Hoover has stepped into the Heisman winner’s shoes. With 31 career starts on his résumé, he ran Sonny Dykes’ pass-heavy, up-tempo offense. But he never quite matched the precision fans saw from Mendoza. Hoover stacked 9,629 passing yards and 71 touchdowns, shouldering the risks of a tempo-heavy attack that also led to 33 picks.

While Curt Cignetti has stacked the transfers, cracks have started to appear in the coaching roster. Indiana co-offensive coordinator Chandler Whitmer is now moving to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, days after interviewing with the NFL giant. So, Cignetti now faces an additional challenge.