No. 1 Indiana football is the talk of the college football world after it obliterated the University of Alabama in the Rose Bowl on Thursday. While the Cream and Crimson now have their sights set on a matchup with No. 5 Oregon in the Peach Bowl, four Hoosiers have entered the transfer portal.
Redshirt junior defensive back Amariyun Knighten, redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Andrew DePaepe, redshirt freshman defensive lineman William DePaepe and redshirt freshman offensive lineman Mitch Verstegen each elected to head into the portal Friday, according to 247Sports.
The portal officially opened Friday, giving players around the country an opportunity to seek a fresh start at a new school. Such players can now be contacted by schools during their recruiting process.
What did the players contribute at Indiana?
None of the four players played any significant role for the Hoosiers this season. Knighten, who joined Indiana last offseason after three seasons at Northern Illinois University, appeared in two games early this season and made just one tackle against Indiana State University on Sept. 12.
Andrew DePaepe transferred to Bloomington from Michigan State during Cignetti’s first portal class but didn’t play last season after suffering an injury in fall camp. He played in five games this season, making two total tackles and a half tackle for loss.
William DePaepe, Andrew’s younger brother, was a three-star recruit and redshirted his freshman season in 2024. He played in one game this season and tallied one sack and one tackle for loss.
Verstegen was a three-star recruit in the 2024 class but didn’t see any action over his two seasons with the Hoosiers.
Just four teams — No. 1 Indiana, No. 5 Oregon, the No. 6 University of Mississippi and the No. 10 University of Miami — remain alive in the College Football Playoff.
While each squad is tasked with preparing for the semifinals, they must also prioritize recruiting through the portal to build their 2026 rosters.
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti explained before the Rose Bowl that he and his staff already spent time on player retention and expected portal entries from other schools throughout the first few weeks of the near month-long bye. Now, the Hoosiers are reportedly hosting transfers on visits as early as Saturday.
Players can enter the portal until Jan. 16, while there’s no official deadline for them to commit elsewhere.
