IU Football Offensive Line Preview: Carter Smith, Joe Brunner, Bob Bostad, Depth Questions, and Josh Hoover’s Protection

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.