What a past couple of days for Hoosier Nation. If coming away with the CFP quarterfinal win over Alabama wasn’t enough, the haul Indiana landed on Day 3 of the portal is the cherry on top.
Indiana is still alive in the College Football Playoff, riding one of the most magical runs in program history — and arguably in college football history — but the grind never stops. The best programs don’t choose between competing in the present and planning for the future.
Indiana Dominates Day 3 of the Transfer Portal
The reality of modern college football is relentless. While Indiana is chasing a national championship, the staff has one eye firmly on the 2026 season. There’s little time to celebrate and little time to breathe. But Curt Cignetti and his coaches aren’t complainers. They know exactly what they signed up for. It’s all business, and business is booming in Bloomington.
Indiana absolutely crushed Day 3 of the transfer portal, landing a haul that addressed multiple high-impact positions across the roster. The Hoosiers added Josh Hoover, one of the top quarterbacks available; Nick Marsh, a high-end wide receiver; Turbo Richard, a versatile and underutilized running back; and Preston Zachman, a proven Wisconsin safety and defensive cornerstone. The atmosphere surrounding the program suggests they may not be finished yet.
Josh Hoover: The Centerpiece of the Class
Josh Hoover stands as the centerpiece of Indiana’s Day 3 haul and the most important addition of the group. Once again, Curt Cignetti and his staff identified a quarterback in the portal who offers both immediate winning potential and long-term upside. Hoover isn’t just a stopgap; he’s a calculated bet on talent, production, and growth — and one Indiana is well-positioned to win. This is something Cignetti has done throughout his two years in Bloomington and has mastered.
From a production standpoint, Hoover was among the most efficient and productive quarterbacks in the country. He finished the season with an 86.0 PFSN College QB Impact Score, ranking 21st nationally, while piling up 3,472 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, both figures landing inside the national top six. Those numbers reflect not only volume but consistency and command of the offense.
Now, Hoover enters an ideal situation in Bloomington. Indiana’s offense already graded out at an elite 93.2 overall, the second-highest mark in the nation following the departure of Fernando Mendoza. Rather than being asked to elevate a broken system, Hoover is stepping into one that already functions at a championship level. His role is to maintain — and potentially enhance — an engine that’s already firing on all cylinders, and there’s little doubt he has the tools to do just that.
Nick Marsh Fills a Massive Need
Nick Marsh is the playmaker Indiana needed on the outside opposite rising star Charlie Becker. With the losses of Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper, the need for a proven receiver was glaring. Indiana wants to remain elite, and that means surrounding its new quarterback with weapons.
Marsh posted 662 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 2025 for a Michigan State team that struggled offensively. The Spartans recorded a 78.0 PFSN offensive impact grade, ranking 15th out of 18 in the Big Ten, illustrating how limited the supporting cast around Marsh truly was.
With limited talent around him, defenses keyed entirely on Marsh as Michigan State’s primary threat, yet he still produced solid numbers under constant attention. In Indiana’s offense, with better spacing and more help around him, his ceiling rises significantly.
Preston Zachman Brings Experience and Edge
On the defensive side, Preston Zachman is a massive addition. Overshadowed by a struggling Wisconsin team that finished 4-8 and limited by injuries in 2025, Zachman’s impact is easy to overlook, but the tape and numbers don’t lie.
In 2024, he was the fourth-highest-graded safety in the Big Ten according to PFSN metrics, posting an elite 90.4 grade. Injuries limited him to just two games in 2025, but he still recorded two interceptions in the season opener. Throughout his career, he has totaled seven interceptions, demonstrating his ability as a true ball hawk.
Zachman brings versatility. He can patrol the deep middle, come downhill as a thumper in the box, and instantly raise the floor of Indiana’s secondary.
Quality Depth Rounds Out a Big Day
With depth signings like RB Turbo Richard and DE Tobi Osunsanmi, and Day 3 becomes a clear win across the board. Indiana didn’t just patch holes; it added real contributors and high-upside pieces.
At this stage of the portal cycle, the Hoosiers are easily one of the biggest winners. And with momentum still building, more additions feel inevitable. After all, who wouldn’t want to play for a program on the rise and for a coach like Curt Cignetti, who has rebuilt Indiana football at warp speed?
Indiana didn’t just win Day 3 of the transfer portal. They sent a message. This run isn’t a fluke — they’re here to stay.
