Indiana football has reached its bye week, and the Hoosiers have plenty to sort through before returning to the field.
After surviving back-to-back overtime games against Michigan and Minnesota, Indiana has an opportunity to get healthy, address some lingering issues and figure out what its best lineup looks like for the stretch run.
Some Hoosiers are making strong cases for bigger roles. Others, including a few established starters, enter the break with more questions than answers.
Here's a look at four risers and three fallers in Indiana's bye-week Stock Report.
A year ago, Grant Wilson was Indiana's third-string quarterback. Not long ago, he was contemplating the end of his playing career and the beginning of a coaching career.
Now? There's a legitimate conversation about whether he should be the starting quarterback for the reigning national champions.
Whether Wilson starts against USC remains to be seen, but his performance against Minnesota
has given Cignetti a decision to make.
That's quite the rise for someone who nearly hung up his cleats.
This is as much about Josh Hoover's health as it is his performance.
After struggling against Michigan, Hoover was expected to be healthier and sharper against Minnesota
. Instead, he completed just 8 of 19 passes for 119 yards, one touchdown and one interception before being replaced at halftime.
Whether the balance between injury and performance, the results haven't been good enough.
A fully healthy Hoover is still a dangerous quarterback. The question is whether Indiana can get that version of him back in time for the stretch run. And with Wilson's emergence, the Hoosiers suddenly have another option.
How much higher can Charlie Becker's stock climb? Apparently, there's still room.
Becker has established himself as one of college football's premier receivers, but his recent performances have been especially impressive considering Indiana's passing game hasn't exactly been firing on all cylinders.
He followed a 165-yard outing against Ohio State with another monster performance against Minnesota, catching eight passes for 149 yards and the game-winning touchdown in overtime.
With his production against elite competition and knack for delivering in critical moments, Becker is building a compelling case as one of the top receivers in the 2027 NFL Draft class.
Paddy McAteer's 60-yard field goal against Minnesota was nothing short of remarkable, and it saved Indiana's special teams from an otherwise disastrous afternoon.
Billy Gowers had punts of 15 and 27 yards. Nicolas Radicic missed multiple field goals. Poor snaps disrupted the kicking game, too.
Special teams used to be a strength of this program. Now, it's becoming one of its most concerning weaknesses.
McAteer's heroics shouldn't overshadow that reality.
Brock Schott isn't suddenly becoming the centerpiece of Indiana's passing attack, but his role is certainly growing.
Schott played a season-high 42 snaps against Minnesota, out-snapping Trevor Gibbs for the first time since Gibbs' debut against Western Kentucky. He's also been targeted four times over the last three games.
Gibbs remains a valuable blocking presence, but Schott's athleticism offers something different. With Indiana searching for ways to jump-start its offense, that versatility could become increasingly important.
Indiana's rushing numbers improved against Minnesota. The Hoosiers averaged 4.4 yards per carry, a noticeable step forward after struggling to establish much of anything on the ground against Nebraska, Ohio State and Michigan.
But improvement doesn't necessarily mean the problem is solved.
With Hoover still limited and Minnesota presenting a less imposing challenge up front than Indiana's previous opponents, the Hoosiers had an opportunity to lean more heavily on their rushing attack.
Instead, the ground game remained inconsistent and struggled to provide the offensive stability Indiana needed.
With USC and the final stretch approaching
, the Hoosiers need more than occasional flashes from their backfield.
Sometimes, simply getting back on the field is enough to send a player's stock in the right direction.
That's the case for Khobie Martin.
After working his way back from a broken forearm, Martin returned against Minnesota with a sizable cast protecting his arm. He played just 11 snaps and carried the ball three times for seven yards, hardly numbers that will jump off a stat sheet.
But the production wasn't the point. Martin was expected to play a significant role in Indiana's backfield prior to his injury. Now that he's back in the rotation, the bye week gives him additional time to get comfortable and potentially work his way back into a larger role.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/indiana as Indiana Football Stock Report: 4 Rising, 3 Falling During Bye Week .
