BLOOMINGTON — Indiana University football offensive lineman Carter Smith was one of the few players to return to the team without being cut from the team due to transfer.
He didn't have to save one to keep his spot in the starting lineup.
Smith was projected as the starter at left tackle from the moment he withdrew his name from the portal in December, and the 6-foot-5, 308-pound redshirt sophomore has shown all the potential to start every game at that position in 2023.
New head coach Kurt Cignetti brought back offensive line coach Bob Bostad (who was the only remaining assistant from Tom Allen’s staff), and the stage was set for Smith to usher in a new era.
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How Carter Smith returned to Indiana football
In late November, Smith briefly thought everyone who had scouted him for Indiana, from head coach Tom Allen on down, was gone, which is why the offensive lineman has no regrets about entering the portal or taking a few visits to other schools.
“A lot went into this decision,” Smith told the Herald-Times during IU's spring training camp.
He visited programs with winning traditions such as Florida State, Mississippi State and Virginia Tech, and many of his former teammates, including linemates Matthew Bedford (Oregon State) and Khalil Benson (Colorado State), have moved on to other teams.
Smith relied on his family's advice, but the focus of the conversation didn't shift from exploring other options to staying in Bloomington until Cignetti formally hired Bostad.
“I have 100 percent confidence in Mr. Bostad,” Smith said, emphasizing every syllable.
Smith's first meeting with Cignetti – a face-to-face meeting in the coach's modest office – also had an impact.
“He had his feet up on the desk,” Smith said with a laugh. “He was like, 'I've got work to do.'”
The job was to establish a winning tradition at a school that hadn't won a bowl game since 1991, but Cignetti displayed the same bravado in private that he displayed in public. He spoke his mind and allowed Smith to discuss it with his family.
The fact that Cignetti's proposal didn't come with any ultimatums resonated with Smith.
“They were very clear that they wanted me to come back, but they were also very respectful of me going to another school,” Smith said. “I felt like I was in the right frame of mind, and they respected me, so it was an easy decision.”
Smith still felt a bit like a freshman when Indiana returned to work in January, with a slew of new names to learn, from 28 mid-season enrollees to a nearly completely revamped coaching and support staff.
“I can definitely name every single guy on the offensive line,” Smith said with a laugh.
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Carter Smith's Education
Indiana's 35-31 loss to Purdue was a big motivator for Smith entering the offseason.
Not only was the loss heartbreaking — the Boilermarks rallied from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to take the lead with just 2:39 left — but Smith was unhappy with his own performance.
“The two guys on the edge (Nick Skorton and Kidran Jenkins) were really fast,” Smith said. “They finally figured out my play and we had to switch so we could get help from the guards when they were moving inside.”
According to Pro Football Focus, Skorton accounted for six of the team's 14 quarterback pressures in the game, while Smith allowed three quarterback hurries, tying a season-high.
It was a stark contrast to Smith's performance in pass protection for most of the season. His first perfect grade of the fall came just three weeks ago, when the previous staff gave him the highest grade for the team's upset win over Wisconsin.
Pro Football Focus rated Smith as IU's highest-rated offensive lineman and the Power Five's fifth-highest-rated freshman offensive lineman in 2023. He played the third-most snaps on the team (797) and allowed 19 quarterback pressures (two sacks).
Smith's first steps to build on that success came during Indiana University's offseason training program, where he said the team made great strides in building a “better fitness foundation” as a result of working under the tutelage of new strength and conditioning coach Derek Owings.
“I'm a pretty strong guy and I can show that on the field, but I still have some gaps,” Smith said.
The work Smith received in spring training was just as important. He echoed the sentiment of many of his teammates who said Cignetti's emphasis on team drills — where the offense plays offense in 11-on-11 type situations — helped him.
He also praised the new additions defensive tackles coach Pat Kuntz and defensive ends coach Budda Williams have made to the team.
“I think our defensive line is a lot more free than they've been in the past,” Smith said. “They've been really good one-on-one, but in team practice, they're doing something different where normally they'd have to follow the play. It's giving them a chance to show what they can do on their own.”
Working every day with Kamara was a learning experience in itself, as he was a standout defender at James Madison last year with 7.5 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss.
“He's a tricky guy,” Smith said. “He's a really good defensive lineman. He's probably the guy I've had the hardest time with this year. He's just so unpredictable. He's got the three-step move. He's got the fake step inside. There's so many elements to his game, it's so hard to read. That's what makes him so good.”
Heading into the fall, Smith is hoping all that hard work will pay off, and he reiterated a comment Cignetti made during camp about the offensive line being one of IU's potential strengths.
Smith and Mike Katic are the only starters returning, but the Hoosiers brought a lot of experience into the portal.
Former Wisconsin offensive lineman Trey Wedig is expected to start at right tackle. He is a fifth-year senior who has appeared in 35 games, including eight starts, and played for Bostad before coming to Bloomington.
Nick Kidwell and Tyler Stevens, transfers from James Madison, will likely play key roles on the interior of the line, with Kidwell a rare seventh-year player who has appeared in 52 games (35 starts) and Stevens appearing in 36 games (29 starts).
Both have played a number of positions.
“The bar has definitely been raised,” Smith said.
Michael Niziolek is an Indiana reporter for the Bloomington Herald Times. You can follow him on X. Michael Niziolek Click here to read his full article.
