Inside Carter Smith’s return to Indiana football with Curt Cignetti: ‘They wanted me back’

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football offensive lineman Carter Smith was one of the rare returning players on the team’s roster who didn’t get displaced by a transfer.

He didn’t even have to fend off one to retain his starting job.

Smith was penciled in the starting lineup at left tackle the minute he withdrew his name from the portal back in December. The 6-foot-5, 308-pound redshirt sophomore showed all sorts of promise in 2023 while starting every game at the position.

Once new coach Curt Cignetti brought back offensive line coach Bob Bostad — he was the only assistant from Tom Allen’s staff retained — the stage we set for Smith to help usher in a new era.

More: Projected 2024 Indiana football offensive depth chart after spring practice

Indiana football offensive lineman Carter Smith #65 of the Indiana Hoosiers during football Spring Ball Day 10 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana.

How Carter Smith’s path led back to Indiana football

There was a brief moment in late November when Smith thought everybody who recruited him to Indiana was gone — from head coach Tom Allen on down. It’s why the offensive lineman doesn’t have any regrets about entering the portal or taking a handful of visits to other schools.

“There was a lot riding on the decision,” Smith told The Herald-Times during IU’s spring camp.

He visited programs with winning traditions like Florida State, Ole Miss and Virginia Tech as many of his former teammates found homes elsewhere including linemates Matthew Bedford (Oregon) and Khalil Benson (Colorado).

Smith leaned on his family for guidance, but it wasn’t until Cignetti officially retained Bostad that the focus of those conversations shifted from weighing other options to staying put in Bloomington.

“I trust Bostad 100 percent,” Smith said, emphasizing each syllable.

Smith’s…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/inside-carter-smiths-return-indiana-080018566.html

Author : The Herald-Times

Publish date : 2024-05-26 08:00:18

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