Forward Focus – Smith Set to Take Next Offensive Line Step
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Trust matters and Indiana offensive lineman Carter Smith has it -- in his offensive line coach (Bob Bostad), in his head coach (Curt Cignetti), in fellow offensive linemen such as Mike Katic and Trey Wedig, and in his own ability.
It’s why he’s stayed a Hoosier, why he believes this offense and this team will thrive this season, starting with the Aug. 31 season opener against FIU.
The 6-foot-5, 308-pound redshirt sophomore knows what he has to do to help make it happen.
“Continue progressing. Be a role model to younger guys and keep looking up to the older guys. I have an important position. I plan to do that for my team.”
Last year, in his first season as a starter, Smith emerged as IU’s best offensive lineman. Pro Football Focus graded Smith as the Hoosiers’ highest-rated offensive lineman and the fifth highest freshman offensive lineman among Power Five conferences.
For perspective, Smith played in two games as a highly regarded true freshman out of Ohio in 2022, with his college debut coming against Ohio State. He started all 12 games last season as a redshirt freshman. His first college start? Against Ohio State.
In was a strong beginning, but more is needed. Taking the next step, Smith says, starts with forgetting about the last play, good or bad.
“If you get too caught up on what just happened, you won’t be focused on what’s about to happen. Let the last one go and keep going forward.”
Smith credits Bostad -- the only coach Cignetti retained from the previous staff -- and the chance to work with one of the nation’s best offensive line coaches for his decision to return to IU after entering the transfer portal and visiting schools such as Virginia Tech, Florida State, and Ole Miss.
“Keeping (Bostad) was huge for me. He's very highly regarded. He's been in the NFL, he's been all over college football, so with experience like that, there's no way I couldn't come back.”
Having Katic, a six-year-veteran, back was another plus. Katic had initially planned to enter the NFL Draft, but changed his mind after a talk with Bostad and Cignetti.
“Having someone back who has all that experience, and that leadership role was big,” Smith says of Katic. “Being the guy who has been here the most, he’s kept Coach Bostad’s points in mind. That helps us ID when we’re on the line. He’s a field general out there, making the IDs and telling us what to do. He’s been really good at that position.”
Katic is set to play center, but Bostad has had four or five other players rotate in that position during August camp. That’s part of his approach to building a deep, versatile line, crucial to producing sustained strong production.
“We saw a steady growth (on the offensive line) last year from 2022 with him coming onto the staff,” Smith says. “He’s kept all the coaching points regardless of what the plays are.
“As a whole unit, it’s going well for us. We’re making progress every day. We’re rolling.”
Smith has assumed a leadership burden for the younger linemen.
“When you’re a freshman coming in, there’s always an information overload,” he says. “It’s coming to the point where the install is declining, and we’re adding less plays because we’re so deep into the playbook.
“The young guys are starting to get the hang of it. They’re running the correct plays and hitting their targets. Their technique is improving, too.”
The 13 James Madison transfers, including two on the offensive line, are making strong impacts.
“They’re aggressive,” Smith says. “They love to come off the ball. They love to punch it right up the middle. They’re great guys to have around.”
That includes speeding up the transition to Cignetti’s offensive attack.
“They’re familiar with the plays and the playbook,” Smith says. “It helps us get familiar with the playbook faster.”
Opponents will struggle against IU defensive linemen such as James Carpenter, CJ West, Mikail Kamara, Lanell Carr Jr. and Jacob Mangum-Farrar, Smith adds.
Kamara, who had 18.5 tackles for loss with 7.5 sacks last season for James Madison, has had a dominating August camp.
“I hate Mikail because he’s so good and so fast with his hands,” Smith says with a smile. “(Mangum-Farrar) is getting a lot better even though he just transitioned (from linebacker) in the spring. He’s making huge progress. Carr has been really good. He’s quick inside. He has some great inside moves.”
The offensive line was rocked by the recent season-ending injury to Nick Kidwell, a 6-foot-5, 316-pound graduate transfer with 52 games and 34 starts during his six seasons at James Madison.
After missing the final nine games of last season, and then last spring practice as a Hoosier, the 24-year-old Kidwell, who has played his entire career for Cignetti, was set to make a major impact this season and perhaps set himself up for an NFL opportunity.
“On a personal level, it's really hard,” Cignetti says. “He's started a lot of games, played a lot of football. He's a good player.
“He put in a lot of time in rehabbing, coming back. He was rounding back into form. He was a big part of our initial plans. I feel bad for him because I know what his goals were coming into the season. We’ll see what the future holds for him.”
Cignetti says he and his staff have dealt with previous significant injuries, losing either an All-American or an all-conference player in August camp or early in the season every year since 2019.
“It’s usually on the D-Line or the O-Line,” Cignetti says. “We’ve had to overcome those, and we have.”
In this case, sophomores Bray Lynch and Drew Evans (a Wisconsin transfer), and James Madison graduate transfer Tyler Stephens are positioned to replace Kidwell.
The 6-foot-5, 311-pound Stephens was an All-Sun Belt Conference player last season at James Madison. He has 31 starts in his 36 college games played. Lynch and Evans have limited playing time.
“It’s a next-man-up mentality,” Cignetti says. “They’re capable and I have confidence in them.
“(Lynch and Evans have) played limited football, but it’s their time. Bray is a year older and has good movement. Drew is a smart guy and has good natural strength.”
As for Stephens, Cignetti adds, “Tyler has started a lot of games at tackle, guard, he’s working at center. All are capable and we need them to step up.”
If they do, if the line becomes a strength as potential suggests and the offense scores as necessity demands, Smith and the Hoosiers will have more than trust.
They’ll have bowl-making success.