Indiana’s walk-on-turned-difference-maker with real Big Ten juice
In the 2024 season, James Carpenter emerged as a rugged, high-motor interior lineman for Indiana, starting all 13 games and finishing with 37 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, two pass breakups, and a blocked kick. He is the kind of fit coaches love: technically sound, battle-tested, and relentless, with a backstory that screams toughness after rising from walk-on status to All-Sun Belt and then All-Big Ten honorable mention recognition. He’s not flashy, but he’s disruptive, dependable, and clearly wired to grind.
