Indiana football head coach Curt Cignetti continues to surround himself with familiar faces as kickoff nears for his first season in Bloomington.
Former James Madison University defensive lineman Tyrique Tucker, who spent the past two years playing under Cignetti, is transferring to Indiana, he announced Tuesday via X, formerly known as Twitter. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
The 6-foot, 295-pound Tucker first committed to Cignetti and the Dukes in June 2021. He arrived in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in the fall of 2022 as an unranked recruit, according to 247sports.
Tucker, a native of Norfolk, Virginia, redshirted as a true freshman before ascending into a prominent role in James Madison’s defensive line rotation in 2023, playing in all 13 games with five starts.
Given a chance to make an impact, Tucker delivered, making 29 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He started games at both defensive tackle and nose tackle, giving him position versatility on the interior of Hoosiers defensive coordinator Bryant Haines’ attacking 4-3 front.
Tucker is the latest in a swarm of players and staff members who followed Cignetti from James Madison to Indiana, as nine players and seven primary assistants made the voyage.
The Hoosiers are set to open this season against Florida International University on Aug. 31 in Memorial Stadium.
Follow reporters Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) for updates throughout the Indiana football offseason.
