Stephen Daley recorded 5.5 sacks and 19.0 tackles for loss in 2025, but a freak injury following Indiana's win over Ohio State in the Big Ten title game ended his season. Rich Janzaruk / Herald-Times / ImagnAug. 4, 2026 6:14 pm EDT Updated A freak injury kept one of Indiana’s star senior defensive players from finishing out last year’s memorable undefeated national championship season.Now, defensive end Stephen Daley is back in Bloomington to help the Hoosiers defend their crown.Daley announced his return to Indiana on Tuesday. The move follows last week’s preliminary injunction by a U.S. District Court judge in Colorado that granted athletes from the Class of 2022 another year of eligibility for the upcoming school year. The NCAA has appealed the decision, but in the meantime, athletes like Daley returning for a fifth year of athletics are immediately eligible.
Run it back, @sdaley_90. pic.twitter.com/zRnUt9jku0
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) August 4, 2026In an announcement Monday, Daley said, “Hoosier Nation, excited to get back to work.”Daley had 5.5 sacks last season and was third in the nation in tackles for loss with 19. But he suffered a freak injury after Indiana’s 13-10 win over Ohio State in the Big Ten title game last December. Reveling in Indiana’s first outright Big Ten conference championship since 1945, Daley was seen celebrating with fans on the sideline inside Lucas Oil Stadium. After hopping up to reach a fan, Daley came down awkwardly, suffering a season-ending knee injury.Daley, who transferred to Indiana after three years at Kent State, missed the entirety of Indiana’s postseason run to the national title. He declared for the NFL Draft in late January, but went undrafted and unsigned. In an interview with his hometown newspaper, The Winchester Star, in April, Daley said he suffered a torn patellar tendon in his right knee and wasn’t going to be at full strength until August or September.The Hoosiers welcome back Daley to an already stacked defensive line. Defensive tackles Tyrique Tucker and Mario Landino return as anchors inside, while the Hoosiers also added Kansas State edge transfer Tobi Osunsanmi from the transfer portal.
