Skip to main content
Indiana

Roman Hemby has potential to 'break through in a big way' in 2025 for Indiana

headshotby: Alec Lasley07/02/25allasley
Gliu3-QW4AAFi6E
Indiana football running back Roman Hemby. (Indiana Athletics)

The Indiana football program will once again be presented with numerous different position battles as a handful of new players from the transfer portal arrived in Bloomington this offseason. One of the most intriguing positions for Indiana is with the running backs — as an entirely revamped group takes the field in 2025.

One of those newcomers is Maryland transfer Roman Hemby. Taking his talents to Bloomington for his final season of eligibility, Hemby is no stranger to Indiana or Big Ten play. After totaling 2,347 yards and 22 touchdowns across four season at Maryland, Hemby is looking to step up his production even more as a senior.

Hemby had 134 carries for 607 yards and six touchdowns this past season — his lowest usage rate of his career. He also caught 40 passes for 273 yards and one touchdown.

So while Hemby certainly has a reputation across the Big Ten, he has arrived at Indiana slightly under-the-radar.

On Wednesday, ESPN released its ‘sleeper’ player to watch for every preseason top 25 team. For Indiana, it was Roman Hemby.

“Stepping into a Hoosiers backfield without a settled returning starter, Maryland transfer Hemby has the opportunity to emerge as Indiana’s leader on the ground in 2025,” ESPN’s Eli Lederman wrote. “Hemby hasn’t matched the 989-yard, 10-touchdown production he delivered in 2022 in either of his past two seasons, but the 6-foot, 208-pound rusher has averaged at least 4.5 yards per carry in each of his past three seasons and can be a threat in the passing game as well.”

Hemby, while seeing his production decrease in 2024, was one of just three players to surpass 100 rushing yard against Indiana’s defense. He had 117 yards and a touchdown in a 42-28 Indiana win last season in Bloomington.

The Indiana running back brings a dual-threat skillset to the backfield, something it was missing at times last season. Following the departure of Ty Son Lawton and Justice Ellison, however, the position is wide open.

“I feel like I bring a lot to the table, the same with a lot of the backs in the room,” Hemby said this spring. “The ability to do a little bit of everything … who can play on third down, who can be that guy looked at in a time of need. That’s what I try to do. Since being here, I’ve been trying to do better in the run game because I feel like I’ve always been pretty good in the pass game, catching screens, catching swings, check down routes like that. But making myself available in pass protection. I want to fine tune everything so I can better suit my team and help myself have success.”

In addition to his 2,347 rushing yards over the course of his career, he’s also totaled nearly 1,000 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

Hemby ran for 680 yards and four touchdowns in 2023, adding 349 receiving yards on 38 receptions in 2023, earning All-Big Ten honorable mention.

As a freshman, the 6-foot and 210-pound back averaged 5.3 yards a carry for 989 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Hemby looks to bring back part of that freshman campaign during his final go-around this season.

“Indiana spread its carries nearly evenly between top rushers Justice Ellison and Ty Son Lawton a year ago, and will likely do the same again with upperclassmen Kaelon Black and Lee Beebe Jr also vying for carries,” Lederman wrote. “But Hemby has the potential to break through in a big way in 2025.”

Not yet a member of TheHoosier? Take advantage of our launch with On3 and join our community! Just $1 for your first week and then 50% off the rest of your FIRST YEAR! Join here.

You may also like