Josh Sanguinetti Withdraws From Transfer Portal, Returns to Indiana

Indiana safety Josh Sanguinetti announced on Friday that he will no longer transfer and instead return to Bloomington for his fifth season as a Hoosier.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana football received an unexpected boost on Friday night. 

Veteran safety Josh Sanguinetti announced via Twitter that he is withdrawing from the transfer portal and returning to Indiana for his fifth season. Sanguinetti originally entered the transfer portal on Dec. 8, but said on Friday that his bond with coach Tom Allen can't be found anywhere else.

For an Indiana defense experiencing significant roster turnover, Sanguinetti's return provides valuable experience. Out of Indiana's top 14 tacklers from 2022, Sanguinetti, linebacker Aaron Casey and defensive back Noah Pierre are the only Hoosiers returning for 2023 season. 

Sanguinetti enters his fifth season as a Hoosier with a sixth year of eligibility available in 2024. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound safety joined Indiana before the 2019 season out of University School in Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. ESPN rated Sanguinetti as a four-star prospect and the No. 25 safety in the nation after being named the team's most valuable player with 42 tackles and four interceptions as a senior.

Sanguinetti used a redshirt season in 2019 and played in six games in 2020. Despite missing four games due to injury in 2021, Sanguinetti made two starts and played in eight games. He recovered a fumble in the season opener at Iowa and logged a career-high six tackles against No. 8 Cincinnati. 

Sanguinetti made his first career interception against No. 10 Michigan State in 2021, and he picked off quarterback Tommy DeVito in the fourth quarter of Indiana's 2022 season-opening win over Illinois. 

With the departure of safeties Devon Matthews, Johnathan Haynes and Bryant Fitzgerald, as well as the loss of cornerbacks Tiawan Mullen and Jaylin Williams, Sanguinetti and Pierre are Indiana's most experienced returning defensive backs by a significant margin.

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