Indiana Running Back Roman Hemby Brings Opponent Perspective To Backfield

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – If anyone knows what it’s like to play against Indiana, it’s Roman Hemby.

The Indiana running back played at Maryland from 2021-24. He played three games against the Hoosiers.

Hemby did well, too. He rushed for a combined 278 yards in those three contests, averaging 6.7 yards per carry. Included was a 117-yard effort in 2024 as Hemby was one of the few rushers to break a big gain against the stout Indiana run defense. He broke off a 75-yard touchdown run in Indiana’s 42-28 victory over the Terrapins.

Hemby will be part of a new three-pronged rushing attack in 2024. He joins returning back Kaelon Black and UAB transfer Lee Beebe in the Indiana backfield.

Hemby is the most accomplished of the trio. He has 2,347 career rushing yards and 22 rushing touchdowns. Hemby also has 112 catches for 921 yards and five touchdown catches.

So why did Hemby join the Hoosiers rather than continue to try to make them wish he was theirs while still playing for Terrapins? He said it was a combination of factors that made him a Hoosier.

“When I came on my visit here, I really fell in love with the university. So, there was nothing really else that needed to be said, nothing else that needed to be done. It was pretty much a done deal,” said Hemby as he spoke to the media on Tuesday after practice.

The Edgewood, Md., native also admired the commitment to football that Curt Cignetti has instilled in the program.

“I think the biggest thing that is different here, a lot of the players are really gritty. They do things the right way here,” Hemby said. “They hit the ground running every day, and that is something that inspired me. I have been really trying to model my game after that since being here.”

Indiana’s pro style offense also appealed to Hemby. Indiana rushed for 2,146 yards in 2024, with 2,060 of it gained by running backs.

“I really love the offense here. I feel like it is a similar system here: a pro style system. A spread offense system where a lot of people can touch the ball, and a lot of people can make plays,” Hemby said.

As for Hemby’s impressions as an opponent, every aspect of Indiana football made an impact on him, particularly in Maryland’s visit to Memorial Stadium last season.

The Terrapins came to Indiana early in the Big Ten season, a game played in the rain on Sept. 28, 2024. Maryland was game five for Indiana. The Hoosiers were 4-0 and had a road win at UCLA under their belt. Optimism was high, but so was some level of skepticism given that the Hoosiers had not played a difficult nonconference schedule.

Roman Hemby. — Maryland's Roman Hemby (24) runs during the Indiana versus Maryland football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cignetti had also requested that fans stick around for the whole game instead of leaving at halftime.

Perhaps Hemby is the prize that came from Cignetti’s request?

“The thing that stood out to me the most I would say about the atmosphere as a whole would be the fact that nobody left and it was raining,” Hemby said. “It was an ugly type of game. The rain was cold. It was coming down sideways, and it was a little chilly.”

“As the game went on, the fans were still engaged. It was a really good atmosphere. And it was something that I feel like gave IU the edge in the game,” Hemby continued. “So I feel like the atmosphere was something that really jumped out to me.”

Hemby noted that the Maryland coaching staff was well aware of what they were facing in the Indiana defense even if the nation hadn’t taken notice yet of the Hoosiers’ stopping power.

“I feel like their front was very, very challenging. They had speed and talent on the back end, just a well-rounded defense. We knew we were going to have trouble with them,” Hemby said.

“I'm glad that I was able to see it from that angle, to see what it's like playing against them. And it really helps me being on this side,” Hemby said.

Hemby explained how it helped..

“Just seeing how things operate, being able to have an outside lens and still be incorporated to see how things pan out with offense and defense schemes. Seeing it from the outside and then seeing it from the inside really helped me. You know what a program stands for when you have to face them,” Hemby said.

Hemby feels that the new-look Indiana backfield will be as productive as the Justice Ellison-Ty Son Lawton-Black backfield was in 2024.

“We bring different things to the table,’’ he said, “but I feel like we have all the tools to be a well-knit group.”

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