Cignetti told reporters at Big Ten Media Days that an unnamed Hoosiers player received a $1.5 million offer to transfer during the spring portal window in a blatant example of tampering. The offer came at a time when teams across the country were rushing to sign players to front-loaded deals that avoided having to go through the clearinghouse.

A four-star recruit from Chicagoland and family history with IU chose the Hoosiers over an impressive profile of college football offers.