Seven days was all it took. From the time Roman Hemby entered the transfer portal this past winter to when he committed, barely a week had passed. He fielded several offers, lined up a few visits, then zeroed in on the school he “fell in love with.”
Hemby could’ve gone to just about any program he wanted to. As the No. 11-ranked transfer running back and armed with three years of significant experience and production in the Big Ten, the pickings were plentiful for the former Maryland star. But once Indiana came calling, it was a wrap on Hemby’s recruitment.
“I had a few opportunities, but when I came on my visit here, I really fell in love with the university,” Hemby said Tuesday. “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.”
Hemby’s transfer process didn’t drag out like many other high-profile players often do. Although schools and coaches were coming after him heavily, Hemby mostly shut out the external and unwanted noise and knew exactly what he was looking for.
Playing into Indiana’s favor was familiarity. Not only the familiarity of playing in the Big Ten, but also the natural advantage of squaring off against the Terrapins in each of Hemby’s four seasons. While the coaching staffs, personnel and schemes changed significantly over the four years, the logos and preparation necessary did not.
That included IU’s historic rise last season under Curt Cignetti and his staff.
Hemby experienced it first-hand, entering a Memorial Stadium that looked and felt much different than he might’ve remembered previously. The stands were packed — and remained that way for all four quarters — after Cignetti sent a letter to students rallying them to show up and stay for the entire game. Hoosier Nation heeded their head coach’s request and responded in overwhelming numbers.
Hemby sensed it, too. The Hoosiers of the past, who had won just nine total games in Hemby’s first three seasons, were nothing like the 2024 Cignetti-led Hoosiers. Times were changing in Bloomington, Indiana ran away with a 42-28 victory, and Hemby couldn’t shake that game and atmosphere from his mind.
“Nobody left [the stadium] 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. But as the game went on the fans were still engaged, it was a really good atmosphere and it was something that I felt like gave IU an edge in the game. We definitely weren’t able to create any momentum because whenever we were able to create a little sliver of hope, it was taken away.”
The buzz surrounding Indiana was palpable on a national level, but it was also unmistakable for many of IU’s opponents. The emptied-out Memorial Stadium crowds were no more. Indiana posted sellout after sellout after sellout on their way to an 11-1 regular season and College Football Playoff berth.
From afar, Hemby took notice, even before he announced his entry into the transfer portal. The cache of playing at IU had grown tenfold in just one season, and it’s what allowed the Hoosiers to secure one of the most sought-after transfer running backs this offseason.
“I feel like you know what a program stands for when you have to face them,” Hemby said. “So me being on the other side of things and seeing the morals and the standards of this program, the culture that showed up, the close-knit brotherhood and the way the coaches believed in the players, I was able to see that from the outside.”
Added Hemby: “Just seeing the changes that they made and seeing the progression that they had leading up into our game, we knew it wasn’t going to be a cake walk. And obviously, anybody who watched the game knew that was the case as well.”
It goes both ways, though. Just as Hemby was scouting Indiana — for their game and potentially as a transfer destination — the Hoosiers were also scouting Hemby. And boy, did he leave heck of an impression.
Against an Indiana run defense which ranked No. 1 nationally, Hemby rattled off 117 rushing yards on just 10 carries, capped off by a 75-yard touchdown run. He was also a thorn in the passing game, finishing with five carries for 48 yards and one receiving touchdown. It wound up being Hemby’s most productive game all season.
So when the time came for Indiana to venture into the portal and find a top-notch replacement for graduating standouts Justice Ellison and Ty Son Lawton, Hemby was seemingly a no-brainer. IU reached out, Hemby quickly set up a visit and by Dec. 23 he was one of IU’s first transfer commits.
“I knew getting an opportunity to come here and seeing what happened last year and seeing the success that the whole program had,” Hemby said, “I knew that if I could submit myself as a player to contribute, I would be doing a good thing. That’s why I made the decision to come here.”
The 6-foot, 208-pounder is expected to immediately step into a significant role at Indiana. He has the pedigree, the past production and the skill set that the Hoosiers covet. He can hit the home run, he’s proven himself as a legitimate pass-catching threat, and he’s seen essentially everything that the Big Ten can and will throw at him.
Indiana wanted Hemby, and Hemby wanted Indiana. It was a logical fit when he first entered the portal, and it could turn into the perfect pairing this fall.
“The thing that set this team apart is the culture,” Hemby said. “I feel like from the staff, the coaches, the players, everybody here, they want to see each other succeed. So when I got here, I had other running backs that have been here for [a while] giving me advice, helping me get my feet on the ground… I’m here for the challenge, and that’s something that I’ve taken a lot of thought into.”
