Indiana football: Philip Blidi enters transfer portal before spring football

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football defensive tackle Philip Blidi announced he was entering his name into the transfer portal on Monday night.

The former Texas Tech defender spent one season with the Hoosiers.

"It has been a great journey this past year," Blidi wrote on X. "Indiana is a place full of welcoming and friendly people. My family and I are blessed to have been a part of the Indiana football family."

"I have decided to enter the transfer portal as a graduate student for my last season. I am thankful for all the love and support from God, my family and the program. Indiana will always be a special place to me."

More: How Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti is structuring spring camp

According to Pro Football Focus, Blidi led all of IU's defensive tackles with 444 snaps. He had 30 tackles (10 solo) with 15 quarterback pressures and four tackles for loss.

Blidi's departure leaves the new coaching staff without one of their veteran-most interior defenders going into spring camp.

The Hoosiers added JMU transfer James Carpenter at the position, but he's going to be sidelined during spring as he recovers from an undisclosed injury. Carpenter is a two-time All-Sun Belt pick with 141 career tackles, 28 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks.

Indiana's other scholarship defensive tackles are Marcus Burris Jr., Robby Harrison, J'Mari Monette and incoming freshman Mario Landino.

Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Indiana football defensive tackle Philip Blidi enters transfer portal