Indiana Transfer OL Joe Brunner Praises Hoosiers Culture

Wisconsin offensive lineman Joe Brunner (56) is shown during their game Saturday, September 2, 2023 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis. Wisconsin beat Buffalo 38-17.Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Mark Hoffman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Indiana Transfer OL Joe Brunner Praises Hoosiers Culture

Originally posted on Indiana Hoosiers on SI
By Sammy Jacobs | Last updated Apr 17, 2026 3:59 PM ET

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Indiana Hoosiers' offensive lineman Joe Brunner had many connections pulling him to Indiana, but ultimately, it was the chance to be part of the culture that sold him on IU.

Brunner came over from Wisconsin for his final season, joining former position coach Bob Bostad and teammate Preston Zachman.

'This is One of the Best Cultures in College Football'

Brunner did not mince words when talking about the reasons he transferred to Indiana. " This is one of the best cultures in college football, if not the best," Brunner said after IU's 10th spring practice.

"That makes it super easy to transition. You are around a bunch of guys that have played a lot of football, and they know how to welcome guys and bring them into a culture and let them develop themselves."

Brunner comes over from Wisconsin, which has struggled to win recently. Entering his final season of college football, winning is paramount for him.

"It's also easy as an older guy. You want to win, right? You want to be a part of a winning culture." Brunner said.

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Brunner Runited with 'Scary' Bob Bostad

Current Indiana offensive line coach Bob Bostad actually recruited Brunner to Wisconsin. Brunner described Bostad as "a little bit scary."

"He doesn't show a lot of emotion, but as an offensive lineman, that's what you want. That's the pinnacle of an O-line coach. It's a little bit scary at first, but as you get older, you understand that's all you want." Brunner said.

Bostand has been with the Hoosiers since 2023 and was the lone holdover from Tom Allen's staff and he has taken IU's offensive line from the bottom to a finalist for the Joe Moore Award for the nation's best offensive line unit.

"That is the reason why I chose this place. Seeing what he did with the guys when I was at Wisconsin, the older guys there, just developing guys. There wasn't much to say to me. I think he knew that I knew who he was. " Brunner explained.

Indiana Football Spring Practice Wraps Up Next Week

Brunner and the Hoosiers will wrap up spring practice on Thursday, April 23rd with its annual spring game. Fans are invited to watch inside Memorial Stadium with gates opening at 6:30pm and kickoff scheduled for 8pm. The game will also be aired live on the Big Ten Network.

This article first appeared on Indiana Hoosiers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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