Secret of No. 18 Indiana success? Curt Cignetti Trusts Group Of Five Talent

Transfers from Group of Five conferences have fueled Indiana’s winning in a way no other Power Four school can come close to.

Indiana Hoosiers linebacker Jailin Walker (2) and linebacker Aiden Fisher (4) celebrate after a defensive play against the Maryland Terrapins during the second half at Memorial Stadium. / Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The transfer portal has opened up a world of possibilities for rebuilding a team in rapid fashion.

Power Four schools have the advantage in this annual re-shuffling of talent. They have the largest fan bases, the most storied traditions. And most important to the new world of college athletics, power schools have the best access to Name, Image, Likeness money.

Given that cream rises to the top, Power Four schools largely poach their own for talent. Indiana found this out the hard way after the 2023 season. Twelve Hoosiers moved to Power Four destinations in all four of the Power Four conferences.

First-year Indiana coach Curt Cignetti was not averse to bringing in Power Four transfers, but the core of his transfer group are from the same Group Of Five conference level that Cignetti left when he departed James Madison for Indiana.

In fact, Indiana’s infusion of Group Of Five talent forms the core of their most productive players. It is a group that has lifted the No. 18 Hoosiers to a 6-0 record and 3-0 start in the Big Ten Conference.

The Group Of Five, if you’re unaware, are the FBS conferences below the Power Four level. They include schools in Conference USA, Mountain West, American Athletic, Sun Belt and Mid-American Conferences.

Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke (9) throws a pass against the Maryland Terrapins during the first half at Memorial Stadium. / Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Indiana has a 1,000-yard quarterback – Kurtis Rourke – from Group Of Five school Ohio. He’s thrown for 1,742 yards.

The Hoosiers have two 100-yard rushers Cignetti brought with him from JMU – Ty Son Lawton (329 rushing yards) and Kaelon Black (163).

Two Indiana receivers that have at least 10 catches hail from Group Of Five schools. Miles Cross (17 catches) accompanied Rourke from Ohio. Elijah Sarratt (29 catches) is another JMU import.

Tight end Zach Horton, still another former JMU player, has 9 catches.

On the defensive side, these Hoosiers have either 25 tackles, 5 sacks or 2 interceptions: Shawn Asbury II (Old Dominion, 33 tackles), Aiden Fisher (JMU, team-high 55 tackles), Mikail Kamara (JMU, 5 sacks), D’Angelo Ponds (JMU, 28 tackles) and Jailin Walker (JMU, 34 tackles) all make the cut.

Hoosiers On SI researched each Power Four school to determine how unique Indiana is in relying on Group Of Five talent. Players were eligible if they came directly from a Group of Five school, not if they had another Power Four stop in-between.

Each Power Four school was reviewed to determine if any of them are getting similar production from Group of Five players as Indiana is from the 11 players who fit the minimum statistical standard above.

No other Power Four school matches the Hoosiers’ production from Group Of Five transfers – no school even approached half of the Group of Five contributors that Indiana has brought to Bloomington.

Colorado came closest with four players who matched or exceeded Indiana’s production. No other Power Four school had more than three players who fit the criteria.

That also comes with an asterisk. Several players who did fit the criteria transferred to their respective schools before the 2023-24 offseason. All players are listed below. If a date is listed, it was their last season playing at a Group Of Five school.

The criteria set for inclusion kept some key Hoosiers out who were near the cut. Defensive tackle James Carpenter (JMU), Tyrique Tucker (JMU) and defensive tackle CJ West (Kent State) have played important roles.

Indiana's Kaelon Black (8) 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

It’s obviously no coincidence that most of these Group Of Five transfers came from JMU with Cignetti, where his Dukes lost just one game in 2023. However, even if you take the JMU transfers out of the equation, four high-producing Group of Five transfers would still be very high among Power Four schools.

Cignetti spoke to his roster make-up in his postgame press conference after Indiana’s 41-24 win at Northwestern Saturday.

“We have a blueprint, we have a way we play, we’ve got character, we’ve got some talent, right? They’re playing like all of our other teams have played in those situations,” Cignetti said.

“This is culture and mindset. These are guys who came from championship programs that have now won 20 of their last 21 games. A lot of other transfers that come from other good programs and guys who stayed that had a chip on their shoulder and something to prove,” Cignetti added.

It’s a formula that has reaped dividends in a historic season for Indiana’s football team.

Group Of Five Transfers At Power Four schools

Note: Minimum standard is 1,000 yards passing for quarterbacks, 100 rushing yards for running backs, 10 catches for wide receivers, 9 for tight ends. Defensive players were eligible with at least 25 tackles, 4 sacks or 2 interceptions.

ACC

Boston College – RB Kye Robichaux (Western Kentucky, 2022)

California – RB Kadarious Calloway (Old Dominion), DB Noel Williams (UNLV, 2022)

North Carolina – DB Antavious Lane (Georgia State, 2022)

North Carolina State – TE Justin Joly (UConn)

Pittsburgh – WR Konata Mumpfield (Akron, 2021)

SMU – WR Jake Bailey (Rice, 2021), LB Kobe Wilson (Temple, 2022), LB Ahmad Walker (Liberty, 2022)

Stanford – LB Gaethan Bernadel (Florida International, 2022)

Virginia – WR Trell Harris (Kent State)

Virginia Tech – WR Jaylin Lane (Middle Tennessee State, 2022), LB Sam Brumfield (Middle Tennessee State)

Wake Forest – QB Hank Bachmeier (Louisiana Tech)

BIG TEN

Illinois – DB Torrie Cox Jr. (Ohio)

Indiana – QB Kurtis Rourke (Ohio), RB Ty Son Lawton (James Madison), RB Kaelon Black (James Madison), WR Elijah Sarratt (James Madison), WR Miles Cross (Ohio), TE Zach Horton (James Madison), LB Aiden Fisher (James Madison), LB Jailin Walker (James Madison), CB D’Angelo Ponds (James Madison), DE Mikail Kamara (James Madison), S Shawn Asbury II (Old Dominion).

Maryland – DB Jalen Huskey (Bowling Green)

Michigan – DE Josaiah Stewart (Coastal Carolina, 2022)

Michigan State – RB Kay’ron Adams (UMass), RB Nate Carter (UConn, 2022)

Minnesota – WR Elijah Spencer (Charlotte, 2022)

Oregon – RB Noah Whittington (Western Kentucky, 2021), WR Tez Johnson (Troy, 2022)

Washington – TE Keleki Latu (Nevada)

BIG 12

Arizona – RB Quali Conley (San Jose State), RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt (New Mexico)

Arizona State – DB Myles Rowser (New Mexico State), LB Keyshaun Elliot (New Mexico State)

Baylor – WR Ashtyn Hawkins (Texas State)

BYU – WR Darius Lassiter (Eastern Michigan, 2022)

Cincinnati – WR Tony Johnson (Florida Atlantic)

Colorado – WR Jimmy Horn Jr. (South Florida), WR LaJohntay Wester (Florida Atlantic), LB Nikai Hill-Green (Charlotte), DB Preston Hodge (Liberty).

Houston – QB Zeon Chriss (Louisiana), LB Michael Batton (Louisiana-Monroe), DB A.J. Haulcy (New Mexico, 2022).

Iowa State – RB Jaylon Jackson (Eastern Michigan), LB JB Brown (Bowling Green)

TCU – WR Eric McAlister (Boise State), LB Johnny Hodges (Navy, 2021)

Texas Tech – DB CJ Baskerville (San Diego State, 2022)

UCF – RB Peny Boone (Toledo)

SEC

Arkansas – QB Taylen Green (Boise State), LB Stephen Dix Jr. (Marshall)

Auburn – TE Rivaldo Fairweather (Florida International, 2022), LB Jalen McLeod (Appalachian State, 2022)

Florida – RB Montrell Johnson (Louisiana, 2021)

LSU – WR Kyren Lacy (Louisiana), WR CJ Daniels (Liberty)

Ole Miss – WR Tre Harris (Louisiana Tech), TE Caden Prieskorn (Memphis)

Mississippi State – RB Davan Booth (Utah State), TE Seydou Traore (Arkansas State, 2022)

Missouri – RB Nate Noel (Appalachian State), RB Marcus Carroll (Georgia State)

South Carolina – TE Joshua Simon (Western Kentucky, 2022)

Tennessee – WR Chris Brazzell II (Tulane)

Texas A&M – WR Jabre Barber (Troy), WR Cyrus Allen (Louisiana Tech), DB Marcus Ratcliffe (San Diego State)

Vanderbilt – QB Diego Pavia (New Mexico State), WR Eli Stowers (New Mexico State)

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