Todd’s Take: Drama-Free Day On The Field, Cignetti Takes Note Of Exodus Off It

New Indiana coach wants a ‘Power Four environment’ at Memorial Stadium, but years of habit won’t be shaken off in one game.

Todd Golden | Aug 31, 2024

Indiana's Kurtis Rourke (9) looks downfield during the second half of the Indiana versus Florida International football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Indiana Hoosiers

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – During a previous life covering Indiana football, I covered quarterback Antwaan Randle El’s 1998 debut against Western Michigan at Memorial Stadium.

Indiana won 45-30 during Cam Cameron’s second season as Indiana’s coach, but that’s not what anyone who was there remembers..

It was Randle El’s derring do that had Hoosiers fans drooling about what was to come. He sliced and diced the Broncos with remarkable flair. Much had been written about Randle El prior to the game, and the freshman more than delivered in a dazzling day where he threw for 385 yards and ran for 82 more, including three touchdowns.

Anticipation demands a payoff, and Randle El gave Indiana fans riches on that 1998 day.

I spent many years since then covering a different team, so I haven’t witnessed an important Memorial Stadium debut performance since then. That changed on Saturday when the Curt Cignetti era began with a season-opening contest against Florida International.

There was plenty of hype during the offseason, much of it fanned by the out-spoken Cignetti himself in the run-up to it. It was a much-anticipated debut, but what would it entail?

As it turned out? There was virtually no drama at all. In a good way, mind you, but this wasn’t the memorable kind of game that Randle El gave everyone in the late 1990s.

Indiana turned in an efficient, effective winning performance in a 31-7 victory over FIU.

From the football point of view? This is exactly what you want. Statistically, Indiana dominated the game. The Hoosiers had a 414-182 edge in total yards and a 23-13 advantage in first downs. They scored on all four of theirits trips into the red zone. Indiana averaged 6.4 yards per play, including 5.9 yards per rush.

From an individual player point of view? There was little that wasn’t expected.

Quarterback Kurtis Rourke defined solid, not spectacular. He completed 15 of 24 passes for 180 yards and a touchdown. Other than two fumbles he recovered himself, he was the poster child for the drama-free performance.

No one stood out as great or bad. Elijah Green had 82 rushing yards, all of them gained in the fourth quarter with reserves on the field for both teams. Ty Son Lawton (74 rushing yards) and Justice Ellison (68 rushing yards) were effective out of the backfield without much flash during the bulk of the rest of the game.

Aug 31, 2024; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers linebacker Aiden Fisher (4) and Indiana Hoosiers defensive lineman Lanell Carr Jr. (41) celebrate after a defensive play against the Florida International Panthers during the second half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports / Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

Defensively, Indiana arguably showed a bit more style. Linebacker Aiden Fisher had 12 tackles and a sack. Fellow linebacker and James Madison transfer Jailin Walker had eight tackles. Overall,, Indiana had eight tackles for loss and forced one turnover, an Amare Ferrell interception in the second half.

While football coaches are never, ever 100% happy with their team’s performance, there was little to complain about, other than the nine penalties Indiana incurred for 80 yards.

Drama-free is exactly what you want between the lines. If there was any drama at all? It was the impression left on Cignetti and the players by their own fans.

Official attendance was 44,150, and indeed, the crowd filled in nicely by kickoff. The student section was filled to the top in at least three sections.

However, at halftime, at least a third of those fans were gone … and that’s probably being charitable. A large chunk of those who left were students, but it was spread throughout the stadium. The big turnout to start the game dissipated into plenty of wide-open spaces.

It was just 21-7 to start the second half, so it wasn’t as if the game was over. In fact, FIU scored just before halftime and had the ball to start the second half. I don’t expect casual fans to pay attention to every bit of nuance, but FIU could have very easily gotten back into the game at that point.

The Panthers didn’t, but first impressions mean a lot. Cignetti brought up the fan exodus unprompted in his post-game press conference.

Aug 31, 2024; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers Head Coach Curt Cignetti walks off the field after his first win as head coach at Indiana at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports / Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

“Another thing we're trying to change in tradition is we gotta keep the people in the seats after halftime. We need to create a Power Four environment in the stadium. But we gotta play better, too,” Cignetti said, who offered no further comment when asked about the issue by the media.

One way in which you can get a feel for the locker room is if the players repeat some of the coach’s talking points. So draw your own conclusions about these remarks.

“It was awesome,” said Indiana linebacker Aiden Fisher on his first game as a Hoosier. “A lot of fans at the game, but we need those fans to stick around for the second half of games.”

“The atmosphere was good … until halftime. Everybody left,” Indiana running back Ty Son Lawton said.

Cignetti and the players who came from James Madison, but also from football schools like Texas Tech (Price), are not used to football being met with any level of indifference. They come from places where each down is lived and died to the final whistle.

That’s not how Indiana has been. It doesn’t create the desired optics when fans bolt to their favorite tailgating spot, but to be fair to Indiana fans? They need to see consistent winning before they shake off years of habit to stick out all 60 minutes. Power Four environment? That’s rarely been something Hoosiers have been at the party for.

It’s a process to change those habits just like changing the on-field product is. It was fair for Cignetti and his players to take notice of it, but they’re also the ones most responsible for changing it with their success.

When that comes? The lack of drama in winning will be appreciated by fans who are savoring the victories that come with it.

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