What Curt Cignetti Had To Say As No. 16 Indiana Prepares For Nebraska

Indiana hosts Homecoming on Saturday as the 5-1 Cornhuskers come to Bloomington.

Indiana University Head Coach Curt Cignetti during fall practice at the Mellencamp Pavilion at Indiana University on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti had his first press conference since Indiana's 41-24 win at Northwestern on Oct. 5.

Here's everything he had to say in his question-and-answer session with the media:

Opening statement ...

Cignetti: Looking forward to getting back on the field, the practice field tonight. Obviously had the week off, got recharged, and looking forward to playing on Saturday against a tough opponent. Coach Rhule has done a great job with the football team there, 5-1, impressive team on tape. Giving up 11 points a game on defense, a veteran outfit, and offensively big offensive line, big tight ends, play a lot of guys, really skilled receivers, a lot of good running backs and a mega talented young quarterback.

As always, it's more about us and what we do, controlling what we can control. Having a great day today of preparation and stacking good days.

It's an important game because it's the next game. That's why it's an important game. It's this game. We're looking forward to it.

Questions?

On the Nebraska defense ...

Cignetti: Well, they've got good players. They're very well-coached. They play really hard. They're very multiple in their scheme. They've got guys that can affect the passer, a couple big guys inside, 315-plus type guys. They play a lot of people. They do everything they can to keep you off balance.

They also deflect a lot of passes. They've had seven interceptions, giving up about 85 yards rushing a game, I think.

On having James Madison core group and how it helps with success ...

Cignetti: Well, those guys and a lot of the other new guys we brought in and the guys that decided to remain, the right kind of guys, kind of the mindset and culture that we've been able to create here, those guys certainly have facilitated the change early on. Dealing with success is a lot better than dealing with failure. But you've got to stay humble and hungry and maintain your edge.

Yeah, I think you're always learning. Did I learn? Yeah. And it's like Mike Krzyzewski said when he retired; his toughest opponent was human nature. Human nature, because it's natural to feel good, this and that, things are great. But that's not what this game is all about when it comes to preparation and stepping between the white lines.

You've got to have some special characteristics to be able to deal with success and not be affected by it in a negative manner.

On Indiana's excellence at yards after catch ...

Cignetti: Yeah, well, that whole crew -- and we spread the ball around. I think we had over 10 guys touch the ball last week or in the last game. They have great ball skills, and they're strong guys, too, which leads to broken tackles.

That's something that you're just trying to design plays that have answers and can free guys up versus all the different coverages you're going to see potentially, and then it comes down to execution. It's protection, separation, putting the ball where it's got to be, throwing it where it needs to be thrown and letting the athletic ability and the desire -- sometimes there's a little want-to factor there, too, involved in that, take over from there.

On Nebraska quarterback Dominick Raiola ...

Cignetti: Yeah, he's a really talented guy who's got great arm talent. He plays with a lot of confidence. He's got a really nice supporting cast. They protect him well up front. They've got one receiver who's 6'4", 225 and can really go, deep-ball type guy, and schematically the staff does a really nice job of -- they don't put too much pressure on him. They're balanced. They want to run the football, good play action pass, get him out of pocket, change the launch point.

I think they've done a tremendous job with him.

On linebacker Jailin Walker's injury status ...

Cignetti: Yeah, J-Walk is a guy you never count out, and I expect him to be full speed on Saturday. We're developing some depth there with Isaiah Jones and the freshman, Hardy.

But there are positions we don't have a lot of depth. But feel good about that group.

On Cignetti's process during a bye week ...

Cignetti: It's balls to the wall all the time because you're getting better or getting worse, never staying the same. We practiced three times, and we did some prep on this upcoming opponent.

Then you're looking at other people across the country seeing who's doing what well and trying maybe to get a few ideas that may help you down the road. Using that time wisely.

What are the non-negotiables in building a team culture ...

Cignetti: Well, the first thing you've got to do as a leader, you've got to change the way people think inside and outside the program, and then you've got to have a blueprint and a plan. You've got to have high standards for everything you do, high standards, expectations, and accountability and consistency, day in, day out. How you do something is how you do everything. You have to be fully committed to being the best you can be. Be a great team guy. Those are non-negotiable. Be early, do your best, improve as much as you can every single day.

On what Cignetti wants from the crowd on Saturday ...

Cignetti: I think it's more about us performing as well as we're capable of performing, and give the crowd a reason to really get into the game, which I'm highly confident we will. We have up to this point every time we've gone out, and a lot of confidence in this group. It's an experienced group, high-character guys. We feed off each other.

On special teams quality ...

Cignetti: Well, your special teams is a third of the game, coaches like to say. But it's roughly 20 percent of the plays in any football game. But huge momentum swings when you make something really good happen or if something bad happens in a game. It's highly critical. Grant Cain does a tremendous job with our teams. Our entire staff is involved with special teams. We watch special teams together as a full staff. We make a big emphasis on it.

On avoiding distractions ...

Cignetti: Well, you've got to eliminate the noise and clutter and focus in on what's going to help you prepare so you can be your best on Saturday. We have enough maturity and leadership and experience on this football team, I'm confident that we can handle that. But that's my job, too, to make sure if I see an area that's maybe not quite where it needs to be, to push the right buttons and get it where it needs to be.

I send a message to the assistant coaches, they send to the players, I'll send it to the team. But we also don't want to create a self-fulfilling prophecy, either. I'm highly confident our team will prepare the way it needs to prepare for this upcoming game.

On what he has learned since he arrived at Indiana ...

Cignetti: I think what I've learned up to this point is that we have unlimited potential as an institution and football program, that if you commit daily and do the things you need to do to be successful, there's no imposed limitations on what you can achieve.

On success after bye weeks ...

Cignetti: Yeah, I just think we have a way we do things and we have a way we do things during bye weeks, and then we have a way that we do things the week after a bye week. It really doesn't change very much. It's not quite as intense during the bye week, but we still have a structured routine.

When you've got good players, you have a better chance of being successful.

On popularity among fans and students ...

Cignetti: You know, I made a couple comments when I first got hired, I was out there on a limb a little bit, felt like that's what I needed to do. I think it's more of a reflection on how the team has played and the success that they've had on the field that's gotten people excited, and this is just a byproduct of that.

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