Ready for More – IU Seeks to Build Off Record-Setting Season
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Curt Cignetti didn’t come to Indiana to be a one-hit college football wonder, to deliver a remarkable season, a historic season, and then have the program fade from national relevance.
Cignetti builds for consistence excellence that withstands the turmoil of transfer portal/NCAA settlement uncertainty, and if last season’s 11-2 record and first-ever college football playoff appearance makes the Hoosiers a target and escalates expectations for another playoff run, Cignetti’s response, in so many words, comes down to this:
Bring it on.
“We won’t sneak up on anybody,” he said during the recent Huber Farm fan gathering. “That’s okay. We want every team’s best shot. Great competitors do.”
Cignetti, who has never had a losing record in 14 seasons as a head coach, demands that greatness with uncompromising simplicity.
“At the end of the day, you have to block, tackle, run, catch. You have to play smart and disciplined, with good special teams and be good in critical situations.
“Control what we can control. There are certain things we can’t control. Move forward.”
That includes outside criticism and praise, amplified by social media, which can distract even the most focused of players.
“If you want to get into the noise, clutter and BS and social media stuff, you can,” Cignetti said, “but it’s not going to affect you positively. It’s hard to turn it off completely. Sometimes you want a sense for what’s going on out there.
“Guys who can turn it off for a significant amount of time are putting their best foot forward and putting themselves in position to stay focused on what’s important in their development. When you get a bunch of guys thinking that way, the team benefits, as well.”
Cignetti and his staff hit the transfer portal to bring in key players such as quarterback Fernando Mendoza from California, center Pat Coogan from Notre Dame, running back Roman Hemby from Maryland, offensive linemen Kahlil Benson from Colorado and Zen Michalski from Ohio State, Ole Miss defensive back Louis Moore, and tight end Riley Nowakowski from Wisconsin.
Benson and Moore previously played for the Hoosiers, transferred, and then transferred back.
Freshmen such as four-star defensive back Byron Baldwin Jr., four-star receiver Davion Chandler, and three-star receiver Lebron Bond show promise.
“I think we have a lot of nice pieces on this team,” Cignetti said. “Now, it’s time to take these pieces and start forming a team.”
Consider quarterback, likely the most important position in any sport. Mendoza arrives with an impressive resume from three seasons at California (4,712 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, 66.5 completion percentage) and no guarantees. If he’s not up to the challenge, younger brother Alberto Mendoza, Old Dominion transfer Grant Wilson, and true freshman Jacob Bell will get their starting shots.
Given the success Cignetti and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan have had with transfer quarterbacks in recent years, including Kurtis Rourke, who led the Hoosiers to the playoffs last season, the elder Mendoza figures to be the guy.
“All these guys have a body of work,” Cignetti said. “They either get better or worse.
“When you bring in new guys into your system, everybody’s system is a little different, so they all need development. Right now, the second-team quarterback would be the younger brother (Alberto). He had a nice spring. He has a good skillset.
“Every day you go out there, you compete for a job. Nobody owns a job. You’ve got to earn it every day.”
Earning intensity ramps up this month with summer workouts. The Old Dominion season opener is Aug. 30.
Preparation, Cignetti said, doesn’t change.
“It’s the same as any season. You have to start over.
“Especially now with the transfer portal because you have so many new guys, you’re rebuilding the house, starting with the foundation -- the winter strength and conditioning program, setting standards, setting expectations, accountability, how you do things. You’re developing a collective mindset, a culture, a team identity.
“It’s all about controlling the controllables and maximizing your opportunities. Improving as much daily as you can. Getting ready for a game. Stacking the ‘A’ practices and being totally prepared so you play your best, individually and collectively.
“The most important game is the upcoming game. Take it one day at a time, one play at a time. It’s the only way to do it.”
IU opens with four-straight home games -- Old Dominion, Kennesaw State, Indiana State and Illinois -- before facing a pair of road games against Iowa and Oregon, the defending Big Ten champion. It also plays at Penn State, at Maryland and at Purdue. The Hoosiers also host Wisconsin, Michigan State, and UCLA.
“We’ll have a very competitive Big Ten schedule,” Cignetti said. “We’re looking forward to it. There will be some good challenges, for sure. It puts a greater sense of urgency in getting as much out of every day in the summer, fall camp and that week of preparation.”
Last season, IU won its first 10 games before losing at Ohio State. Its other loss came at Notre Dame during the playoffs.
“When you looked at last year’s schedule, we played the national champ (Ohio State) and the national runner-up (Notre Dame),” Cignetti said. “We played nine teams that went to bowls.
“We led the country in point differential (25.7 points per game). We were second in the country in scoring (behind Miami, 43.9 to 41.3). We were first in the country against the run (81.2 yards allowed), second in the country in defense (15.6 points allowed) and gave up the least amount of yards (257.2). We didn’t trail until the ninth game.”
He paused to smile, competitiveness and simplicity coming together.
“Not bad.”