Indiana University Athletics
SPRING SESSIONS: Spring Practice No. 4
4/2/2026 2:15:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –––– The Indiana football program hosted its third media session in the Don Croftcheck Team Room inside Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium following the fourth spring practice of 2026. Defensive linemen Mario Landino and Tyrique Tucker, along with head coach Curt Cignetti all talked following practice.
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference, while video of the media session can be found in the links above or at IUHoosiers.com/watch.
Curt Cignetti | Head Coach
Opening Statement
CC: Day four in the books. Day five coming up Saturday. We can't make progress fast enough with all of the new pieces we have in our program. We kind of treat every practice like a game. We have 14 practices and try to prepare the same way in terms of the things we demand on the practice field, so we can form winning habits and get rid of losing habits. [We still need to] kind of clean our ball up. I thought we cleaned our ball up a little bit today, but there is still a lot of improvement to be made. I do think we have made some progress up to this point, and I will be anxious to see where we are after day seven with a scrimmage coming up day eight.
On Josh Hoover...
CC: Still learning about [Josh]. A couple of different things there. We'd like to see him play a little faster at practice, with a little more urgency, and drive every ball. I don't know what was asked of him at where he came from in terms of practice, but no plays are like a throw off, not even in walkthrough. We get on wide receivers for running half speed, so we want to drive every football, like in a game.
I think the great thing is, [we are] excited about Josh, first of all, let's be clear about that, but he has a body of work in terms of winning football games, passing yards, touchdown passes. Got to clean up some of the turnovers, obviously, which Coach [Sonny] Dykes made light of. But when Josh got here, he met his two new best friends: a great defense and a really good run game. And he was never the same after that.
On the new tight ends and running backs...
CC: I like what I see from our new running backs and Lee Beebe Jr. will join that group in the fall. I really like what I have seen from Turbo [Richards] and Khobie [Martin]. The freshman [Jayreon Campbell] is doing a nice job and [Sean] Cuono is doing better, you add Beebe to that mix, and I feel good about that group. Good depth and good competition.
The tight end thing. Because some of the guys we brought in aren't able to practice this spring: Brock Schott and [Trevor] Gibbs. We've got [Parker] Elmore, for instance, and bringing another tight end in in the fall, the only two tight ends out there were the two that were here last year as true freshmen. I think that position will look a lot different in fall camp. I think both the guys out there practicing right now are getting better and I can see them making progress. I am really excited about Schott and Gibbs; I think they are outstanding prospects.
It's going to look a lot different in the fall when you throw Carter Smith in there at left tackle, the Big Ten lineman of the year, and some of the guys that are out right now - we have two receivers out too, not practicing - than it does right now.
Tyrique Tucker | DL | R-Sr.
On being one of the last JMU transfers…
TT: I was really happy for all the guys, just seeing them come back and stuff. I miss them, and stuff like that. It felt kind of weird. I know everything is in due time and their time is right now. I was just happy to support them.
On roster turnover in the DL room…
TT: We have a lot of young guys, a lot of defensive tackles and defensive linemen, a lot of young guys in general. I want to be the example and set the standard because I know what the standard is. Hopefully everyone will rise to that standard and just try to show them a prime example and lead by example.
Mario Landino | DL | Jr.
On depth on the defensive line and leadership role…
ML: I like to be a mix of both (verbal leadership and by example). We have a lot of young guys. We have four new freshmen and three new redshirt-freshmen. It's a lot of new people and a lot of new faces but just trying to be a vocal leader and also show them on the field, that's the most important. They've been doing a really good job stepping up inside the meeting room and now on the field.
On a changing role on this year's team…
ML: Definitely in a leadership role. Last year, and the year before that, I got to watch Mikail Kamara, Aiden Fisher and D'Angelo Ponds, leaders of the defense, and how they were able to be leaders throughout the game and then off the field. I learned a lot from them, and I think I can take that up upon myself. That's how I can get better.
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference, while video of the media session can be found in the links above or at IUHoosiers.com/watch.
Curt Cignetti | Head Coach
Opening Statement
CC: Day four in the books. Day five coming up Saturday. We can't make progress fast enough with all of the new pieces we have in our program. We kind of treat every practice like a game. We have 14 practices and try to prepare the same way in terms of the things we demand on the practice field, so we can form winning habits and get rid of losing habits. [We still need to] kind of clean our ball up. I thought we cleaned our ball up a little bit today, but there is still a lot of improvement to be made. I do think we have made some progress up to this point, and I will be anxious to see where we are after day seven with a scrimmage coming up day eight.
On Josh Hoover...
CC: Still learning about [Josh]. A couple of different things there. We'd like to see him play a little faster at practice, with a little more urgency, and drive every ball. I don't know what was asked of him at where he came from in terms of practice, but no plays are like a throw off, not even in walkthrough. We get on wide receivers for running half speed, so we want to drive every football, like in a game.
I think the great thing is, [we are] excited about Josh, first of all, let's be clear about that, but he has a body of work in terms of winning football games, passing yards, touchdown passes. Got to clean up some of the turnovers, obviously, which Coach [Sonny] Dykes made light of. But when Josh got here, he met his two new best friends: a great defense and a really good run game. And he was never the same after that.
On the new tight ends and running backs...
CC: I like what I see from our new running backs and Lee Beebe Jr. will join that group in the fall. I really like what I have seen from Turbo [Richards] and Khobie [Martin]. The freshman [Jayreon Campbell] is doing a nice job and [Sean] Cuono is doing better, you add Beebe to that mix, and I feel good about that group. Good depth and good competition.
The tight end thing. Because some of the guys we brought in aren't able to practice this spring: Brock Schott and [Trevor] Gibbs. We've got [Parker] Elmore, for instance, and bringing another tight end in in the fall, the only two tight ends out there were the two that were here last year as true freshmen. I think that position will look a lot different in fall camp. I think both the guys out there practicing right now are getting better and I can see them making progress. I am really excited about Schott and Gibbs; I think they are outstanding prospects.
It's going to look a lot different in the fall when you throw Carter Smith in there at left tackle, the Big Ten lineman of the year, and some of the guys that are out right now - we have two receivers out too, not practicing - than it does right now.
Tyrique Tucker | DL | R-Sr.
On being one of the last JMU transfers…
TT: I was really happy for all the guys, just seeing them come back and stuff. I miss them, and stuff like that. It felt kind of weird. I know everything is in due time and their time is right now. I was just happy to support them.
On roster turnover in the DL room…
TT: We have a lot of young guys, a lot of defensive tackles and defensive linemen, a lot of young guys in general. I want to be the example and set the standard because I know what the standard is. Hopefully everyone will rise to that standard and just try to show them a prime example and lead by example.
Mario Landino | DL | Jr.
On depth on the defensive line and leadership role…
ML: I like to be a mix of both (verbal leadership and by example). We have a lot of young guys. We have four new freshmen and three new redshirt-freshmen. It's a lot of new people and a lot of new faces but just trying to be a vocal leader and also show them on the field, that's the most important. They've been doing a really good job stepping up inside the meeting room and now on the field.
On a changing role on this year's team…
ML: Definitely in a leadership role. Last year, and the year before that, I got to watch Mikail Kamara, Aiden Fisher and D'Angelo Ponds, leaders of the defense, and how they were able to be leaders throughout the game and then off the field. I learned a lot from them, and I think I can take that up upon myself. That's how I can get better.
Players Mentioned
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DL
/ FootballFB: Spring Practice - Curt Cignetti Press Conference
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