In Curt We Trust
For the first time in at least a couple of seasons, there’s a reason to be excited about Indiana football.
After winning just nine games over the last three seasons combined, Scott Dolson did what was necessary and fired Tom Allen. In came Curt Cignetti, a man who has won and won quickly at every level he’s coached in college football.
While firing Allen – with his eight-figure buyout – reflected a renewed commitment to winning football in and of itself, the ability to hire a guy like Cignetti is a testament to the work Indiana was doing behind the scenes to make sure this new staff would succeed.
By all accounts, Indiana’s investment in winning appears to be paying off. The Hoosiers hosted Julian Lewis this past weekend, a five-star prospect and the no. 2 quarterback in his class.
Whether he ends up being a Hoosier or not, it’s not often you see Ohio State and USC fans getting Mad Online about football prospects in Bloomington. As the replies to this tweet show, Indiana has the attention of the college football world.
Thank you @IndianaFootball for a great weekend! @CCignettiIU @CoachTSunseri @CoachShanahan_ @kendel_bennett pic.twitter.com/4vExLdEPZc
— Julian “Ju Ju” Lewis QB (@JuJuLewis10) June 3, 2024
More tangibly, Indiana landed one of the best portal quarterbacks in the country in Kurtis Rourke, retained Tayven Jackson as a backup, and signed four-star quarterback Tyler Cherry, who had previously committed to Duke.
At the same time, it’s hard to know what the immediate future will look like. It’s safe to assume Cignetti will stick to his pro-style offense, especially with so much talent in the quarterback room, but will it all work in year one?
As of writing, 247 sports lists 31 transfers in to go along with 17 high school signees in the class of 2024. It’s led to a transfer class ranking of 27th nationally, but the fact remains that there will be A Lot of new players this season.
Things looked disjointed for Tom Allen last year for a number of reasons, but the impact of roster turnover on last year’s squad was undeniable. With just 23 transfers in, we saw miscommunications wreak havoc on the defensive secondary week after week.
Some of that can be mitigated with a better staff and team culture that integrates new pieces successfully and sets individual expectations early. I do not expect to see a quarterback battle draw out into Big Ten play under the Cignetti regime.
There are also a good number of transfers in from JMU who are familiar with Cignetti’s systems and coaching style, which should help smooth the transition for the rest of the roster. Of the 31 transfers, 13 are from JMU.
Adding to the uncertainty is the fact that the roster still feels far from settled. After looking like Indiana’s top corner in the spring game, Kobee Minor hit the portal, leaving a big hole in the depth chart at a position of need.
The good news is that it would be truly difficult for Indiana to be as bad as it has been the last few seasons. There’s more talent in the room and a coaching staff with a clear plan and history of winning that should lead that talent to great things.
A relatively favorable schedule in the new 18-team Big Ten could mean the Hoosiers are bowling sooner than later, but it may not all come together in year one. With enough time and continued institutional support though, there’s little doubt in my mind that Cignetti elevates Indiana football. Probably sooner than later.