Notre Dame Football: Indiana Hoosiers Q&A with Crimson Quarry

There’s a pretty important game tomorrow night, so let’s find out what we should know about them Hoosiers besides the fact that Jimmy Chitwood’ll make it.

Friends, the last ~3 weeks have felt like a century, but we’ve finally made it — it’s College Football Playoff Eve, and our 11-1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish will play host on a cold December night to the surprise of the season in the 11-1 Indiana Hoosiers in the inaugural 12-team playoff game.

The Irish had to rattle off 10 wins in a row after losing to Northern Illinois at home back in September, and so they’re pretty familiar with win-or-go-home games related to the Playoff, as a second loss would certainly have doomed their chances of making the big dance. The Hoosiers, meanwhile, started the season 10-0 while setting all sorts of records and firsts for the typically downtrodden program. They got knocked on their asses in game #11 by the Ohio State Buckeyes, but got right back on the horse with a 66-0 win over the same Purdue Boilermakers team the Irish beat down 66-7 the week after the NIU loss. This ain’t your father’s or even your grandfather’s Hoosiers*, you guys (even if the Picket Fence was an inspired game-winning set play).

*yes, I know the team in the movie is the Hickory Huskers and not IU, but it’s the name of the movie and an excuse to post the clip, so of course I made the reference

Both teams come in with top statistical offenses and defenses, and both are hungry for this Playoff win — the Irish more so because they’ve gotten blown out in their previous two CFP appearances and Marcus Freeman wants to prove himself, and the Hoosiers because this is the biggest game in their program’s history to-date. So, knowing the stakes for this in-state showdown in the House That Rockne Built, what should Irish fans know about this IU team, their coach, and their fan base?

I’m from Indiana and my sister graduated from IU, but I am still nowhere close to being enough of an expert on Curt Cignetti’s squad to answer that question. So instead of guessing, I reached out to the lovely folks over at Crimson Quarry, SB Nation’s HQ for all things Indiana Hoosiers. I was lucky enough to be able to interview Managing Editor L.C. Norton to ask him how Cignetti managed this historic Hoosiers season in just his first year at the helm, how IU matches up with ND, plus several more hard-hitting questions like whom Norton would choose for his Little 5 bicycling team and how Freeman and Cignetti would match up in a karaoke contest.

L.C. provided some fantastic answers, and so I don’t want us to waste any more time listening to me blather on — let’s dive into the details and prepare ourselves for an absolutely MASSIVE game tomorrow evening.

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Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

1. Let’s start off in the most obvious place, by discussing Home Depot Coach of the Year Curt Cignetti. Did Hoosiers fans in their wildest dreams envision this kind of start to his IU tenure when he was hired last year? How did he manage to come in and pull off a such a wild one-year turnaround at a school that’s only really ever cared about basketball up until now?

Also, what do you think the ceiling is for Cignetti at Indiana and do you foresee him sticking around long-term?

Crimson Quarry: Discussion about this year’s Indiana team is pretty interesting in hindsight.

Indiana routinely flies under the radar in national discussions for obvious reasons. Curt Cignetti knew that and found ways to get himself, and by extension the program, into those discussions both immediately after being hired and during the preseason. What some saw as bravado others understood, rightfully, as a man seeing a disillusioned fanbase whose program was disregarded by just about everyone and giving them something to get amped over.

I won’t beat around the bush. Indiana was picked to finish 17th in the Big Ten for no reasons other than the logo on its helmet. Anyone who really paid attention to the offseason moves including personnel hires, portal moves and talent retention knew this team had a winning floor at worst and a ceiling you couldn’t measure. It’s an intelligently designed roster with intelligent coaches leading the way.

So the answer? Some definitely foresaw this, or at least a statement season. Others who weren’t as plugged in, including the folks who picked them to finish in 17th, were surprised.

Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

2. Hardcore college football fans may be familiar with IU QB Kurtis Rourke from his Ohio Bobcat days, but for anyone less familiar with his game – what does the top-10 Heisman finalist do well that could hurt the Irish on Friday, and what limitations/weaknesses does he have that the ND defense could take advantage of or use to rattle him?

Crimson Quarry: This is Rourke’s last year of eligibility. He’s in Bloomington because he’s seen more football than the vast majority of college quarterbacks around the country.

Curt Cignetti has an offensive system, but adapts it to fit the strengths of whoever’s taking the snaps. For Rourke, it’s his ability to read a defense and get the ball out quickly. He doesn’t necessarily have the biggest arm and he’s not all that mobile. But if he has any amount of time he can and will make a defense pay for the slightest lapse.

3. This Hoosier offense has been electric all season. How have they been putting up so many points, and who are the names to know besides Rourke who could give the Irish fits on Friday.

Crimson Quarry: Indiana’s offense doesn’t really have stars, per se. There’s not one guy who the defense can really focus on and eliminate to slow it down, and therein lies its strength.

It’s a balanced unit between the run and pass but insists on imposing itself through the air. The quarterback is going to throw the ball, that’s something a defense can always count on in the gameplan.

In the backfield, Justice Ellison gets the majority of snaps and has a good all-around skillset. He’s a tad more of a burner than his running mate, Ty Son Lawton, who’s more prone to run through a guy than try running past him.

Indiana likes to spread the ball around in the passing game. Elijah Sarratt is probably the most dangerous target and is fond of fighting through contact once he has the ball to pick up any extra yardage he can. Omar Cooper is a great contested catch option and Ke’Shawn Williams will burn a secondary if he gets any space. Myles Price and Miles Cross are also solid options who can get open consistently.

Also, how do you anticipate the IU offensive line will hold up against the ND front seven?

Crimson Quarry: This is the matchup I’d be circling.

Indiana’s offensive line is solid and is the best it’s looked in years after long being the program’s biggest issue outside of maybe strength and conditioning. However, it opened the season with injury issues at guard and only added to them when Drew Evans went down a few weeks ago.

Even through that it’s looked good enough. Michigan’s monstrous defensive front gave it serious trouble in the second half of that game and Ohio State was able to generate pressure once it got really aggressive.

I’d give the overall advantage to ND here.

4. Defensively, it seems like this IU defense is aggressive and has found plenty of success behind the line of scrimmage, wreaking havoc on opponents and limiting the run. Do you think they will employ a similar strategy against the Irish to try to stack the box, blitz lots of guys, and make Riley Leonard beat them over the top with his arm?

If so, do you think he can be successful doing so, or will IU’s secondary find success shutting that down and maybe even snag a few picks in the process?

Crimson Quarry: The first thing to know is that Bryant Haines is going to be a head coach somewhere sometime soon if he wants that.

He hasn’t addressed the media much since getting to Bloomington but he’s arguably Indiana’s most valuable assistant. This defense looked like it could be a relatively weak point early in the offseason and during the transition period. What Haines did was turn it into a monster and it’s a massive part of why they’re in the playoff.

Indiana isn’t going to try to stop the run altogether. If they sell out to do so they’re going to open up swaths of the field and Haines understands that. He’s going to find ways to generate pressure on Leonard and make him really think before taking off and running.

Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

5. Who or what do you think is the X-factor for IU winning this Playoff game and moving on to face Georgia? Also, which ND players scare/worry you the most heading into this matchup?

Crimson Quarry: I think what’s going to matter most, as in all of football but especially this game, is who wins the battles in the trenches.

I’ll say I don’t buy into the snow/cold game effects as much as others. For one, both of these teams are used to this type of weather by now. Ask the Packers how much that Lambeau advantage has mattered in all those NFC championship games against teams from San Francisco and Florida.

Back to this game. These are both highly physical teams and programs that pride themselves on their abilities to deliver and take punches. Not even necessarily in the run game alone, it factors into the pass as well.

This game will come down to whichever defensive line wins the battle up front. I stated above that Notre Dame’s line has an advantage for Indiana’s and I still believe that. I have equal belief in the unit that Haines and Indiana’s two defensive line coaches have put together.

As far as players, Jack Kiser, Rylie Mills, Riley Leonard and any Deland McCullough-coached back is one to watch for.

6. FAN QUESTION:

Crimson Quarry: There has been legitimate angst between Indiana and Purdue, obviously, and that 66-0 win was pretty sweet for a bunch of guys on the roster who only knew trouble against the Boilermakers in the past. But that hate is somewhat tapered by the fact that there’s enough guys on both teams who grew up playing with and against one another, so they’re friends.

Notre Dame and Indiana just do not play enough. There’s definitely the in-state program factor and Indiana looking to prove itself against another big brand. I know enough Indiana fans who delight in the Irish losing though, so it’s not like there isn’t inherent dislike.

But it’s Purdue by a mile. The team, fanbase and city have been in need of a win like that for a while.

7. FAN QUESTION:

Crimson Quarry: I would hesitate to use the word “grown” in my answer.

You know how the Detroit Lions became good and the fanbase, as long starved for a winner as any in sport, came out of the woodwork and invaded just about every stadium the Lions played in despite Detroit being historically a losing franchise? It’s kind of like that.

Like Detroit, Indiana did not provide many reasons to express fandom for decades. The 2019-21 years proved there’s a hunger and fanbase there, everyone tends to forget that when they reflect on the success and outpouring of support this season.

8. FAN QUESTION:

Crimson Quarry: Hm, I like this one.

• Jailin Walker
• D’Angelo Ponds
• Mike Katic
• Justice Ellison

In that order. Walker has the sheer competitive edge to get out to a great start. Ponds can be a burner with that same edge. Katic is an absolute given on any team. Ellison can get to paydirt.

Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

9. If Curt Cignetti and Marcus Freeman faced off in a holiday-themed karaoke contest, what song do you think each of them would sing and who would have the best stage presence/charisma/the performance that most wins the crowd over?

Crimson Quarry: Oh man to be quite honest I’m not sure if Cignetti is a big music guy. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s into John Denver or something though. Might pick “Jack and Diane” as a crowd pleaser.

As for Marcus Freeman, man. Same deal.

I’d probably give this one to Freeman.

10. Alright, let’s get down to it – who’s winning this game, what’s the final score, and how does it happen?

Crimson Quarry: I don’t think it’ll be some high flying offensive spectacle but I also don’t think it’ll be some grind it out defensive nightmare.

Can’t pick against the Hoosiers. Going 21-17, IU.

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Okay friends, that’s it for this CFP Q&A. I of course want to give another massive shout-out to L.C. for all of his thoughtful, funny, insightful responses to our typical wide array of questions. He’s both a gentleman and a scholar and it’s always a blessing when opponents’ writers give us Q&As like this one.

I highly recommend you all head over to Crimson Quarry and check out all the coverage they’ve got going on — they do it as well as any SBN site out there, with tons of great news, analysis, and plenty of excellent humor to balance things out. Also, you maaaaay just find a Q&A with yours truly pop up sometime in the next day or two!

Additionally, I suggest you DEFINITELY give their site Twitter account a follow, as well as Mr. Norton. They grace my Twitter feed with all sorts of great tweets and are VERY funny, and should be some entertaining follows before, during, and after this game no matter what the end result is. You’re not gonna want to unfollow them after (unless IU wins, then it might be necessary for your mental health — but let’s keep those dark thoughts away for now and stay positive heading into this one!).

That’s all I’ve got for this week, folks — per usual, GO IRISH, BEAT HOOSIERS!!!