Head coach Curt Cignetti met with the media to discuss Indiana’s preparation for the national championship game against Miami. A transcript of the discussion is below:
On preparing for Miami and the national championship
We’re excited to start our preparation. We staffed yesterday and we’re with our players today, and it’s a huge challenge against a great Miami team. They’re impressive in all three phases. They have twitchy, fast athletes who play with a nasty edge. Mario Cristobal has done an excellent job building that team. Carson Beck is playing at a very high level, they have an impressive receiving corps, a veteran offensive line, and a running back who has rushed for over 1,100 yards. Defensively, they’re shutting people down, creating turnovers and havoc, and those two defensive ends are a major challenge. Corey has them flying around, and their special teams are good as well. It’s going to be a great challenge.
On player development from early years to veteran status
High school signees change a lot between their freshman and senior years. Everyone’s developmental curve is different. Some are physically ready early, some take longer, some it’s mental. But there’s no question that a 22-year-old is wiser, bigger, stronger, and more productive. He’s had four years in the system and understands offense, defense, and special teams at a deeper level.
On using older transfer players to build the roster
It has helped us tremendously. When I arrived, it was a three-day hiring process and by day three we had 10 offensive starters in the portal and only one defensive returner. We were down to 40 scholarships. We had to hit the portal hard, so we signed 22 guys who were two- and three-year starters with consistent production. That flipped the roster. As high school recruiting has built up, we’ve gradually taken fewer portal players, but you never stop using it. Mature players who have played a lot of football and have the right makeup are a huge asset.
On balancing high school recruiting and the transfer portal
I don’t really look at it as a balance. In today’s college football, you have to compete for championships every year. Success helps you recruit better high school players, and those guys develop, redshirt, and some play early. We’re always going to sign around 20 high school players, but portal guys fill critical needs. College football is constantly changing, and you have to adapt and improvise. That recruiting and coordinator experience has helped me do that.
On Indiana being labeled a Cinderella story
If you look at Indiana’s history and compare it to what we’ve done the last two years, we’ve broken records in wins, championships, postseason success, and top-10 wins. It’s been surreal. But it happens when you have the right people, the right staff, and a blueprint and process. We’ve had tremendous staff continuity, and in the locker room we have older guys with high character and leadership who buy into the vision. That consistency, discipline, and focus on the goal is what got us here.
On preparing for a championship game
We prepare for this game the same way we prepared for Ohio State and Alabama. The biggest mistake would be making it bigger than it is. That would hurt preparation and performance. This week is no different than any other. We stack meetings and practices and get totally prepared, then you put it on the field.
On the performance of Indiana’s defense in the postseason
We’ve been excellent against Ohio State, Alabama, and Oregon. We created three turnovers and blocked a punt against Oregon, which led to 21 points. Bryant Haines leads the defense with a great plan, but the credit goes to the players. Aiden Fisher is the leader, and it starts up front with stopping the run and affecting the quarterback. Turnover margin, limiting explosives, and situational football are huge. We’ve been a little short-handed, but it’s been next-man-up, and guys like Daniel Ndukwe stepped up. We haven’t skipped a beat.
On facing Miami defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman
We’ve evolved offensively since Corey was my coordinator at JMU, and his scheme has evolved too. Philosophically, what we believe in hasn’t changed — stopping the run, creating havoc, sacks, and tackles for loss. He’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever been around. His intensity and commitment are unmatched. I hated to see him go. Bryant Haines has stepped in seamlessly, and while the schemes have some differences, the philosophy and results have stayed consistent.
On using D’Angelo Ponds on offense
That was situation-specific against Oregon. He’s a tremendous athlete with great quickness and speed. He executed the play perfectly and got us a first down. He was a high school quarterback and can do a lot of things, so we’ll see how much we use him there this week.
On Indiana’s health heading into the game
We came out of the last game in really good shape. Everyone who played will be able to play in this game.
On the impact of former James Madison players
They’ve been a huge part of what we’ve built, especially in year one. Many of them stayed, and they helped new players understand how we do things. Their legacy isn’t finished yet, but they’ve been critical to our success.
On center Pat Coogan leadership and effort
Pat’s a winner. He played a lot of football at Notre Dame and has been a key leader for us. He prepares, studies, and plays with incredible effort. Seeing him 20 yards downfield recovering a fumble didn’t surprise me at all. He’s highly respected and embodies how we want to play.
On Fernando Mendoza’s leadership and communication
The best way to lead is to perform well, especially at quarterback. Fernando is highly respected in the locker room because of how he plays. He’s extremely intelligent and continues to raise his level. He’s not a vocal guy on the field, but his interviews and his preparation show who he is. Behind the scenes, he’s brought the offense closer together and impacted this team in every possible way.
On preparing for Miami and the national championship
We’re excited to start our preparation. We staffed yesterday and we’re with our players today, and it’s a huge challenge against a great Miami team. They’re impressive in all three phases. They have twitchy, fast athletes who play with a nasty edge. Mario Cristobal has done an excellent job building that team. Carson Beck is playing at a very high level, they have an impressive receiving corps, a veteran offensive line, and a running back who has rushed for over 1,100 yards. Defensively, they’re shutting people down, creating turnovers and havoc, and those two defensive ends are a major challenge. Corey has them flying around, and their special teams are good as well. It’s going to be a great challenge.
On player development from early years to veteran status
High school signees change a lot between their freshman and senior years. Everyone’s developmental curve is different. Some are physically ready early, some take longer, some it’s mental. But there’s no question that a 22-year-old is wiser, bigger, stronger, and more productive. He’s had four years in the system and understands offense, defense, and special teams at a deeper level.
On using older transfer players to build the roster
It has helped us tremendously. When I arrived, it was a three-day hiring process and by day three we had 10 offensive starters in the portal and only one defensive returner. We were down to 40 scholarships. We had to hit the portal hard, so we signed 22 guys who were two- and three-year starters with consistent production. That flipped the roster. As high school recruiting has built up, we’ve gradually taken fewer portal players, but you never stop using it. Mature players who have played a lot of football and have the right makeup are a huge asset.
On balancing high school recruiting and the transfer portal
I don’t really look at it as a balance. In today’s college football, you have to compete for championships every year. Success helps you recruit better high school players, and those guys develop, redshirt, and some play early. We’re always going to sign around 20 high school players, but portal guys fill critical needs. College football is constantly changing, and you have to adapt and improvise. That recruiting and coordinator experience has helped me do that.
On Indiana being labeled a Cinderella story
If you look at Indiana’s history and compare it to what we’ve done the last two years, we’ve broken records in wins, championships, postseason success, and top-10 wins. It’s been surreal. But it happens when you have the right people, the right staff, and a blueprint and process. We’ve had tremendous staff continuity, and in the locker room we have older guys with high character and leadership who buy into the vision. That consistency, discipline, and focus on the goal is what got us here.
On preparing for a championship game
We prepare for this game the same way we prepared for Ohio State and Alabama. The biggest mistake would be making it bigger than it is. That would hurt preparation and performance. This week is no different than any other. We stack meetings and practices and get totally prepared, then you put it on the field.
On the performance of Indiana’s defense in the postseason
We’ve been excellent against Ohio State, Alabama, and Oregon. We created three turnovers and blocked a punt against Oregon, which led to 21 points. Bryant Haines leads the defense with a great plan, but the credit goes to the players. Aiden Fisher is the leader, and it starts up front with stopping the run and affecting the quarterback. Turnover margin, limiting explosives, and situational football are huge. We’ve been a little short-handed, but it’s been next-man-up, and guys like Daniel Ndukwe stepped up. We haven’t skipped a beat.
On facing Miami defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman
We’ve evolved offensively since Corey was my coordinator at JMU, and his scheme has evolved too. Philosophically, what we believe in hasn’t changed — stopping the run, creating havoc, sacks, and tackles for loss. He’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever been around. His intensity and commitment are unmatched. I hated to see him go. Bryant Haines has stepped in seamlessly, and while the schemes have some differences, the philosophy and results have stayed consistent.
On using D’Angelo Ponds on offense
That was situation-specific against Oregon. He’s a tremendous athlete with great quickness and speed. He executed the play perfectly and got us a first down. He was a high school quarterback and can do a lot of things, so we’ll see how much we use him there this week.
On Indiana’s health heading into the game
We came out of the last game in really good shape. Everyone who played will be able to play in this game.
On the impact of former James Madison players
They’ve been a huge part of what we’ve built, especially in year one. Many of them stayed, and they helped new players understand how we do things. Their legacy isn’t finished yet, but they’ve been critical to our success.
On center Pat Coogan leadership and effort
Pat’s a winner. He played a lot of football at Notre Dame and has been a key leader for us. He prepares, studies, and plays with incredible effort. Seeing him 20 yards downfield recovering a fumble didn’t surprise me at all. He’s highly respected and embodies how we want to play.
On Fernando Mendoza’s leadership and communication
The best way to lead is to perform well, especially at quarterback. Fernando is highly respected in the locker room because of how he plays. He’s extremely intelligent and continues to raise his level. He’s not a vocal guy on the field, but his interviews and his preparation show who he is. Behind the scenes, he’s brought the offense closer together and impacted this team in every possible way.
