Curt Cignetti Was Asked About Awful Fourth Quarter Decision
12/21/2024 11:48 AM
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti made a controversial decision during Friday's College Football Playoff game against Notre Dame.
Down 20-3 with a little less than 11 minutes left, Cignetti punted on 4th down, which surprised Sean McDonough and Greg McElroy.
"Indiana is going to punt on this 4th & 11 down by three scores. I'm very surprised," McDonough said.
"I don't understand, especially with how Notre Dame has been able to move the ball offensively. They're down 30-20 in time of possession. It makes no sense," McElroy said.
"Indiana is going to punt... I'm very surprised." - Sean McDonough on Curt Cignetti's decision
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 21, 2024
"I don't understand... It makes no sense." - Greg McElroy
"I don't get this at all. He's really punting it... That's a head-scratcher to me." - McDonough 🏈🎙️ #CFPpic.twitter.com/VYbACXoRJb
Cignetti was asked about that punt during his post-game presser and he had a fascinating answer.
"I didn't want to punt but we were doing nothing on offense," Cignetti said. "And our defense was fighting. That was the only positive that I could draw was that our defense was still fighting. Offense was doing nothing. I didn't want to go 4th & 10, it's like you're just wishing and hoping. You have nothing to base it on that you can convert 4th & 10 at that point. There's still time if you punt to win the game."
Cignetti is right that there's time but that would require his offense to do something after his defense comes up with a stop or two. Indiana had only scored three points to that point and wound up losing by 10, 27-17.
It's at least a transparent answer even though the plan didn't work.
Indiana lost by two scores, but that doesn't diminish the program's historic first season under Cignetti. He took the team to new heights and has them set up for future success.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame has advanced to the quarterfinals, where it will face Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day (January 1). The three other quarterfinal matchups will be determined on Saturday.
Related: Kirk Herbstreit Blasts Indiana After Playoff Loss: 'They Shouldn't Have Been On That Field'
