Indiana football HC Curt Cignetti's confident take after UCLA blowout win
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Indiana football is looking like a legitimate Big Ten contender, following a 42-13 victory over new conference rival UCLA. The Indiana program is cruising thus far with its first 3-0 start since 2022, and head coach Curt Cignetti is feeling the confidence ahead of their Week 4 matchup against Charlotte. The Hoosiers recorded 430 total yards against the Bruins in Week 3, and it was their third consecutive game holding their opponent below 250 yards and one touchdown.
Cignetti discussed his team’s dominance through three games on Wednesday, per SiriusXM College Sports Radio.
“As a leader, you gotta have belief and confidence in your guys, and I have 100% belief and confidence,” Cignetti said.
Curt Cignetti has won everywhere he's gone, and he's continuing that trend with @IndianaFootball. How does he do it?@CCignettiIU on his bravado and how it impacts the team.@ESPN_Schick | @BigAntHerronpic.twitter.com/GOJFr5vCDG
— College Sports on SiriusXM (@SXMCollege) September 18, 2024
In Cignetti’s first season with Indiana, since his departure from James Madison in November 2023, he’s moving them forward for what hopes to be their first winning season since 2020. Cignetti led James Madison to an 11-1 record, and their first bowl game in the history of the school. He has clearly brought his skillset as a head coach to Bloomington, in just a few weeks.
Curt Cignetti has transformed Indiana football’s defense while the offense is succeeding
Indiana’s defense is currently the third-best in the nation at yards allowed per game with 180.3, trailing only Ohio State (138.0) and Tennessee (160.7). They also forced two turnovers last weekend against UCLA.
As they should be able to handle Charlotte (1-2) in their final non-conference game in Week 3, Cignetti wants to keep his team locked in before they face the brunt of the Big Ten. Their schedule looks like this ahead: Maryland on September 28, at Northwestern on October 5, and then No. 22 Nebraska on October 19.
OC Mike Shanahan’s offense hasn’t been too shabby, either. They have put 30-plus points on the board in each of their appearances this season, and are boasting 515 total yards per game with a 64.52 percent third-down conversation rate, which ranks second nationally and first in the Big Ten, per Jared Kelly of 247 Sports.
Indiana football has a golden opportunity to improve their record to 4-0, before getting ready to play Maryland.
The post Indiana football HC Curt Cignetti’s confident take after UCLA blowout win appeared first on ClutchPoints.
