Historic National Title Still Generates Buzz
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
CHICAGO -- Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti admits it. He didn’t see it coming, Indiana’s football dominance that led to a 16-0 record, a Big Ten championship and a national title in Curt Cignetti’s second season as Hoosier head coach.
Nobody did given IU’s previous century-plus of struggles.
During the conference’s annual media days event at the Hilton Chicago, the Hoosiers’ remarkable achievement -- only Yale in 1894 has matched that 16-0 record, which included wins over Brown, Cresent Athletic Club and Orange Athletic Club -- still generated buzz even as the teams prepare for the upcoming season.
Specifically, IU went 11-2 in Cignetti’s first season, with losses coming at Ohio State and at Notre Dame, which played one another for the national championship. The Hoosiers took those learned lessons all the way to the top of the college mountain this past season. That included dominating playoff victories over Alabama (38-3) and Oregon (56-22).
“You saw them double down (on that first-season success) with a difficult schedule and incredible postseason run, the way they played and dominated across most of the games they played," Petitti says.
“I think Cig is unique in terms of what his focus is. Obviously, the decision to bring Cig into the league, you can't imagine this, when this hire was made and the success they’ve had. We are extremely happy with the way it's worked out there.”
Happiness comes from a historic accomplishment that resonated with Illinois coach Bret Bielema, who was part of a dramatic turnaround while an assistant coach at Kansas State in the early 2000s.
“(What IU has done) is single-handedly the most impressive story that I've witnessed in my college career,” Bielema says.
His Illini were part of that story. They came to Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium last September unbeaten and ranked in the top 10 and got hammered 63-10 in a performance that boosted quarterback Fernando Mendoza -- who completed 21-of-23 passes for 267 yards and five touchdowns -- into the Heisman Trophy picture.
“Cig took over a program that historically had been one of the losingest programs,” Bielema says, “and in two years turned it into an undefeated team that literally ran away with it.
“I know what they did to us, right? Then, to see them do what they did in the playoffs, that's not happened in the CFP playoffs. The way they've dominated teams is really impressive.”
Few coaches can appreciate that more than Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz, who has been in Iowa City since 1999, winning 209 games. His Hawkeyes lost to IU last season, 20-15.
“They were a very well-coached team, a very talented team,” he says.
The biggest reasons for Cignetti’s instant success, Ferentz adds, were retaining many of his assistant coaches from James Madison, highlighted by defensive coordinator Bryant Haines and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan, as well as bringing with him key James Madison players.
“They knew what he believed in and they believed in the same things,” Ferentz says.
“It's a really good reflection of football in this system and era. It’s a little different than when I took over 27 years ago, but the bottom line is this: They're a really well-coached football team. I've never seen a film where they don't play hard and don't compete hard.”
Oregon coach Dan Lanning saw that twice -- first when the Hoosiers won 30-20 at Eugene, snapping the Ducks’ 23-game regular season winning streak and 18-game home winning streak, then when IU dominated in that Peach Bowl victory.
“Indiana had an unbelievable team last year,” he says. “Everybody that played them got to see that, got to watch that.”
Cignetti’s hire came with a big boost from IU President Pam Whitten and athletic director Scott Dolson, who ensured the football program had the resources necessary for elite success. Cignetti told them what was needed, and they delivered.
“They made sure that the resources were going to be available to meet what the expectations were,” Rutgers coach Greg Schiano says, “and that gives everybody a really good example to point to.
“You don't have to be at the very top in the spending, but you need to be in the ballgame, and you need to coach the heck out of them and develop your guys. I'd say that's what they did. Much respect for Coach Cignetti and his staff and the institution, for what they did.”
Respect even comes from Purdue coach Barry Odom.
“Coach Cignetti and his entire department did such a tremendous job on taking that over and elevating it to where they are today,” he says. “If you look at it in the landscape of college football, it should give every player, every coach, every fan base hope, vision and belief that it can happen. It's sped things up for everyone, but you also look at how they pieced it together. It worked for them. It's not the same for every team and program.”
One of the games of the season could center at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium on Oct. 17 when Indiana hosts Ohio State.
Cignetti and Buckeyes coach Ryan Day are 1-1 against each other. Ohio State won the 2024 matchup in Columbus, 38-15. The Hoosiers won 13-10 in last year’s Big Ten title game at Indianapolis’s Lucas Oil Stadium.
“It's going to be a great environment,” Day says. “We haven't played (in Bloomington) since Coach Cignetti has been at Indiana. The atmosphere there has changed. It's really ramped up.
“It will be another game on the road that we're going to have to prepare for and play well.”
As far as last season’s Big Ten title game, Day says, “You’ve got to give them a lot of credit. It starts with the quarterback (Mendoza, the eventual Heisman Trophy winner) and how he played. And I don't think enough people give enough credit to that defense and how well they played (IU allowed just 11.7 points a game).”
Ohio State entered the Big Ten championship game undefeated and ranked No. 1 with a powerhouse offense and defense. The Hoosiers shut down the Buckeyes as no one had all season.
“We look back on the game,” Day says, “look at some of those key situational things that we should have done a much better job with. We take ownership of that. We had to get that better. They won in those situations. If we win those situations, the outcome's different. But that's football.
“That's where we've got to be better and make sure we're ready the next time when those opportunities come up that we make the plays.”
IU is generating plenty of preseason buzz. Three Hoosiers -- linebacker Rolijah Hardy, defensive tackle Tyrique Tucker and wide receiver Charlie Becker -- received media preseason honors.
Ohio State and Oregon each had two players honored.
Tucker earned All-American honors as part of one of the nation’s best defensive lines last season. He had 40 tackles, including 12 for loss along with six sacks. Hardy led IU in tackles (102) and sacks (8.0). Becker had a huge final month of the season to total 34 catches for 679 yards and four touchdowns.
Also, in an USA TODAY Network preseason poll, Hardy was named Big Ten preseason defensive player of the year. Quarterback Josh Hoover, a TCU transfer, was named conference preseason newcomer of the year.