Like almost all coaches, IU football’s Curt Cignetti will often say he needs to review the tape before elaborating on some questions he’s asked in postgame interviews. And his perspective on games often changes upon fully digesting the tape.
So what did the third-year leader of the Hoosiers think of his team’s too-close-for-comfort win over Northwestern Friday night?
Not good enough, particularly the sluggish start by the offense, and poor finish by the defense. And there was a special teams mistake too.
“We didn’t play well. We were very inconsistent. We got to play better. We’re not going to go very far playing the way we played Saturday night,” Cignetti said Monday.
“Took the offense about 22 minutes to get going. First 25 plays there were 12 either penalties, critical missed assignments, or missed opportunities. We should have gone in there at halftime with a four-score lead and went in 12-nothing.
“Defensively, we couldn’t corral the quarterback in the pocket, and they scored their last four drives.
“Dropped the kickoff that we fair caught on the two. You just can’t play like that and expect to get a whole lot done.
“So we got to get a lot better.”
MARSH AND DALEY COMING ON STRONG
Wide receiver Nick Marsh got off to a slow start the first two weeks of the season.
But the Michigan State transfer has 12 catches for 133 yards and a score over the last two weeks, and he’s been a menace as a blocker.
He had Cignetti frustrated by his choice of shoes in the spring, and Marsh even appeared to lose his starting role in week two.
But the 6-foot-3 and 210-pound Marsh is headed in the right direction in the eyes of the head coach.
“I think Nick is improving every week, and we’re using him in a lot of different ways. You know, he’s a threat in the pass game and he’s also an excellent blocker,” Cignetti said. “So I’m really encouraged by the way Nick is trending.”
Cignetti also said he’s pleased with the progress of second-year receiver Davion Chandler.
Defensive end Stephen Daley suffered a serious knee injury in early December. He still wasn’t fully cleared when fall camp opened in early August.
Meanwhile, Daley has been involved in a courtroom battle against the NCAA to maintain his eligibility this season.
So it isn’t surprising Daley needed a few weeks to get his feet under him and regain what was All-American form during the back half of 2025.
As we documented in our weekly defensive snap count and notes piece, Daley was everywhere on Friday night against Northwestern.
“I think he’s getting closer. He was our defensive player of the game,” Cignetti said of Daley. “Also he had a critical missed assignment on a critical play on their touchdown down near our locker room where he was supposed to rush and didn’t, but he played well. His presence in that game was felt.”
ON THE CHANGE AT CORNERBACK
We also documented the change that occurred at cornerback against Northwestern.
It’s a position that’s been in a state of flux since the first quarter of the season.
Week one starters A.J. Harris and Jamari Sharpe were both injured early in the opener against North Texas. That cleared the way for Jaylen Bell and Ryland Gandy to see extensive action for the remainder of that game, and the next.
Sharpe returned in week three against Western Kentucky, while Harris was listed as doubtful to play against Northwestern and remains out.
Harris and Gandy were battling for a starting job opposite Sharpe throughout fall camp, but the IU staff saw enough of Bell over the last few weeks to completely shake things up, including moving Sharpe to accommodate Bell.
“We stuck Jamari Sharpe in the bench, at boundary corner,” Cignetti said. “There are a few more nuances to the boundary corner position in the field, and Jaylen has been consistent in all his opportunities to the field. He’s (Bell) got a good attitude. He works hard. Smart football player. It’s important to him.”
HOOVER GETS SCOLDED
We’ve reported over the last two years multiple IU players hearing from the head coach when a celebration draws his ire.
Amare Ferrell, Louis Moore, E.J. Williams, and Chandler are just some of the players we know about who Cignetti has called out for something they did after making a big play.
No one is exempt from getting scolded by the head coach, including the quarterback.
On his fourth quarter touchdown run, Josh Hoover pointed at a Northwestern defender as he ran into the end zone. Cignetti was not happy about it.
“You know, Northwestern was fully committed to stopping the inside run which is why we had Josh pull the ball on the last touchdown,” Cignetti said. “I don’t want him pointing like he did. I don’t condone that. We could have got called there for taunting and I was disappointed to see that.”
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