When they get takeaways the rest of this season, don’t look for Indiana defenders to run down to the end zone for a group photo.
IU coach Curt Cignetti doesn’t want to see that common NFL practice take hold on his team. Call him old school if you’d like, but it doesn’t fit the culture the first-year Indiana coach is trying to create.
Safety Amare Ferrell has two of Indiana’s four interceptions this year, and each time he took the ball away, he stayed on the field a bit too long to celebrate, and drew the ire of his coach in the process.
“I just wish, when he intercepts the pass he wouldn’t run toward the end zone. Championship programs don’t do that,” Cignetti said on Monday.
Ferrell said that message was delivered to him without even a hint of a smile from Cignetti. But if Ferrell is frustrated with his coach’s sentiment, he showed no signs of it this week.
“It’s all on me. I have to act like I’ve made a great play before instead of doing the selfish things I did,” Ferrell said on Tuesday.
“When you get a takeaway, go straight to the sidelines and be with the team. I didn’t do that. That’s why he got on me.”
The 6-foot-2 and 200-pound Ferrell is one of the more promising young players on this Indiana football team. After playing in all 12 games as a freshman a year ago, he is blossoming in year two under the new staff.
The Lake City, Fla. product has proven indispensable as a sophomore, playing the second most snaps on the defense in multiple roles, including rover and strong safety. He’s much more comfortable on the field as a sophomore.
“It’s not as challenging as it was last year. The game has slowed down for me — playing two different positions and seeing different things at those positions,” Ferrell said.
It wasn’t all criticism from the head coach, either. After Ferrell posted an interception, a sack and six tackles on Saturday at UCLA, Cignetti noted his young defensive back’s progress.
“You see him building weekly on his successes and playing with more confidence,” Cignetti said.
Cignetti preaches you’re either getting better or getting worse. You never stay the same. And complacency, living in the past, those are things that put you in the latter category.
That’s exactly what Ferrell says he’s learned playing for Cignetti.
“You move on to the next opponent,” Ferrell says. “Don’t worry about the last game. Focus on the next game.”
Running down to the end zone after end zone after an interception? That’s a snapshot of complacency. Too much about the moment, not enough about the next play.
So what’s Ferrell plan the next time he takes the ball away?
“There won’t be no next time,” he said, referring to his celebration plans.
“Next time I make a big play I’m just gonna go to the sideline. Big-time players make big-time plays in the biggest moments,” Ferrell said.
Now that just might bring a smile to Cignetti’s face.
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