Indiana safety Louis Moore is leading the defense in a number of categories through two weeks of the 2025 season.
He’s got the most tackles (14), the most interceptions (2), and he’s tied for being on the field for the most snaps (97).
But Moore is also at the center of the biggest unknown facing the Hoosiers in this young Indiana season, as his eligibility to play remains in question as he pursues a lawsuit against the NCAA. As things stand ahead of Indiana’s Friday home game against Indiana State, Moore only definitively has two games left in his college playing career.
With a cloud of uncertainty hanging over his head, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to learn Moore’s focus has been impaired as he prepares for Indiana’s nonconference opponents.
And while he’s been productive according to the stat sheet, according to his head coach, Moore needs to do more to make certain he’s ready to go on gameday.
Moore played for the Hoosiers in 2022-23, but that was for a different coaching staff. So learning all of the intricacies of Bryant Haines’ defense and the calls and adjustments on the field have come with bumps in the road.
On his radio show Wednesday evening, IU coach Curt Cignetti said Moore has had a “number of busts” on his defensive assignments in Indiana’s first two games.
“He’s one of those guys that’s got to get better,” Cignetti said. “I mean, he’s got talent. He’s played a lot of football. He’s got to practice better. He’s got to prepare better. He’s got to play with more urgency. Because those things all show up on tape.”
Moore wasn’t at Indiana in 2024. He left when Tom Allen was fired and played last season at Ole Miss. If he were in Bloomington he might have learned from his teammate on the backend of the defense, Amare Ferrell, who drew Cignetti’s ire a year ago after celebrating an interception on the field.
Against Kennesaw State on Saturday, it was Moore’s turn to frustrate Cignetti after a takeaway. And Moore found multiple ways to disappoint his head coach.
“He had a nice interception, (but) he should have taken the ball down the sideline like he’s taught instead of going straight ahead and getting tackled — and then running it into the end zone ‘look at me.’ You know I don’t like that stuff,” Cignetti said.
It’s not just Moore who Cignetti is frustrated with during the early part of this 2025 campaign. It’s the entire safety position room, that includes Ferrell and rover Devan Boykin as the starters alongside Moore.
“I’m not real happy with the safety position after the last game, and it all starts with preparation and practice,” Cignetti continued.
That safety room has been in a state of disarray for weeks, starting with Moore’s rollercoaster legal journey that has seen him obtain a pair of two-week reprieves but still no certainty on his eligibility to play for Indiana through the full season.
Freshman safety Byron Baldwin, who came in with 4-star credentials and was widely expected to play meaningful snaps this year, has been injured and missed each of the first two games. He’s been described as “day-to-day.”
And veteran Bryson Bonds, who was a second-team safety and a special teams star, was lost for the season in week one.
So all roads lead back to Moore, at least as long as Indiana has him.
And while Cignetti wants to see improvement from the veteran, his production, his snap counts, and even his current residence in the coach’s crosshairs — all point to the same thing — Moore is a critical part of this team.
“He does have two more weeks, and I’m glad,” Cignetti said, “because, boy, we are very thin at that position.”
For complete coverage of IU football, GO HERE.
The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”
– Join our Premium Discord Chat by GOING HERE.
- You can follow us on X: @daily_hoosier and find us on Facebook and Instagram
- Seven ways to support completely free IU coverage at no cost to you.
