Indiana's Team Mentality and Character Have Fueled Their Success

Written By: Nick Gonzales (@nrgonzales_)

It seems like with each week that goes by, Curt Cignetti gets a little more chipper. Granted he still wants the team to be a great team rather than a good team and stresses that weekly, if not daily. However, as the season progresses, Cignetti seems a bit more enthusiastic in his press conferences. Some people may say it’s the success that is happening around the Hoosiers, but Cignetti has been confident in his success as a coach for years.

“I’m not surprised. I pretty much told everybody when I got hired that this is what was possible, and I felt strongly about that after we brought the 22 transfers in December and added a few more at the end of spring ball and saw the culture come together the way it did.” Cignetti responded when asked if he was surprised about the team’s success.

Ever since his speech at the Indiana men’s basketball game against Maryland (12/01/2023), he has been set on changing the culture here at Indiana. However, it seems that the team’s dynamic and the new culture at Indiana is starting to rub off on him as well. In Monday’s press conference, Cignetti mentioned the fact that they aren’t just scouting players based on their skills but also based on their inner character.

“It’s all about the people you hire and recruit. In recruiting, talent's important but character is equally important. I sit down with all of them in my office because you want people that can kind of buy into the team concept, understand commitment and discipline, hard work, that are moldable and not necessarily totally self-centered type people. It's all about people.” Cignetti stated in his press conference.

Coach Cig doesn’t want athletes who are going to put themselves first before the team, he wants people who are team players and are willing to do anything for the success of their team. Players who care about their teammates and want to play alongside them, and it seems like the players on this Hoosiers squad are just that. Cignetti knows that to compete with the FBS schools, he needs his players to keep a clear head and not be “overly affected by success or failure” since it can poison the minds of the players. He wants players that bring good energy to the team and help in developing the team’s dynamic like Texas Tech transfer, Myles Price.

“He’s a really good player. He’s a great teammate, too, has a lot of positive energy… he’s a great teammate, great for the locker room,” Cignetti remarked about receiver Myles Price.

Myles Price has shown his love and passion for the game of football and for his teammates throughout the season. Anytime he is available to the media, he is just constantly smiling and always seems to be in a good mood – which is the energy that the team needs to keep going each week. Coach Cignetti also was very positive when speaking on JMU transfer, Elijah Sarratt.

“He loves ball. He’s very competitive. He’s got good talent. He’s got great ball skills. He’s really good at contested catches. He’s always up. He’s got a great personality, and he’s eager to practice, eager to play and loves ball.” Cignetti replied during his press conference when asked about Elijah Sarratt’s effectiveness.

Sarratt has really emerged as the lead receiver in the Hoosiers offense this season. When your coach gives you that much praise then you must be doing something right. It is also great to hear about his personality from Coach Cig. Sarratt is among many of the IU players that have been super friendly and appreciative of the program – and their interviews show how much fun they’ve been having. Indiana is made up of many players who have strong beliefs in this program’s success and elevate their teammates with their charming personalities.

This weekend comes their matchup against Northwestern and is another test for the Hoosiers to prove to the country that they are legit. Cignetti said in today’s press conference, “With every success comes belief, and this is a team that's a little bit on a mission, and Northwestern is the next one up.” The Hoosiers locker room is full of character and these players will make sure to elevate their teammates in order to rally and win yet another game.