Matchup to Watch: Week One – IU’s Passing Attack Against Florida International’s Defense.
/
Written by: TJ Inman
The Indiana Hoosiers begin the 2024 season on Saturday and usher in a new era as Curt Cignetti coaches his first game in charge of the IU football program. The past couple of decades have not been without their highlights and exciting times: there was hope and optimism under Terry Hoeppner before his tragic passing, the Austin Starr field goal to send IU bowling, the offensive fireworks under Kevin Wilson with players like Tevin Coleman, the joy of the 2019 and 2020 seasons as IU surged under Tom Allen with Kalen DeBoer and Kane Wommack on staff. By and large though, Indiana football has provided consistent punches to the gut for Hoosier fans.
There is a sense of cautious optimism and, dare I say, confidence that has permeated the program since the arrival of Curt Cignetti and his staff. Cignetti is accomplished and assured of himself. He believes in how he does and the results that process leads to. The roster has been transformed, the coaching staff is nearly entirely new and Memorial Stadium has been given a facelift. The time for wondering how this is all going to go has passed and it is now time to see the fruits of the offseason work harvested on the field.
There are so many unknowns that singling out one matchup is nigh impossible. For the sake of the article, we’ll only focus on the one area I believe IU fans are most interested in seeing: IU’s passing attack against Florida International’s defense.
The Hoosiers have not had a potent passing attack since at least 2020. Even that season was choppy and inconsistent. New offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan, quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri and head coach Curt Cignetti have a track record of producing much better offenses than the Hoosiers have put on the field recently. Each of the quarterbacks Curt Cignetti coached at James Madison ended up winning Conference Player of the Year honors. To continue that particular trend at Indiana this season would be a shocking miracle but at minimum, a major improvement for the Hoosiers is expected. Indiana brought in veteran transfer quarterback Kurtis Rourke from Ohio. The “Maple Missile” was injured and not quite himself in 2023 and this will be his first chance to impress and show he is ready to lead the offense.
Tayven Jackson is right behind him and his goal will be finding consistency and showing improved field vision and decision-making, if he sees playing time in week one. The pass-catching group Rourke will be throwing to is one of the deepest and most talented units on the roster. Donaven McCulley is back and he’s now joined by incoming transfers Elijah Sarratt, Myles Price, Ke’Shawn Williams and Miles Cross along with tight end Zach Horton.
This team can go eight deep at wide receiver and Mike Shanahan will deploy a lot of four or even five receiver sets to test defenses. Florida International is a good first opponent for a passing attack to work out some kinks. The Panthers surrendered 31.8 points per game and opposing quarterbacks averaged a 144.64 passer rating while throwing for 26 touchdowns to only six interceptions. FIU does not appear to have any difference-making pass rushers but they do have optimism the secondary can be a lot better. Jamal Potts and CJ Christian form a pair of experienced and good safeties and veteran corners Brian Blades and Hezekiah Masses are solid.
The Indiana Hoosiers should have the opportunity to test themselves against a solid, but certainly unspectacular, pass defense on Saturday afternoon in Bloomington. Can the Hoosiers impose their will with the increased talent and depth at wide receiver, an upgrade at quarterback and a major change in scheme? The success of the passing game will go a long way towards determining the outcome of Saturday’s game but how things look against FIU could tell us an awful lot about what to expect for the rest of the 2024 season. Indiana enters a new era on the gridiron and Hoosier fans are hoping it is anything but more of the same.