Curt Cignetti: IU’s “Total Focus on Purdue”

Written By: Ben Gillard (@benjgillard)

Following a disappointing loss in Columbus on Saturday, Head Coach Curt Cignetti met with the media on Monday. Cignetti briefly mentioned the OSU game before shifting the focus entirely to the Old Oaken Bucket Game against Purdue this Saturday.

Cignetti opened the press conference by stating, “Total focus on Purdue, rivalry game. Obviously a big game, Saturday night, 7:00, Thanksgiving week, weekend. Really need to get the students back. Need to pack the stadium. It’s got to be loud. It’s got to be a winning edge for us.” Over the course of the season, we have witnessed a culture change at Indiana, as Memorial Stadium has gone from half-full crowds to sold out for the rest of the season. This home-field advantage is part of the reason IU has gone undefeated at home this season, and Hoosier fans need to keep this momentum going to bring the Bucket home.

Turning specifically to the Boilermakers, Cignetti said, They’re a capable team, and they’re not having the kind of season they wanted to have, obviously, but they’re also a team that’s scored 40 points in the second half against Illinois to come back from a 27-3 deficit and send the game to overtime. At this level, everybody is capable…We’ve got to play well and play very well.”

Part of the reason why Purdue was able to score in a hurry was the talent at their skill positions. “Yeah, the quarterback is a very talented guy. He’s got arm talent and really good escapability. The tight end is a weapon with 46 catches. The one receiver, [Edrine], is a very explosive player, and they’ve got a speed guy, too, and then they’ve got some guys that make good, contested catches.” Cignetti highlighted, before saying, “We’ve got to have a great week of preparation and take care of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and put ourselves in the best position for Saturday.”

While some have questioned whether this roster of first-year Hoosiers would fully understand what it means to play in the Bucket Game, Cignetti was quick to shut this narrative down, saying, “They all understand what a rivalry game is, and they know what’s at stake. I expect us to have a great week.”

While the CFP waters continue to be muddy, the Hoosiers have a great opportunity to make their case to the committee by winning convincingly in a rivalry game to end the season. Knowing how Cignetti operates, I can only imagine what this week of practice was like. Here’s hoping that the Hoosiers can take out some of their frustrations over the OSU loss on Purdue this Saturday.