Fresh off a Defensive MVP performance in the Rose Bowl, D’Angelo Ponds put together another stellar performance in Friday’s Peach Bowl. Ponds needed just one play to make a difference in the game. On the very first play from scrimmage, Ponds picked off Oregon QB Dante Moore’s pass and returned it for a touchdown, giving the Hoosiers an early 7-0 lead.
Head coach Curt Cignetti knew just how important that play was, opening his postgame press conference saying, “It all started with Ponds’ pick six.” That pick six was the first time in CFP history that a defense has scored a touchdown on the first defensive play of the game.
For Ponds, this pick began in the film room. When asked if he changed anything up after reviewing the Oregon film, Ponds said, “Actually, I did. We play a lot of cover three. So coming out, I kind of knew it was a RPO type of deal. I played off so I could break on the ball. Kind of read his eyes and got a jump on it. It was an amazing feeling walking into the end zone.”
Dante Moore shouldn’t feel too bad however; he is not the first quarterback Ponds has picked off, and likely he won’t be the last. In fact, in the postgame press conference, Fernando Mendoza revealed that “D’Angelo actually picked me off in high school in a Miami game.”
When asked to elaborate on that interception, Mendoza said, “He’s a really good player, and he picked me off. I mean, it was starting off against man, but against this guy, it’s tough. I’m thankful to be on his team now. It’s a good full-circle moment for both of us to play on the same team now.”
Ponds didn’t just make an impact on the defensive side of the ball, for the first time in his Indiana career, he saw snaps on offense, catching a pass for a key redzone third down conversion.
Speaking to the media about this after the game, Curt Cignetti said, “I can actually take credit for that one. I still sit in on the offensive meetings, but I don’t call the plays anymore and haven’t for about nine years. It was a play that matched up well against their defense on third and two. We thought we could also use it in medium. And D’Angelo is probably the best start/stop guy, and he’s got speed, and thought it would be a nice little change-up pitch.”
Fernando Mendoza echoed this statement, saying, “I mean, especially against a solid team, it’s basically the same play Jeremiah Smith ran in the National Championship last year against Notre Dame. D’Angelo, you saw him on the pick six. His start/stop is incredible, if not the best in the nation.”
Mendoza continued saying, “So to be able to have him run that and throw the man coverage, and it was man coverage. So at that point, I needed to put the ball in the vicinity of D’Angelo because, although he’s a defensive back, he has fantastic ball skills. He has great hands. He could be a receiver; he has such great hands. It was kind of an extended hand off to him, and not only is he a great change of direction, great hands, he is also the fastest player on our team, too. So that helps for the first down.”
Ponds isn’t going to take too much of the credit however; instead, he is going to heap praise on the coaches. “I feel like our coaches also do a good job of putting together a game plan for us. Each week they put us in the right positions, and we kind of just buy into what they’re saying and trust in what they’re saying, and I feel like that’s what makes us successful.” He said after the game.
Game after game, Ponds continues to make big plays. On January 19th, he will have the chance to make big plays in his hometown of Miami while playing for a National Championship against his hometown school.