‘Got to Suck it Up and Go’ Indiana Turns Toward Another Physical Test at Michigan

Indiana won’t get much time to catch its breath.

After a physical loss to Ohio State, the Hoosiers head to Michigan for their eighth game in eight weeks. The bye week is getting closer, but there are still two games to play before Indiana gets there.

For Curt Cignetti, there isn’t much of a choice. Indiana must turn the page, clean up its mistakes and get ready for another physical matchup.

“I mean, look, this business and what we ask of players is not easy stuff; this is hard,” Cignetti said Monday. “It took a lot of effort. It was a physical game. A lot of guys, you know, felt a lot better ten days ago than they do right now.”

“But we got to suck it up and go. Got no choice.”

That’s the challenge for Indiana this week. The Hoosiers have to respond to a disappointing loss while preparing for a Michigan team coming off a comeback win at Penn State.

Cignetti didn’t leave Saturday questioning whether Indiana could compete. After reviewing the game, he saw a team that had its opportunities but made mistakes it typically avoids.

His focus now is making sure those mistakes don’t follow the Hoosiers to Ann Arbor.

“I woke up, you know, with kind of a new perspective: That we proved that we’re capable,” Cignetti said. “Just got to clean up a couple things and get a little better in certain areas.”

One of those areas is finding more production on the ground.

Cignetti said Indiana called 46 passes and 26 runs against Ohio State, a balance he described as “very uncharacteristic of us.” While he pointed to stretches when the Hoosiers ran the ball effectively, they haven’t generated an explosive run in either of their last two games.

Getting that part of the offense going again won’t get any easier against Michigan.

“All starts up front,” Cignetti said. “We all want more consistent production, explosive plays. Haven’t got any explosive plays the last two weeks in the run game.”

Cignetti praised Michigan’s defensive quickness, its pursuit of the ball and the effort it plays with from snap to snap. For an Indiana offense looking for more consistency, that leaves little room for the execution mistakes that proved costly Saturday.

“Really impressed with their defense,” Cignetti said. “Their quickness, their tenacity, the way they play, play in and play out, the way they run to the ball. It’s top-flight defense.”

Indiana’s defense, meanwhile, will have its own preparation to handle.

Michigan changed quarterbacks in the second half against Penn State and scored three second-half touchdowns to win. Cignetti said the change gave the Wolverines “a shot in the arm,” though he didn’t see a major shift in their offensive scheme.

He also isn’t ruling out having to defend both quarterbacks at once.

“Could be two quarterbacks on the field at the same time,” Cignetti said. “That would not surprise me.”

The Hoosiers will need another strong performance from a defense Cignetti felt rose to the occasion against Ohio State. Indiana created two turnovers, set up its first score and forced the Buckeyes to settle for field goals when they got into scoring position.

Cignetti credited both the pressure up front and the tight coverage behind it. That effort gave Indiana opportunities to win, and he knows a similar performance will be needed this week.

“I thought it was an outstanding effort,” Cignetti said, “and we’re going to need another one this week.”

The task now is getting everyone ready to deliver it. Cignetti said there could be a slight adjustment to help keep players healthy and fresh, but nothing major.

There is still another game after Michigan before Indiana reaches its open week. For now, the Hoosiers have to prepare for a team carrying momentum from its win at Penn State, while making sure their own loss doesn’t carry into the next Saturday.

“It will be a very physical football game again, our eighth game in a row,” Cignetti said. “So looking forward, not backward, and this will be a very tough challenge.”