Your Team Can Win a National Championship: Indiana Edition

The Indiana Hoosiers changed their trajectory, for their football program, and even their University this off season with one hire. Curt Cignetti, age 63, received his first big time coaching job opportunity when Indiana offered him the keys to the program, with the goal of changing the Basketball School narrative for Indiana. He started by sparking a fire for the fanbase when he called out in state rivals, Purdue, but then he continued and called out Ohio State and Michigan, the two “big dogs” of the Big 10. He turned the program around in one season, which is now a legit possibility in the transfer portal/NIL word, and finished with a 11-1 record and an at-large bid to the 12 team playoff.

Indiana can win a national title because of Curt Cignetti. Cignetti has been apart of championship teams before, I could list off everywhere he has won, but it would be easier if you “googled him”. Not only has Cignetti been apart of championship teams, he’s coached at the FCS level which is vital experience for him. Yes the caliber of teams that are in the FCS are different, but it’s not that difference between the two divisions that serves in Cignetti’s favor. FCS decides their champion with a 24 team playoff, and while Cignetti was at JMU and the Dukes were still apart of the FCS, they made 2 deep playoff runs, one to the Championship where the loss to FCS power house NDSU, and another where they made it to the Semi-finals. Cignetti has the most experience out of any of the CFP Coaches when it comes to Division 1 playoffs, and if they can make it out of the first round that could be a major factor.

Indiana can win a national title because of their defense. Their defense may not have been tested by high power offenses, outside of Ohio State, but they rank top 10 in almost every team defensive stat. Their defensive front is the strength, being lead by CJ West, James Carpenter, and Mikail Kamara. The star power doesn’t burn out when they move past the big guys, Indiana has a first-team All Big 10 player at every level. Aiden Fisher is the leader in the middle of the defense, and D’Angelo Ponds serves as Indiana’s Lockdown corner. (Kamara, Fisher, and Ponds were all brought over from JMU, so yeah Cignetti can also recruit) The defense is led by DC Bryant Haines who has been with Cignetti for a decade, serving as coordinator or co-coordinator at JMU for all 5 years, where his defense posted multiple top-10 seasons at the FCS level, and 2 top-25 seasons once JMU made the jump to FBS. If you believe the saying, “Defense wins championships” then not only are you a 55-year old man, but you probably like Indiana’s chances.

Indiana can win a national title because of offensive play style. Kurtis Rourke is uber efficient, posting the best passer rating in all of college football. In the backfield they have their two headed monster of Justice Ellison and Ty Son Lawton, who helped the Hoosiers to a top-10 finish in rushing touchdowns. On the outside they are littered with talent, but are led by Elijah Sarratt who uses his 6’2 frame to his advantage with 50/50 balls and contested catches. They run a typical college offense, relying on zone run schemes that forces the defense to open up lanes, and if you think about selling out on the run, Rourke is always able to pull it and hit a receiver or call his own number and use his legs. All these factors led to Indiana finish as the number 2 scoring offense in all of College Football, and number 1 of CFP Teams.

Indiana CAN’T win a national title because this is a rebuild roster that over-achieved. Cignetti took this job and quickly after the calvary answered his call as well. Indiana has 12 staff members and 13 players that came with Cignetti from JMU, and even though the Dukes finished 11-1 and had their first ever bowl appearance, the roster makeups of some of these playoff teams are on a different level. Some people will counter and say that this team went 11-1 in the regular season dominating Power-4 teams along the way, to which I will applaud them for digging in, and then promptly point out that Indiana had a Strength of Schedule ranked at 68, which is good for second worst out of all Power-4 teams. Indiana had one true test this year when they faced off with Ohio State and that ended in a 38-15 loss, where Indiana’s 2 scoring drives came on the first and last drive of the game. In between those 2 scoring drives, Indiana’s offense accounted for 6, yes just 6 total yards of offense. Indiana winning the CFP title would be a long shot, but I for one am excited to see the next steps for Coach Cignetti’s Program.