5 position groups worth watching as Cignetti reshapes IU
BLOOMINGTON – Curt Cignetti hasn’t always waxed long and lyrical about his team during his first spring season at Indiana, but when the Hoosiers’ new coach has had a message to deliver, he’s not been shy.
Like Tuesday when, after a disappointingly poor practice, Cignetti suggested too many of his players “came out like the old Indiana” after last weekend’s scrimmage.
And when he’s not wanted to overshare, Cignetti has been honest about that too. He’s only pulled the curtain back a few inches, for example, on his quarterback race.
Eventually, that picture will have to clarify itself, beginning with next week’s spring game. Not just at quarterback, but a host of positions revamped or remade in the wake of IU’s coaching change last winter. With that in mind, here are five position groups to keep a close eye on come April 18.
Quarterback
Start where it matters most. Unsurprisingly, Cignetti has reserved much of what threadbare praise he’s doled out first to Kurtis Rourke. The Ohio transfer is both the most credentialed and most experienced signal caller on roster, and he’s the one his coach has singled out most often.
“I’m not going to tell you about the quarterback rotation,” Cignetti said on April 2. “From here on out I might not be very open about it. I am impressed with Rourke’s progress. Let’s just say that.”
Based on Cignetti’s assessments, returner Tayven Jackson might be closest to Rourke at the moment. Jackson, Cignetti suggested recently, has had both good and bad days during the spring.
True freshman Tyler Cherry isn’t seeing as many snaps as his older teammates, but based on Cignetti’s comments, Cherry seems entrenched with the third string right now. And while his workload hasn’t met that of the two Hoosiers ahead of him, Cherry has caught Cignetti’s eye.
“He’s getting some reps,” Cignetti said. “He doesn’t get quite as many reps as the 1s and 2s, but he’s getting reps every day. He’s not ready, but he does throw the ball to the right guy a lot. The arm strength and accuracy need to improve but for a freshman to come in and find the open receiver — doesn’t always get them the ball — but he keeps plugging along and gets better every day.”
Wide receiver
Cignetti took a raft of transfers at receiver, to boost both depth and experience in a receiver room he’ll call on regularly come fall.
Since his hiring, Cignetti has hinted at the possibility of more four-receiver sets than Indiana tended to deploy under Tom Allen, whose coordinators often preferred more H-back- and tight end-reliant formations. James Madison, by comparison, was happy to spread the field.
To that end, Cignetti and his staff added Myles Price, Ke’Shawn Williams, Elijah Sarratt and Miles Cross from the transfer portal last winter. The Hoosiers also retained leading receiver Donaven McCulley, a player Cignetti will need to up his game in the thick of a freshly competitive receiver room.
“I’m not worried, because I like that room,” Cignetti said. “The cream rises to the top.”
Offensive line
After reassembling his line through a combination of retention and the portal over the winter, Cignetti likes what he’s seen so far from the Hoosiers’ offensive front in spring practice.
“I think the offensive line for the most part has been fairly solid,” Cignetti said.
From a coach not always casual about handing out praise — this wasn’t the first time Cignetti expressed such confidence — that estimation shouldn’t go unnoticed.
The big question from IU’s perspective might be depth. Returners like Mike Katic and Carter Smith give the Hoosiers institutional knowledge. A handful of transfers ought to compete to start right away.
Particularly in the (largely) controlled environment of a spring game, can younger linemen like Austin Barrett or Bray Lynch stand out in ways that suggest they’re ready to backstop Indiana’s starting five, and fill in capably when necessary.
Defensive line
This position will be worth watching long after April 18.
Indiana entered the spring season knowing it would be short along the defensive line. Still, the absence (through surgery and subsequent rehabilitation) of players like Venson Sneed, Lanell Carr and James Madison transfer James Carpenter has been profound in its impact.
New coordinator Bryant Haines and his defensive staff will have a lot on their mind when the spring game kicks off next week. There are a handful of young players they might have a close eye on, hoping someone flattens their developmental curve given the added opportunity.
But they might also have one eye on the transfer portal Cignetti knows will be more active than usual this spring, with the NCAA’s unlimited transfer policy still in place. It stands to reason Indiana will contribute to that activity, and no position group might need more help than the defensive line.
Secondary
There have been references to some moving pieces here, like Nic Toomer sliding back to safety. IU also bolstered that position with a handful of productive transfers, including Old Dominion safeties Shawn Asbury and Terry Jones.
Corner is a bit more of a mixed bag. There are snaps returning, in the form of players like Kobee Minor and Jamari Sharpe. There are also appealing returners like Jamier Johnson, who looked set to be a more meaningful contributor last season before injuries threw his fall off track.
Asked about progress in his secondary Tuesday, Cignetti sounded like a coach still willing to keep his options open moving through the remainder of the spring season.
“I think all those guys are working hard and developing,” he said. “Once spring is over, we’ll evaluate that position, like all positions, and see if we think we have what we need to be successful in the fall.”