The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1523593
THE WOLVERINE 2024 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 131 BY CLAYTON SAYFIE Indiana won 11 Big Ten games over a two-year stretch from 2019- 20 alone, appearing to finally break through under head coach Tom Allen after years of being oh- so-close. In the three years since then, though, the Hoosiers have notched just nine total victories, and Allen was fired following a 3-9 campaign in 2023. Indiana hadn't finished better than .500 in con- ference play since 1993 before Al- len did so two straight seasons, but it was time to move on with the program in decline. As college football enters a new era, including with an 18-team Big Ten, Indiana has a new head coach in Curt Cignetti who's in- jecting some life into the Hoo- siers' program, which hasn't won a conference crown since sharing it in 1967. Cignetti has been intense on the recruiting trail, and he's created momentum despite Indiana's dis- mal recent history on the field. He's been able to sell his own individual success in the past, with the 62-year-old possessing a 119-35 record as a college head coach. Most recently, he helped James Madison successfully transition from the FCS to FBS, with the Dukes posting a 19-4 re- cord since elevating to the highest level of intercollegiate football. "It's pretty simple: I win. Google me," Cignetti famously said at a press con- ference after being hired, discussing his pitch to prospective Indiana student- athletes. Indiana has reeled in more than two dozen transfers, including 12 from James Madison, ahead of the 2023 campaign. He brought some of the most talented Dukes with him, including four who earned All-Sun Belt honors a year ago in senior tight end Zach Horton (first team), junior wide receiver Elijah Sarratt (first), redshirt senior offensive guard Tyler Stephens (second) and junior line- backer Aiden Fisher (third). Offense is Cignetti's calling card, and that unit may have some juice to it in his first season in Bloom- ington. Senior wideout Donaven Mc- Culley led the team with 48 catches for 644 yards and 6 scores last season, and he de- cided to return after testing the transfer portal waters. The quar- terback situation is all but settled with 2023 starter Brendan Sorsby transferring to Cincinnati this spring and Ohio graduate transfer Kurtis Rourke standing atop the depth chart. He made 33 starts over five seasons in Athens and was named MAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2022. There's nowhere to go but up after averaging 22.2 points per game a year ago, with no explo- siveness (only 13 plays of 30-plus yards). The same goes for the de- fense, which allowed 29.9 points per contest, forced only 13 turn- overs and allowed opponents to score touchdowns on 62.2 per- cent of their red-zone appearances. New defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, who's been with Cignetti at all four of his head coaching stops, was a 2023 Broyles Award semifinalist — and he'll look to get the most out of a group with lots of question marks. Only five starters are back, and four of the top five tacklers have departed. Redshirt senior linebacker Lanell Carr Jr. (8.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks) is one of the top players on defense. He and Fisher, who accumulated 108 tackles with James Madison last year, can make up a stout linebacker corps. Defensive tackle also looks like a potential strong spot, with the Hoosiers beating out Michigan and others for Kent State graduate transfer CJ West, who recorded 7 tackles for loss in the MAC last season. ❑ QUICK FACTS All-Time Series: Michigan leads 62-10 First Meeting: U-M 12, IU 0 (Nov. 3, 1900 in Ann Arbor) Last Meeting: U-M 52, Indiana 7 (Oct. 14, 2023 in Ann Arbor) Head Coach: Curt Cignetti, 0-0 at Indiana (first year) and 119-35 overall (14th year) 2023 In Review: 3-9, 1-8 Big Ten (7th East) Final 2023 Ranking: Unranked Returning Starters: 9 (4 offense, 5 defense, 1 specialist) Last Bowl Appearance: 2020 (Outback Bowl vs. Ole Miss, L 26-20) RETURNING LEADERS Passing: Tayven Jackson (914 yards, 2 TD) Rushing: None Receiving: Donaven McCulley (644 yards, 6 TD) Tackles: Jacob Mangum-Farrar (62) Sacks: Lanell Carr Jr. (5) Interceptions: Josh Sanguinetti (2) Indiana Looks To Win Under New Head Coach Curt Cignetti Indiana senior wide receiver Donaven McCulley is a converted quar- terback who started behind center against Michigan in 2021. PHOTO COURTESY INDIANA ATHLETICS 2024 SCHEDULE Date Opponent 2023 Result Aug. 31 Florida International — Sept. 7 Western Illinois — Sept. 14 at UCLA — Sept. 21 Charlotte — Sept. 28 Maryland L, 44-17 Oct. 5 at Northwestern — Oct. 19 Nebraska — Oct. 26 Washington — Nov. 2 at Michigan State L, 24-21 Nov. 9 Michigan L, 52-7 Nov. 23 at Ohio State L, 23-2 Nov. 30 Purdue L, 35-31 REASONS FOR OPTIMISM • Excitement under new coach Curt Cignetti • Playmaking on offense • Transfers mean fresh blood While it means there's uncertainty, having a lot of transfers come in rather than returning a bunch of starters from a bad team means Indi- ana will have a good chance to improve. Cignetti made some nice lands in the portal and has cre- ated a buzz around the program. REASONS FOR CONCERN • Lack of proven talent defensively • Relying on many JMU transfers • Pass defense It's hard to rebuild a program in such short or- der, even with the transfer portal as a resource. Cignetti won with his guys at James Madison, but the new-look Big Ten is a major step up from the Sun Belt. GAME 10 • INDIANA HOOSIERS • NOV. 9