Curt Cignetti and the #5 Indiana Hoosiers saw their 22-game win streak come to an end on Saturday.
Indiana fell 19-15 to #4 Ohio State at home in a game the Hoosiers possibly win – if WR Nick Marsh stays in-bounds on what would have been a fourth down touchdown catch.
Read more about Cignetti’s comments surrounding the rather anemic offensive performance below.
Cignetti Subtly Criticizes Passing Game
Indiana’s offense has become a point of concern over the last two weeks. After playing their way into being one of the most efficient offenses in the nation, they went into the fourth quarter of the win over Nebraska with just seven points.
The same took place on Saturday against the Buckeyes.
Starting quarterback Josh Hoover is catching a lot of heat for the recent performance. This includes from Cignetti to an extent (Michael Niziolek, The Herald Times).
“When you play quarterback it’s all about getting the ball to the open guy, on time, accurately….we certainly had a couple misfires, but he had some nice plays too.”
Frustrations seem to be boiling over, as the Hoosier offense is suffering in a number of ways. The run game isn’t creating much positive momentum for the team. On the other hand, Hoover isn’t getting into a rhythm. The passing game is too reliant on receivers Nick Marsh and Charlie Becker making elite plays on the ball and gaining hefty yards after the catch.
Hoover’s misfires are becoming an issue as well, which is something Cignetti was clear in his displeasure of. Despite this, the 65-year-old head coach still acknowledged that his starting quarterback made positive plays.
How exactly does Indiana move past the disappointing loss? Explore what lies ahead and what the Hoosiers can do to pile up victories below.
How Indiana Adjusts Moving Forward
The remaining pieces of Indiana’s regular season schedule is far from menacing.
Next week is a road battle against Michigan. The Wolverines don’t possess an imposing offense, but the defense is worth reckoning. After this, Cignetti and Indiana take on Minnesota and USC at home. The Trojans are perhaps the most significant challenge remaining, but the team doesn’t field a quality defense. USC quarterback Jayden Maiava is a game-changer in his own right, so this is a contest to monitor as it approaches.
Indiana closes out the regular season against Washington and Purdue. This two-game closing slate makes it likely that Indiana reaches the Big 10 title game again if they take care of business before this point.
However, there are issues they must work out if they are truly fighting for a national title. This starts with finding new avenues to catalyze the run game, make Hoover more comfortable within the game script, and working the elite receiving duo into the game early.
There’s little doubt that Indiana has strides to take to return to their 2025 highs. While the climb is steep, it’s difficult to doubt Cignetti at this stage. Until then, IU continues their pursuit for another Big 10 title.
Curt Cignetti Calls Out Indiana’s Passing Game After Narrow Loss to Ohio State