Quotes: Everything Curt Cignetti said at his Monday press conference ahead of North Texas

Curt Cignetti addressed the media on Monday ahead of Saturday’s season opener against North Texas at Memorial Stadium.

Here’s everything Cignetti said in his press conference:

Opening statement:

“Alright, looking forward to prep for game week. I know our guys are tired of hitting each other. It ought to be exciting, got stacked days and meetings, want to play well. North Texas team won 12 games last year, a new coaching staff, a lot of new players, I think it was 50 transfers and 70 total guys. Neal Brown, good football coach, accustomed to a setting like this, beat LSU when he was at Troy a while back. So we gotta get ready to go.”

On messaging to the team this week and if it’s putting last season in the rearview mirror or something else they need to hear:

“No, I think our whole thing’s always been keeping the main thing the main thing and controlling the controllables. And it’s all about preparing to the best of our ability and putting it between the white lines against the first opponent.

“And that’s why today’s an important day and tomorrow’s an important day. And we’ll focus on that and have the right mindset and respect for the challenge that’s forthcoming. And play like we wanna play, our brand of ball.”

On whether he’s refined his process for scouting with programs with a lot of changes in the offseason:

“Yeah, we get a scouting report on all the transfers. A lot of them, once we get in the Big Ten play, we’ll know. Like on the offensive side of the ball, it’s been a lot of Baylor tape and on the defensive side of the ball, a lot of West Virginia tape and some Texas maybe.

“So it is different now and I’ve never really played a game quite like this one, where there’s just so many new faces, from players to coaches.”

On what he sees and how he feels about the offensive line going into the season:

“Well, I’m anxious to see how we do. Running the football obviously is paramount for us and stopping the run on defense. So I think we have a chance to be pretty good and I’m anxious to see how we play, play in, play out.”

On the attributes he looks for in a kicker and how Nico Radicic fits in that role:

“You know, Grant Cain does a great job of evaluating kickers. We’ve had quite a few portal guys at kickoff, and punter and long snapper. Nico is just money in the bank and really focused. His technique is good and he’s had a great fall camp. And we had a guy at JMU, (Ethan) Ratke, very similar to him, set an NCAA record and we just have a lot of confidence in him.”

On what makes the running game good for North Texas:

“I mean, they have a system, they had a system at West Virginia. Now, there’s some unknowns that things could change, we could see some things that we haven’t seen on tape.

“But Jaheim White in particular, he was injured and missed some of the last season. But he’s really fast and elusive, he’s great in space.”

On playing against Tayven Jackson:

“Yeah, Tayven played really good football for us in 24, came in at halftime in the Nebraska game and played a great second half and started the next week against Washington, a game that we won. And he saw action, he’s very talented. He’s got a live arm, he can run, he’s a good athlete. Started a number of games last season, so he’s a good player.”

On the secondary and what he’s looking for in the opener from that group:

“Good coverage and good tackling, and guys doing their job and doing what they’re supposed to do. I think we have a chance to be good back there, (Jamari) Sharpe’s had a consistent camp. We’ve got AJ (Harris) back competing with (Ryland) Gandy.

“So (Amare) Farrell’s had a really good camp and the free safety spot we’ve got two veterans there that can also play rover. Wish we had a little more depth at the safety position, but we are where we are.”

On the health of the team coming out of fall camp:

“We didn’t lose anyone, other than probably (Trevor) Gibbs would be questionable for the game, he would be the only one.”

On his message for the fanbase ahead of the opener:

“Well, let’s be loud and proud. Let’s give them something to be loud about. So it’s worth two touchdowns, in my mind, no question about it.”

On his excitement about opening up the season at home:

“Yeah, I mean, our fanbase, just so proud of the way they’ve turned out and really gotten behind this football team. So, it’s just nice to switch gears. Camp can get a little old near the end, hitting each other. I know the guys are gonna be really excited now to run out there and play.”

On what he’s looking to see from his team in the opener:

“I want us to play to a standard play-in play-out, from the first play to last play, the things that we emphasize. And I wanna feel good about our performance walking off the field. Last year against ODU, they ripped off a 75-yard touchdown on the first play.

“Our first touchdown was a 90-yard punt return. And then we scored our first offensive touchdown with 3:36 to go in the second quarter. And we were inside the ten six times and came away with 20 points, which isn’t very good. Had the ball first and we couldn’t get it in the end zone. So we won the game, which is what we wanted to get done. But thinking there’s a lot of work to get done and there’s gonna be a lot of work to get done regardless. I’d like to see us play a nice, clean game.”

On the State Farm commercial and some of the other off the field opportunities he took this offseason:

“Yeah, I thought the Indy 500 thing was good. That’s part of the fabric of the state. State Farm, been around a real long time.

“The EA Sports thing, I think, was good for recruiting. So we turned down a lot and those are the ones we chose.”

On how things have changed for him from two years ago when he was preparing for his first game as the IU coach:

“Really more the same than different, to be quite honest with you. The biggest difference is, I think now, I know the building better, how to get around. And pre-game, before we go out for warm-ups, I know where I’m gonna dress and where I’m gonna get away from everybody and things like that. A lot more same than different.”

On the newcomers embracing the culture:

“I think up to this point, well. Now we’re gonna find out. This is when it really counts. And I believe you learn about your team every week. Every time you go out there and play a game, you learn a lot about your team. So, what’s done is done. This is a new football team and we have a chance to be pretty good, but we gotta do it.”

On the center position and how he feels about that spot:

“Good, Bray Lynch will be the center, he’s a veteran guy. He’s smart, he snaps the ball well, I feel good about it.”

(Photo credit: IU Athletics)

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