Video, Quotes: Curt Cignetti reacts to IU football’s win against North Texas

Curt Cignetti addressed the media following IU football’s 52-16 win against North Texas on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.

Watch Cignetti’s postgame comments below:

A full transcript is available below, via ASAP Sports:

CURT CIGNETTI: I heard a couple minutes ago the heat index was at 152, which I’ve never heard of in my life. People that gave me that information felt like it was a pretty accurate reading.

It’s good to win. There will be a lot of critiques, for sure. Both corners go down in the first quarter, never return… They will be back. Those are not long-term deals.

Khobie Martin, who I consider a starter, three starters in the first quarter, he might be out for a little bit.

I didn’t think we played real well on defense. Had a soft balance, whether it was poor tackling, out on the perimeter. When you play a first game, especially with a new staff, you’re not exactly sure what you’re going to see offensively. You see some looks that you haven’t practiced, you have to make some adjustments. That was the case.

Offensively we made some big plays. I thought Josh Hoover was sharp. We made some big plays in the kickoff return game, and special teams in general was solid.

So we’re 1-0. There will be a lot of critiques.

Questions.

Q. Josh had that moment where he got hit, stays in the game, bleeding, the touchdown. How important was toughness and grit like that? How much does that resonate on the sidelines and in the locker room?

CURT CIGNETTI: Yeah, that’s a good point and a good question.

I was watching the pattern down the field so I didn’t see the hit. Then when they showed the replay, I didn’t see it either. I saw it on a tablet. Saw his face and his pants afterwards.

I thought he played well. Like, I’m sure he earned the respect of his teammates based on his performance today. He’s a veteran. I’m glad he had a good opener.

Q. Simplistic, but talking about Josh and Charlie, how important is it for a new quarterback to just get that rhythm with one of his primary receivers as quickly as they seemed to?

CURT CIGNETTI: I mean, reading the articles, sounds like those two hooked up as soon as Josh got here. They had a problem covering Charlie today, for sure. We probably left a couple out there, too. Nick Marsh made a really nice play on the first touchdown. Tyler Morris made a few plays. Got Davion Chandler involved. Now he’s not supposed to spike the ball. Trying to look for reasons to play him; he’s giving me reasons not to. I mean, that’s youth (smiling).

I thought the passing game in general was decent.

Q. With the heat conditions, did that alter anything in terms of the way you called the game, played the game?

CURT CIGNETTI: No, it really didn’t. Did not at all. It was tough on our guys, I’m sure. We both had a plan.

Q. From a coach’s eye, why was Hoover efficient today?

CURT CIGNETTI: We battled. We had open opportunities and delivered the football. For the most part he had protection, other than the one he got hit, which he flipped the protection. Probably shouldn’t have. There was one other time where he escaped the pocket and made a play out of pocket.

The throw to Charlie for the touchdown wasn’t a really good throw. Charlie was so open, (indiscernible) to stick that ball and throw it. That’s why I was so happy the next series, he cut that loose to Chaz, then a really good throw on the touchdown to Chandler. I thought he played really well, so…

When you ask me why did the players play good, I guess it’s because they’re good players.

Q. How important is it he had no turnovers, nothing close to a turnover?

CURT CIGNETTI: Yeah, we’ll take that for sure, right? 13 to 16, that’s over 75%, I think. Four touchdowns, no picks, no turnovers. Take that every week, no doubt.

Q. What makes you guys so efficient?

CURT CIGNETTI: This was a different kind of game. We had a hard time getting them off the field on defense. We had some bigger plays on offense. Not every game goes this way. I think we have had one kind of like this since I’ve been here. I can’t remember which one. But like at the end we’re just trying to run the clock out. Quarterback pulls the ball and runs for a 52-yard touchdown, so…

Q. Before that run by Grant, I think you guys were under a hundred rushing yards. Your assessment overall of the running game?

CURT CIGNETTI: I think it will be hard for me to critique the run game right now without seeing the tape.

Q. Two big plays to start things off. The kick return and the touchdown pass to Marsh. How important was it to start out the game that way?

CURT CIGNETTI: That’s one of the things we talked about in the locker room when I talked to the team right before the game, is let’s try to start a little better than last year when ODU scored on the first play of the game. We did. We just didn’t play quite as well in between, the rest of the first quarter like we did last year.

Q. Once Harris went down early, what did you see from…

CURT CIGNETTI: I’m going to have to see the tape. They played a lot of snaps.

Q. You don’t really want to talk about last year, but seeing the new sign in the south end zone, what was that response from you?

CURT CIGNETTI: I didn’t see it. I heard we were putting it up. I think we were in the locker room. I knew we were going to be in the locker room. I honestly never saw it. But I know we won it last year. It was fun (laughter).

Q. Looked like you got the running game when you needed it to control the ball, control the possession, all that. Did that part satisfy you?

CURT CIGNETTI: I mean, it’s hard for me to remember every play, especially when it’s 152 out and you’re 65 years old.

Early in the game, they came out with five defensive linemen in the first play, which caught us way off guard. Then we chipped away at a few runs there.

But it was pretty obvious as the game got going that it was the pass game where the big chunks were. That one series we kind of screwed it up. We threw two screens (indiscernible). I didn’t like that. Although I was responsible for the first screen. I’ll take responsibility for that.

See More: Video