It's easy to get enamored with No. 2 Indiana's glitzy offense.
The gritty, increasingly stout defense has been just as impressive — maybe even better.
On Saturday, the Hoosiers set the tone with an interception
return for a touchdown on the second play of the game and that came two weeks after holding usually high-octane Oregon to one field goal over the final 39 minutes of game time.
So, as Indiana continues chasing its goals — a perfect regular season, the first Big Ten championship game berth in school history, a second straight playoff bid and a national championship — coach Curt Cignetti knows he needs a strong, steady defense to achieve those feats.
“The kids respond,” Cignetti said after Saturday's 56-6 rout of UCLA. “They have a lot of pride. We have some defensive backs back there that have really good ball skills. The safeties, as much as I like to get on them about being late to get lined up and stuff like that, they have really good ball skills. They’ve made a lot of really nice interceptions. Our linebackers do, too. We do a good job of stopping the run.”
Frankly, the Hoosiers (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) have done everything pretty well this season.
They head to Maryland this weekend ranked among the top 12 in the Football Bowl Subdivision in scoring defense (10.9 points per game), total defense (242.8 yards), pass defense (157.4) and run defense (85.4). Their time of possession advantage, more than nine minutes per game, also ranks fourth nationally.
But how good this defense has been is not reflected by numbers alone.
Prior to the Michigan State game, Spartans coach Jonathan Smith said he couldn't find a weakness. Other coaches and analysts have raved about Indiana's ability to tackle and their use of proper techniques — features that don't happen by chance.
“They get us really prepared for every game,” defensive tackle Tyrique Tucker said, referring to the Hoosiers' coaches. “They make sure we know everything. We see all the looks at practice. They all do a really great job at preparing us for what we are about to see out there.”
They'll even mix it up come game time.
Following Saturday's contest, Bruins interim coach Tim Skipper credited the Hoosiers with throwing some “unscouted” looks at his offense, something a veteran unit like Indiana's is capable of.
Linebacker Aiden Fisher, who had the game-changing takeaway against UCLA, defensive end Mikail Kamara and cornerback D'Angelo Ponds each possess All-American credentials and each followed Cignetti and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines from James Madison to Indiana. Tucker, another transfer from James Madison, is one of the Big Ten's top interior linemen.
Their experience in the system has helped new transfers such as safety Louis Moore, who played at Mississippi last year, and defensive lineman Hosea Wheeler, who was at Western Kentucky, make quick, productive transitions.
The emergence of Isaiah Jones as a starting linebacker has helped, too.
Jones made only two starts in 2024, but has become a menace for opposing quarterbacks and now ranks third on the team in tackles (45), behind only Moore and Fisher. Jones also took over the defensive play-calling duties last weekend when Fisher left with a knee injury after only two series.
While Fisher is expected to play against the Terrapins (4-3, 1-3), Jones promises to be ready if he's making the calls again at Maryland. But the secret to his success is simple — preparation.
“We have a lot of cut-ups,” Jones said earlier this season. “Really, it’s just using angles and attacking the offense. We don’t want to sit back and kind of react to the offense; we want to get after them, get after the quarterback, and kind of get them off schedule.”
But perhaps the most critical component to Indiana's improved defense is Haines.
The former Ball State linebacker first joined Cignetti at Indiana (Pa.) in 2014 and 2015 as a defensive line and strength and conditioning coach, then rejoined Cignetti at Elon in 2017 as linebackers coach. He followed Cignetti to James Madison in 2019 and, after spending three seasons, as JMU's co-defensive coordinator, Haines shed the “co” title in 2022.
Yes, he has had chances bigger or better jobs, choosing instead to stay with Cignetti where he has produced some of the best defenses in the nation year after year.
“I’m glad he decided to stay last year when he had some opportunities because he’s a super key guy in the organization," said the 64-year-old Cignetti, who recently signed an eight-year contract extension. “Every year, the package continues to build, the production numbers are great. We’re always in the top three of the country against the run, we’re normally in the top 10 in (tackles for loss) and sacks, the least amount of yards given up.”
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