Indiana's Curt Cignetti Heaps Praise on Illinois Ahead of Massive Week 4 Matchup

No. 9 Illinois (3-0) has built a level of eagerness and enthusiasm around the football program that the Champaign-Urbana area hasn’t seen in decades. And the Illini aren’t just a hot commodity locally, as they’ve even caught the eye of college football’s top experts – including five ESPN analysts who appear quite high on Bret Bielema’s squad.

Still, Illinois isn’t playing to win over the pundits, and although it certainly would prefer the local community to rally around the program, there is really only one goal at the forefront of the minds of the Illini: winning games.

Praise is welcome nonetheless – especially from one of college football's most respected minds. And it arrived on Monday from a somewhat unlikely source: Indiana coach Curt Cignetti.

Luke Altmyer impresses Curt Cignetti

“Veteran quarterback, has got arm talent, very accurate, can extend plays” Cignetti said of Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer. "He’s won a bunch of games for Illinois … impressed with Altmyer."

Here's that big third down conversion from Altmyer to Bowick.

Simply incredible play by Luke to keep it alive, and Justin stays in bounds. Called a TD on the field, changed to the one yard line -- Kaden Feagin touchdown followed. pic.twitter.com/7d0fNGrh9w
— Glenn Kinley (@glenn_kinley) September 6, 2025

Often, college football head coaches heave vague compliments in the direction of their opponent on game week, but Cignetti (who is as candid as college football coaches get) had effusive, and fairly specific, praise for Altmyer in his Monday press conference.

Altmyer has indeed been quite accurate through three games in 2025 (his 71.8 completion percentage would represent a career high by seven percentage points if it held up), and he has, in fact, won Illinois a lot of games.

Altmyer's record as a starter in Champaign is 17-8, which, mind you, tops any single-season winning percentage Illinois has achieved without Altmyer since 2007.

Luke Altmyer does it all for @IlliniFootball.

📺: FS1 pic.twitter.com/tNPg7NWNzD
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 14, 2025

Curt Cignetti highlights Illinois’ well-coached defense

“Multiple personnel groupings defensively: 4-2-5, 5-1-5, 5-2-4, 4-1-6 and others," Cignetti said. "They do a nice job of disguising coverages, got some nice disguises. And they play a lot of guys, got a lot of good players. Run to the ball. Get a lot of hats to the football. Good pressure on the quarterback, tight coverage. Really tied together well with good players."

After showing mostly vanilla coverages and making few scheme adjustment against Western Illinois in the opener (surely deliberately), Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry was forced to show a bit more of his hand in the past two outings – especially in the second half at Duke.

But Henry’s ability to mask the Illini’s coverages pre-snap has clearly caught the eye of Cignetti. His success in that regard will be an important factor to watch Saturday against an experienced quarterback in Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.

Also worth paying attention to is the depth that Cignetti alluded to. With a plethora of “good” players, the Illini D has routinely been able to wear down opponents in the second half, allowing just nine total points after halftime this season.

Curt Cignetti on Bret Bielema

“Never coached against him," Cignetti said of Bielema. "Really never met him until I joined the conference. He was very welcoming. Always had a lot of respect for him as a coach. You know, he was a head coach at a very young age and has really had some nice teams. And he’s done a great job at Illinois, and they’re fundamental. You can see the coaching show up on tape."

Bielema has offered a bit more insight into his relationship with Cignetti:

“Really didn’t know Cigs before him coming in the league," Bielema said. "Obviously had heard of him, his name, and I really enjoyed the last year and a half with him in the coaches meetings. So we sat right by each other last year in L.A. spring meetings and had a chance to be around him."

Whatever their connection, Saturday’s matchup will feature two of the winningest head coaches in college football. Bielema boasts a robust 128-80 record over three stops as a head coach (Wisconsin, Arkansas and Illinois), while Cignetti has gone a jaw-dropping 33-6 as an FBS head coach at James Madison and Indiana. (He has a sterling 133-37 overall record as a head coach, including his work at Division II and FCS schools).

Whether it’s a high-scoring or low-scoring affair – the latter of which appears the more likely outcome – expect Saturday in. Bloomington to offer an entertaining chess match between two of the most intelligent coaches the game has to offer.