'Last Year was Last Year' Amare Ferrell Embodies Cignetti's Standard

Amare Ferrell is buying into Curt Cignetti’s “last year was last year” mindset as Indiana builds toward 2026. Here’s why his approach fits the Hoosiers’ standard.

Indiana's Amare Ferrell (1) stretches during Indiana University spring football practice on Thursday, March 26, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Walking through and around Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, there is no evidence that Indiana won a national championship in 2025.

There are no pictures in the hallway, the "Players of the Week" board has been wiped clean for the 2026 season, and there are no banners. It's clear that last year is over.

"Last season was last season," senior safety Amare Ferrell said. "What we did last year was last year’s team, this is a whole new team. Most of the returning guys, we haven't talked about last year. We don't want to bring that into this season, because it's a new season and we have to do it all over again."

Ferrell's words echo head coach Curt Cignetti's program philosophy that he laid out his first day on the job.

"You stack great days on top of each other. You play the game the way we want to play the game, one play at a time, six seconds a play. Every play has got a life and a history of its own. Play every play like it's 0-0. Don't be affected by success or failure. Be able to compartmentalize and go to the next play, playing it the same way." Cignetti said in his first press conference in Bloomington.

The Hoosiers' players are not affected by the success from last year. While IU went 16-0, Ferrell knows there needs to be improvement from him on the back end of the defense earlier in the season. Ferrell did finish the 2025 season as a second-team All-Big Ten selection, so there is room for improvement.

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"I want to make everybody around me better, make everybody’s job easier. Communicate and fly around for my brothers." Ferrell said on Tuesday.

Ferrell was originally a Tom Allen recruit and has been instrumental in the Hoosiers' journey from the bottom to the top. He knows what is expected and knows he needs to share his experiences.

"It’s definitely a big thing, me being a vocal leader now, knowing that the older guys are gone now, and that I’m the older guy here. And I know what it takes to win. I definitely feel like I'm doing a good job of being that leader, being that role model for the safeties room and for the team as well. " Ferrell added.

The Hoosiers will be wrapping up its spring practice on April 23rd with its annual spring football game in Memorial Stadium.