Curt Cignetti Discusses Indiana's Growth, Josh Hoover Ahead of Nebraska Game

Curt Cignetti discussed the importance of avoiding complacency, Josh Hoover's development and more during his weekly radio show Thursday night.

Oct 3, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti looks on during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Indiana football head coach Curt Cignetti joined Don Fischer for Thursday's edition of Inside Indiana Football, discussing the Hoosiers' continued development and Saturday's battle of unbeaten teams at Nebraska.

Here are four takeaways from Cignetti's comments ahead of Indiana's trip to Lincoln.

Cignetti isn't letting Indiana get comfortable

Indiana is 5-0 and riding a 21-game winning streak, but Cignetti isn't about to let his players become complacent.

The Hoosiers' head man believes the returning members of last year's national championship team have rediscovered their edge, while newcomers are becoming more comfortable emerging as leaders.

Still, he doens't think the Hoosiers have reached their ceiling.

"We're not there yet," Cignetti said Thursday night. "We haven't played a four-quarter game where all three phases have played well yet."

When Cignetti senses complacency creeping into his program, he has no problem addressing it.

"If I see guys have the warm and fuzzies, which I've seen, then it's my job to light a fire under their ass," Cignetti said.

Indiana's 47-15 win over Rutgers provided encouraging signs, particularly with its offensive balance and penalty-free performance. But Cignetti's message remains unchanged: Winning doesn't eliminate the need to improve.

Josh Hoover is gaining confidence with each start

Five games into his Indiana career, Josh Hoover appears increasingly comfortable running the Hoosiers' offense.

The transfer quarterback has thrown for 1,101 yards and 15 touchdowns without committing a turnover. Against Rutgers, he completed 20 of 27 passes for 251 yards and four scores.

"I think Josh has improved every single game," Cignetti said, "and built on his previous performance every single week."

Beyond the passing numbers, Cignetti highlighted Hoover's growing willingness to use his legs, his toughness and his ability to process what defenses are showing him.

There are still throws and decisions to clean up, but Hoover has earned the confidence of his teammates. That trust will be especially important Saturday against a Nebraska defense that Cignetti praised for its scheme and aggressiveness.

Indiana has a plan for Nebraska's crowd noise

Memorial Stadium in Lincoln is expected to present a different challenge than Indiana faced in last week's trip to Rutgers.

With roughly 90,000 fans expected, the Hoosiers have spent the week preparing to operate in an environment where verbal communication could become difficult.

Cignetti traced some of that preparation to Indiana's struggles using a silent count in a loss at Ohio State in 2024.

"We had a bad experience our first year here at Ohio State," Cignetti said. "In the offseason we did more studying on [silent count]."

Indiana has since expanded its silent-count procedures, practicing multiple variations that can be implemented during a game. Offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan can communicate a change to Hoover, who then relays it to the offensive line.

It's a small detail with potentially significant consequences. False starts and communication breakdowns — as well as the defense timing up the snap count like the Buckeyes did back in 2024 — can derail drives.

Anthony Colandrea presents another challenge for Indiana's defense

Nebraska's offense has Cignetti's attention, and quarterback Anthony Colandrea is a major reason why.

The Cornhuskers are averaging 44 points per game, and Cignetti highlighted their ability to incorporate screens, play-action, and quarterback movement into an offense that keeps defenses guessing.

Colandrea's mobility adds another dimension. Cignetti mentioned that the Nebraska signal-caller led the team in rushing last week, making him a threat even when passing plays break down.

There's familiarity, too. Cignetti faced Colandrea while coaching James Madison in 2023 and has followed his career since.

After Indiana's defense controlled much of last week's matchup against Rutgers, Saturday presents a different kind of assignment.

Containing Colandrea while accounting for Nebraska's varied offensive looks will be critical to keeping the Cornhuskers from finding their rhythm.