What We Learned About Indiana at Big Ten Football Media Day

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Before Indiana football head coach Curt Cignetti climbed the stairs to the main podium for his 15-minute press conference Tuesday at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, he paced beside the stage and took a swig of blue Gatorade Zero.

It was business as usual for Cignetti, who proceeded to make headlines by calling out the SEC's scheduling philosophy and passionately proposing a four-four automatic qualifier format amid talks of College Football Playoff expansion.

A trio of seniors in receiver Elijah Sarratt, linebacker Aiden Fisher and defensive end Mikail Kamara also represented the Hoosiers in Las Vegas.

Here's what Indiana Hoosiers On SI learned from Big Ten Media Days ...

Hoosiers Eye Another Step Forward

After expressing his gratitude toward Indiana's administration and Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti, Cignetti's next topic of discussion was about the past. He touted the Hoosiers' 2024 campaign as the best in program history.

But Cignetti has already removed last year's pictures from his office. He's moved onto 2025, and he plans on creating better memories this fall than last.

"I get questions, how are you going to sustain it?" Cignetti said. "We're not looking to sustain it. We're looking to improve it. And the way you do that is by having the right people on the bus, upstairs in the coaches' offices, downstairs in the locker room, having a blueprint plan and process.

"High standards of expectations, never lowering your standards; day-to-day plan, highly structured and organized; organizational discipline to improve in critical areas, which usually you have to do with player development, scheme development, program development, and create those intangibles entering the season."

Indiana Battled Tampering in Offseason

Cignetti said an opposing team called an Indiana player during the spring and offered $1.5 million to transfer. He didn't name the player or team, deferring punishment responsibilities to the College Sports Commission.

"You can go down that road, but right now I’ve been totally led to believe there’s a new sheriff in town post-July 1," Cignetti said. "And I’ve got to trust the people I believe in."

Mendoza Primed to Build on Strong Spring

Though Indiana didn't bring starting quarterback Fernando Mendoza to Las Vegas, the University of California, Berkeley, transfer generated considerable buzz.

Cignetti said the 6-foot-5, 225-pound Mendoza had an impressive final five practices this spring — which included a scrimmage — and carries a bevy of encouraging traits, starting with his size and high-level experience.

"Has mobility, quick release, good arm," Cignetti said. "Can extend plays. Smart guy. He has areas he has to improve, but ... I have a lot of confidence in him. Excited to see how he develops."

Sarratt said he can tell Mendoza spent time watching film and learning the playbook this summer.

"His arm talent is great — one of the best in the nation," Sarratt said. "Anticipation-wise, it's going great. Of course, he was new to the offense [this spring], so sometimes things would be late, but for the most part, he's been looking really good. He's been looking real smooth so far."

Cignetti Unconcerned About In-State Schedule Criticisms

Indiana grew accustomed to hearing schedule criticisms last season, and the Hoosiers are back in a similar position before kicking off 2025.

Purdue head coach Barry Odom criticized Indiana's approach to non-conference scheduling amid the Hoosiers canceling games against Louisville, UConn and Virginia within the past two years.

"I could take the approach of one of the other schools in the state and cancel games, do some of those things, but the schedule is what it is," Odom said July 18 on The Fan Morning Show on 107.5 The Fan. "We're going to try to get as good as we can get and go win those games."

Cignetti responded in Las Vegas.

"Barry Odom? I like Barry Odom," Cignetti said. "Taking a shot at our schedule — did I think about it? Not much. That would be an overstatement. I didn’t think much of it. But, that’d be an overstatement. Not that I didn’t think much of it like, ‘He shouldn’t have done that.’ I saw it. It was a flicker in my brain, and it was over."

Hoosiers Eye Another Step Forward

Indiana Battled Tampering in Offseason

Mendoza Primed to Build on Strong Spring

Cignetti Unconcerned About In-State Schedule Criticisms

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