Maryland Coach Mike Locksley Discusses Challenges Of Facing Indiana

It's only Curt Cignetti's second season in the Big Ten, but Maryland coach Mike Locksley has known the name for years.

Locksley played defensive back at Towson State from 1988-91 against Indiana University of Pennsylvania and head coach Frank Cignetti Sr., Curt's father. Curt was the quarterbacks coach at Temple at the time, but his brother, Frank Jr., was also part of the IUP staff that Locksley faced.

Frank Sr. was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013, while his sons have gone on to have successful coaching careers of their own. So going into Saturday's 3:30 p.m. ET matchup between No. 2 Indiana and Maryland at SECU Stadium in College Park, Md., Locksley knows the Hoosiers will be a well-coached group under Cignetti.

"He's part of the family business, and has really done a good job of –– not just at Indiana, but if you look at his track record, everywhere he's been he's won," Locksley said. "And you gotta give credit to a guy that does it, and he's built it the right way. Got a lot of respect for him."

Curt Cignetti Indiana Football — Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti against UCLA at Memorial Stadium. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-TImes / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 8-0 Hoosiers have been especially dominant the last two weeks, defeating UCLA 56-6 on Saturday and taking down Michigan State 38-13 the previous week. Those wins came after their most impactful victory of the season at then-No. 3 Oregon, 20-10.

When Locksley watches the Hoosiers, there's not just one way they're beating teams. He called Indiana "extremely good in all three phases," in part because Cignetti has built a veteran roster with plenty of depth. Locksley pointed out several James Madison transfers who followed Cignetti to Indiana as another reason for the immediate success beginning last season with a College Football Playoff berth.

"Defensively is where they really jump out because they've got another veteran group there, and it seems like No. 4 is all over the tape, you know," Locksley said. "The [Aiden] Fisher kid, the linebacker, really talented player. On the back end, No. 5 [D'Angelo Ponds] is a really talented player. And then, you know, obviously they have the [Mikail] Kamara kid as a pass-rusher that has been –– I think all three of those guys were first-team All-Big Ten a year ago. So really talented across the board. It will be a well-coached team."

"They're really slippery, and they've got some guys that do a great job of shedding and getting off of blocks, the movement that they create. They also create some issues with you in that they show all-out pressure, but typically they're bringing four, which we call it change coverage. It gives the illusion of, here comes a bunch of people, and then they drop a bunch of people out. And then they bring an illusion of a bunch of people and they bring a bunch of people. So they create confusion in the protection, the points, who's coming, who's not, and that's what's created some of the disruptiveness they've created in the passing game."

Indiana Football — Indiana's Mikail Kamara (6) and Aiden Fisher (4) celebrate a sack against Kennesaw State at Memorial Stadium. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While Locksley talked at length about the challenges posed by Indiana's defense, he's also well-aware that the Hoosiers have a potent offense, too. That's led by quarterback Fernando Mendoza –– the current Heisman Trophy favorite –– along with a deep and talented group of running backs and receivers.

"The quarterback is as advertised," Locksley said. "He's one of those guys that throws it very accurately. He's efficient. As he goes, they go. Obviously the rushing attack, they got a guy we're very familiar with. Roman Hemby, I think, is leading them in rushing. They got two 500-yard rushers. They got a 300-yard rusher behind them."

"You look at their receiving corps, veteran receivers. Sarratt, a guy from right down the road, went to St. Francis, transferred up to JMU and goes with his coach to Indiana. He's having a big year, along with Cooper. So they've really done a good job on the offensive side."

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