By: Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Insight came in limited doses at Indiana’s first August camp scrimmage. There was thudding rather than tackling, contained intensity over full-throttle aggression.
Still, it gave head coach Curt Cignetti and his staff the clearest picture yet of the team they will have and the starters they will display when FIU comes to Memorial Stadium for the Aug. 31 season opener.
“I liked the energy, the effort, the competition,” Cignetti says via recent media availability. “Still a lot of things to clean up – assignment wise, pre-snap penalties, turnovers, stuff like that.
“We’re still developing players, depth, and scheme. It’s an important week.”
Offensively, the No. 1 priority is naming a quarterback starter with Ohio University transfer Kurtis Rourke and returning veteran Tayven Jackson leading the way, and true freshmen Tyler Cherry and Alberto Mendoza next in line.
Rourke, the 2022 Mid-American Conference offensive player of the year, had the edge coming out of spring practice and solidified it in the scrimmage.
“I thought Rourke had a good day,” Cignetti says. “He separated himself pretty significantly in that scrimmage.”
Separation is critical given the importance of the quarterback position in the quest to restore the program to national relevance.
Rourke, who threw for 7,651 yards and 50 touchdowns at Ohio while also rushing for 1,240 yards and 11 more TDs, has the background to deliver, and has shown it in practice as the others haven’t.
“I think Rourke stacks days,” Cignetti says. “He had an off-day or two last week where maybe he wasn’t really good in seven-or-seven but came back and had a really good two-minute drill. For the most part, he’s been playing good football.
“Other than that,” Cignetti says, “there were some minor things, but nothing significant.”
“Now, there’s always room for improvement for anyone on this team. You’re never satisfied. But (he’s) consistent and knows how to play quarterback. A lot goes into that position. He’s an extension of a coach. And he’s got to make good decisions, choices and decisions that are going to give you the best chance of success.
“Sometimes, it might not be making the spectacular play. It might be getting you back to normal down-and-distance situation, but it also highly involves processing information, finding the open guy, and getting them the ball. Nothing has really changed there in terms of how I feel coming out of spring.”
Jackson needs more consistency to close the gap, Cignetti adds.
“Tayven is capable of making the wild play, but there has to be more play-in, play-out consistency, eye discipline, focus, eyes downfield, making the right reads, securing the football, not turning the ball over, proper footwork and run game so we don’t have fumbles in the run game.”
As for Cherry and Mendoza, Cignetti says, “they are getting better.”
An offensive line led by Mike Katic, Carter Smith and Trey Wedig is building into what could a team strength under offensive line coach Bob Bostad, the only assistant retained from the previous staff.
“Progress has been solid,” Cignetti says. “There are still some technique things to clean up, so we can protect the quarterback a little better.
“Our defense is a handful when it comes to protecting the passer because schematically (defensive coordinator Bryant Haines) knows how to get to the quarterback. So he challenges those guys up front. Eye discipline and footwork are important.”
As far as Bostad’s impact (he’s considered one of the nation’s best offensive line coaches), Cignetti says, “He’s a veteran with a great reputation. He really works his guys. He’s a little bit old school, which I like.
“That’s such a critical position. It takes a while to mesh the things we’re used to doing offensively vs. what (Bostad has) done and come together. I like the way that process has gone. He’s a real asset. He brings a winning edge. I know he’ll get the most out of the offensive line.”
The lack of live tackling during the scrimmage limited the evaluation of the run defense (“you can’t take into account broken tackles or perimeter tackles,” Cignetti says), but the unit pressured the quarterbacks.
“We have to contain the quarterback a little bit better when he’s in the pocket, particularly a guy that has some athleticism,” Cignetti says. “We’ll have to improve on that. In the opener, FIU has a pretty crafty, athletic quarterback (Keyone Jenkins, 2,414 passing yards, 11 touchdowns).
“We gave up a few explosives. It was a little bit like the offense. There was good; there was bad; there was ugly. But it’s significantly better than it was in the spring, which is the goal coming into fall camp. You want more consistency in performance, play in, play out, high level. We’re not there yet, and we still have things to install.”
The scrimmage resulted in a few injuries. Cignetti says defensive back Josh Philostin hurt his knee and “will be out for a while.” Defensive lineman Andrew Depaepe, a transfer from Michigan State, also hurt his knee and will miss time. Defensive back JoJo Johnson will be out a couple of weeks.
“Other than that,” Cignetti says, “there were some minor things, but nothing significant.”
