BLOOMINGTON — Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Ta'Derrius Collins stood on the sideline between Indiana football's turf and turf practice fields on the north side of Memorial Stadium.
Collins had a black long-sleeved shirt underneath his white jersey and a red football helmet on his head. Nothing was out of the ordinary except for his spikes.
Collins wore red Adidas with three white stripes repeating the three-word acronym LEO, which stands for “Love Each Other.” It's a slogan former Indiana head coach Tom Allen swore by, and one on which he built a culture.
But new head coach Curt Cinetti wants to make a difference. After all, he never lost a game in the 13 years he spent on the sideline. Indiana is just 9-27 over the past three campaigns.
And during Tuesday's practice, Cignetti felt the Hoosiers looked more like his old team than the team he wanted.
“I think a lot of them were mature enough to come out and had the right mindset to get better,” Cininetti said. “But a lot of the players that people who support Indiana 'think' are players have come out like old Indiana. And we need to eliminate those habits, choices, decisions, and ways of thinking. ”
Mr. Cinetti was dissatisfied and told his players. After practice ended around 10:40 a.m., the 62-year-old coach said he recognized the session had not met his standards and delivered “a pretty tough message.”
Still, such a performance did not surprise Cininetti.
Indiana gave its players the day off Monday to watch the eclipse, and aside from a Sunday morning film shoot, Cininetti had not met with the team since Saturday's first scrimmage.
The Hoosiers typically practice on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, so the gap between Saturday and Tuesday wasn't unusual, but the off day was.
The scrimmage was productive, and despite some frustrations, Cininetti said Tuesday's session taught him some valuable lessons.
But Cininetti doesn't want such practices to become the norm. After all, it was already the norm under the previous coaching staff.
“I thought this morning would be a challenge, and I was right,” Cininetti said. “I still think there's probably a core of players that came out with the right mindset and developed, but there are too many players that didn't. You can't practice like that and accomplish what you want to do. . That's why we will continue to do our best.”
Cininetti said he likes how many players and positions are taking shape this spring. He praised his senior quarterback Curtis Rourke, as well as his running backs, receivers and offensive line as a group.
Senior receiver Keshawn Williams, who Cignetti said felt good in practice April 2, was in a walking boot Tuesday. Similarly, Indiana's defense has been a little thin due to injuries, Cininetti said.
Still, gelling players is not Cininetti's biggest concern. Rather, what is important is on-field performance that will lead to a clearer hierarchy in fall camp.
“The cream will rise to the top,” Cininetti said. “Guys who are consistently at practice, day in and day out. Who’s learning the plays, who’s doing the right thing, who’s making plays, who’s putting in a consistent effort, who doesn’t know their play, who’s not being consistent. Isn't there?”
Cininetti wants everything to be earned, not given, and doesn't seem to worry too much about hurting feelings.
“Our job is not to please them,” Cininetti said. “Their job is to please us.”
So when he felt Indiana's practices were not satisfying Mr. Cininetti, he spoke up.
He feels this is his responsibility, not the players. Cininetti previously said he was still trying to find a leader for the team, but redshirt junior running back Kaylon Black, a transfer from James Madison University, spoke to the team before the stretch. .
“Who are you doing this for?” cried Black.
Collins then repeated the same phrase to redshirt junior running back Trent Howland on the side.
Not only do the Hoosiers have returning leaders from last year, including seventh-year linebacker Jacob Mangum-Farrar and sixth-year offensive lineman Mike Katic, but they also have an influx of veterans from the transfer portal. are doing.
Still, Cininetti is at the helm.
“Part of my job is to get the team ready,” Cininetti said. “We maintain high standards day in and day out. If not, players need to know.”
It did not meet the criteria on Tuesday. This does not represent Cignetti's first spring in Bloomington, as he has often expressed satisfaction with the Hoosiers' on-field accomplishments.
But with fewer practices and Indiana University's April 18 spring game approaching, Cininetti is still trying to lay the foundation for his debut season. Since practice began on March 21, he feels that goal is closer to completion.
“It’s hard to say where I want it to be because I’ve never had a limit on the limits that I put on myself,” Cininetti said. “But we've definitely seen progress. The players understand that the way we practice, the way we practice, makes us better. We've seen improvement. We're working hard every day. We want to make the most of every opportunity, every rep, every training opportunity.”
