On Thursday, fans returned to Memorial Stadium to watch Indiana State football's first spring game since 2019. This time, a new leader is at the helm.
Coach Curt Cignetti's team gave the Hoosier faithful a first look at what to expect in the fall. Two rookies and a familiar signalman threw passes. Numerous wide receivers caught passes and sometimes dropped passes.
But it's the quarterback play that always gets talked about.
Cininetti plucked Curtis Rourke from Ohio University to Bloomington in the offseason. The sixth-year quarterback has three seasons of starting experience. And while his play may not have been outstanding in action like the first game with the Cream and Crimson, Cininetti said he was the victim of a dropped pass by a receiver that caused a stalled drive. I believe.
Rourke's opponent, redshirt sophomore Taven Jackson, had a flashier performance. Jackson barely saw the field late last season after then-redshirt freshman quarterback Brendan Thorsby claimed his spot as the starter. But Jackson's play Thursday raised questions.
“We were trying to figure out if our two offenses were that good or our two defenses were that bad,” Cininetti said after the game. “I think I know the answer to that.”
Cininetti believes freshman cornerback Dontray Henderson was exposed on the perimeter, leading to explosive plays with Jackson under center. Still, he credited Jackson with making some nice throws to senior receiver Andison Cobe.
All signs during Cininetti's spring training point are that Rourke could be the starter on Aug. 31, but he said there will be healthy competition among quarterbacks heading into summer and fall camp. is thinking.
“Competition is great,” Cininetti said. “We need more competition at every position. That was one of our issues this spring. We have some guys who have played football in the past, and we need them to be focused every day and on every play.” We just didn't have the kind of competition that we wanted to see that gave us the motivation to do it. We're trying our best to improve.”
The Hoosiers' new running back stood out from Cininetti with a dynamic style of play that excelled in pass protection, catching the ball, and breaking through tackles. Both running backs Justise Ellison and Tyson Lawton (additional transfers from Wake Forest University and James Madison University, respectively) scored touchdowns.
Indiana's defense flew all over the field, playing play after play, but still missed tackles. Cininetti attributed that to Thursday being his first tackle for the Hoosiers.
The new defense is impressive, but several key players are still injured.
Looking ahead, Cininetti and his staff are currently looking to acquire players from other schools entering the transfer portal with the aim of strengthening several key positions.
The players will participate in a week-long strength and conditioning program before preparing for the finals. They are scheduled to begin their summer program on May 20th.
For now, there's a new buzz brewing about the Hoosiers. Encouraging signs were posted on the field at the corner of 17th Avenue and Dunn Street. Only time will tell if Cignetti can change the losing narrative around Indiana football.
Follow reporter Dalton James (@dalton james) and Daniel Frick (@DanielFlick) Check out the latest updates on Indiana football throughout the offseason.
