Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Dan Lyons

Curt Cignetti Shares Thought Process on Questionable Fourth Quarter Punt Down 20–3

Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti before a first round playoff game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti entered Friday night's College Football Playoff opener at Notre Dame with some serious bluster. His decision-making with the overmatched Hoosiers' backs against the wall lacked the same swagger.

No call was more indicative of Cignetti's conservative approach than his decision to punt on fourth-and-11 from the Notre Dame 48-yard-line early in the fourth quarter. Indiana trailed 20–3, and with its struggles against the Fighting Irish rushing attack, could not guarantee that many more possessions.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.