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Cignetti keeps the focus on Iowa, finds ‘plenty’ to correct after blowout

Curt Cignetti doesn’t linger on easy wins. Even after Indiana steamrolled Illinois 63–10, the head coach’s attention was fixed on Iowa and the challenge of walking into Kinnick Stadium.

“Regardless of the final score, there’s always things that show up on tape that have got to get corrected. Believe me, there’s plenty there,” Cignetti said. “So really more interested in moving on to our next opponent, which will be a real challenge at Iowa.”

That challenge is led by a coach Cignetti knows well. “Got a lot of respect for Coach Ferentz, everything he’s accomplished throughout his career as a head coach and as an assistant, too,” he said. “He was a great line coach before he became a head coach. And he was a graduate assistant at Pitt in 1980. I was a graduate assistant at Pitt in ’83 and ’84. He used to come by the offices now and then. Had a chance to meet him a couple of times out and around. Got to know him during the Big Ten meetings. Congratulate him on the big win a couple weeks ago to make him the winningest coach in the Big Ten.”

7️⃣ sacks, 🔟 TFLs in a solid performance from the defense. pic.twitter.com/5CdUWW6ebr

— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) September 22, 2025

Respect aside, Cignetti expects nothing less than a grind inside Kinnick. “They will not beat themselves. You will have to beat them. They’ve always played great defense and they’ve got great special teams. And they play really well at home.”

Indiana’s defense is far from a finished product. “We have some egregious mistakes on the back end, particularly at safety. We have about five of them in that game. And we only got exposed once because of them. If we don’t clean those up, we’re going to get fractured.”

Special teams could swing momentum, especially against Hawkeye returner Kaden Wetjen. “A great returner, great returner. He’s in the 30s on kickoff return and punt return. We’re going to have to do a great job there, be prepared and give great effort and tackle in space.”

Even the 63–10 rout couldn’t erase Cignetti’s edge. With the word “attack” scrawled on his left hand above three red names, he was asked what it meant. He cracked a grin. “It’s a secret.”