3 notes from Curt Cignetti’s press conference ahead of Minnesota

Indiana football head coach Curt Cignetti addressed the media on Monday afternoon for his usual game week press conference following this past weekend’s road win over Michigan and the upcoming home matchup against Minnesota.

The Hoosiers’ game against the Golden Gophers will be under a microscope. Four of the Hoosiers’ past five games have been close in the fourth quarter with Indiana needing to make plays late in each. On top of that, ESPN’s College Gameday will be in town.

Here’s what stood out from Cignetti’s availability:

Josh Hoover’s health and play

Josh Hoover suffered an injury to his throwing arm against Ohio State and didn’t quite look the same for the remainder of that matchup, wincing after throws. That seemed to carry over into the Michigan game when Indiana struggled mightily in the passing game.

The Hoosiers pulled that one out thanks to some late plays from Hoover in overtime. Cignetti, asked about his status against the Gophers, had this to say:

“I expect him to be fine and better this week.”

The value of Tobi Osunsanmi

Tobi Osunsanmi, who joined the program this past offseason after transferring in from Kansas State, has proven crucial to Indiana’s continued defensive dominance.

He’s logged 19 solo tackles, 9 sacks and a forced fumble in just eight games for Indiana up to this point, leading the Hoosier defense in getting to the quarterback by four whole sacks. Cignetti complimented the impact Osunsanmi has had on the field but added that he’s just as effective in the locker room.

“He’s also a really good leader,” Cignetti said. “He’s got a voice.”

Osunsanmi has the kind of twitch and quickness that really makes an impact in Indiana’s defensive system, with Cignetti crediting the coaching staff from defensive coordinator Bryant Haines to position coaches Buddha Williams and Pat Kuntz for helping to develop his technique.

“Our defense is all about wreaking havoc and creating TFLs and sacks and making everything happen on their side, line of scrimmage, and he’s really good at that.”

Confidence in Jacob Savage

The emergence of freshman linebacker Jacob Savage has allowed Indiana to do something that helped make the 2025 defense so effective in sending three men to hold down the second level of the field.

Savage has seen plenty of snaps alongside Isaiah Jones and Rolijah Hardy, with the latter two holding it down with Aiden Fisher last year. Asked about this, Cignetti said it’s something the defense has liked doing for years now, particularly against 12 personnel. He also voiced the staff’s confidence in Savage.

“We have confidence in him which says a lot about him being a true freshman. It tells you a lot about his commitment and his dedication and his approach to the game.”