Coach Q&A: Curt Cignetti provides spring practice updates for Indiana

Indiana football head coach Curt Cignetti spoke with reporters on Tuesday to provide updates on spring practice.

Below is the full Q&A, as well as a partial transcript of the conversation.

Related: Indiana football wideout Tyler Morris suffers season ending injury

Curt Cignetti | Head Coach

Opening Statement…

CC: Alright, six practices in the books. I think we have built off every day and I see progress being made. But there is always a great sense of urgency to make more [progress], and that is the key to the drill to make as much progress and improvement as you can. 

We’ve stayed relatively healthy, with the exception of Tyler Morris who had a non-contact knee injury and will require surgery and will miss the season. So, onward.

On any position groups that stand out so far in the spring…

CC: Probably close to 50 percent. To me, here is the way I look at that: we have who we have. On paper, some groups look pretty good. Some groups [look not so good]. To me it is about improving, mindset, taking advantage of every rep, consistency in performance.

Do we have any glaring holes out there? I don’t see any glaring holes out there. Do we have any groups that are ready to compete for the Super Bowl right now? I don’t see that either. I see a work in progress like every team in America right now. 

The new guys are starting to get the hang of it and I see the improvement building off the previous practice. I think we are improving more every practice right and the new guys are getting the hang of it.

On the defensive line…

CC: Up and down. I think a couple of days ago the offense got after the defense pretty good and ran the ball. That hadn’t happened around here in a long time and got after [them] pretty good. They [the defense] responded the next day and controlled the line of scrimmage, put pressure on the quarterback and had a great day. 

I will have to look at the tape and see how we did today. We’ve got capable guys and they responded to the challenge. Like I’ve told you guys a number of times about the transfers that come in, the first half of spring ball is such as adjustment for them: the way we practice, the language, what our expectations and standards are, and the techniques being taught. Especially up front on defense, they [the techniques] are different from what they have been taught.

The second half of spring you see a different kind of guy. I have seen those guys flash and we are capable. 

On E.J. Williams approach and what made him a guy that he wanted to come back…

CC: He’s always had a good attitude and he’s always been a hard worker. The biggest thing [for E.J.] is at Clemson he had some injuries and at Indiana his first year he had some injuries, and he had some injuries when I got hired.

I have always liked him personally. I like his work habits, and I like his talent. And, he has a burning desire to be good, and we just have to keep him on the field. The more we keep him on the field, he can kind of develop that consistency then, that we need for him to be a really good football player.

On moving Mikail Kamara to the edge rushing spot…

CC: He played STUD early in his career at James Madison. His freshman year he started as a true freshman [at edge rusher]. A few more one-on-one pass rush opportunities, maybe not having to slide down inside and play inside at tackle or four-technique as much as you do at field end. Your field end needs to be a little bigger guy in our defense.

On the offensive line growth with the veterans and younger guys…

CC: I see progress. [Pat] Coogan is making progress. Carter Smith has got to get better: they all have to get better. And, we have [Kahlil] Benson and [Drew] Evans that aren’t practicing, and they’ll be back in the fall. So, the first line looks like an offensive line for the most part, functions like an offensive line for the most part. Going to continue to get better, working together, [making] calls. A lot of multiples [defensive looks] up front for an offensive and some of the techniques are different for some of the newer guys.

Some of the young guys, I see progress. [Adedamola] Ajani has made progress. [Austin [Liebfried] broke his hand and is in a big hand cast, so that is kind of limiting him a little bit right now. [Baylor] Wilkin has done a nice job, and [Matt] Marek has done a nice job.