Indiana University Football Head Coach Curt Cignetti believes Josh Hoover is facing too much scrutiny There are many layers to Curt Cignetti’s coaching style that make him one of, if not the best in the sport. And at or near the top of his resume is Cignetti’s ability to develop quarterbacks. We’ve documented extensively how each of his last six signal callers have improved dramatically while under his tutelage. So, it should come as no surprise Cignetti has a keen eye for what Josh Hoover needs to reach his potential this year. Still, Hoover is a unique case even for Cignetti, as he’s the first of his quarterbacks to follow someone who reached the pinnacle of what’s possible as the college level, hitting the trifecta of Heisman Trophy winner, national champion and No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick.
It seems as though at least part of what Cignetti believes Hoover needs right now is a head coach who has his back publicly, and who offers a reality check to the outside world. After all, following in the footsteps of Fernando Mendoza, it’s quite possible Hoover is being greeted by the irrationality of high expectations. “I think there is too much scrutiny on Josh Hoover right now,” Cignetti said Monday at his regular media availability. “Unfair scrutiny. After watching the game tape he missed one throw (against Western Kentucky).” After completing just 4 of 9 passes during a stretch of Saturday’s 38-0 win over the Hilltoppers, Hoover had a portion of the fan base in a panic. Four of his five incompletions in that span came on third or fourth down and contributed to IU’s sluggish offensive start to the game. But after watching the tape, Cignetti saw others who should shoulder some of the blame for those incompletions.
These are the levels of analysis often missed by fans and the media alike. “The one he missed to (Charlie) Becker we did a bad job picking up the blitz at running back and he had a guy in his face,” Cignetti said. “One he overthrew early, missed (Nick) Marsh. “The one to the right, it was the third progression. Didn’t run a good route to the field. Should have been open but wasn’t because of the route. Came back to No. 3, who didn’t run a great route either and the ball got overthrown. “And the only other one would’ve been the one to Marsh maybe down the sideline, but really that read there should’ve taken him to the field, which was open.”
Hoover spent the better part of his postgame press conference discussing his six missed throws on a day when he completed 18. “I know I can make those throws, and I’ll be better,” Hoover said. “I’ve got to be better for our team on third down and some of those situations.” Part of playing any position at Indiana is the constant pursuit of improvement and never being satisfied. So of course, Hoover is correct to say he has to be better. But it’s also appropriate to point out the reality — Hoover has been pretty darn good thus far. How good? It’s been a near carbon copy of Mendoza’s first three games a year ago. Through three games, Hoover has completed 72.5% of his throws for 649 yards with 10 TDs and no INTs.
And through the first three games a year ago, Mendoza had completed 72.4% of his throws for 708 yards with nine TDs and no INTs. It was the Big Ten opener against Illinois a year ago that Mendoza truly broke out and put the nation on notice. So, in that sense, we haven’t even hit the point where we know all that much about Hoover. But Cignetti knows one thing. “I’m glad he’s, our quarterback.”
10 Former Indiana University Football Players played in the Second Week of the National Football League Regular Season Week 2 is in the books for Hoosiers in the NFL. Aiden Fisher and Elijah Sarratt both dressed for gameday for the first time in their careers. Here’s a summary of how everyone performed: Fernando Mendoza, QB (Las Vegas Raiders) – Did not play, backup quarterback. Ian Thomas, TE (Las Vegas Raiders) – Played 31 offensive snaps. 1 reception, 11 yards Cumulative season stats: 2 games. 62 offensive snaps. 1 reception, 11 yards. Micah McFadden, LB (New York Giants) – Did not play, inactive Cumulative season stats: 1 game. 11 special team’s snaps. Riley Nowakowski, TE (Pittsburgh Steelers) – Played 2 offensive snaps and 18 special teams snaps. Cumulative season stats: 2 games. 10 offensive snaps, 35 special teams snaps. 2 tackles, 1 solo. Ke’Shawn Williams, WR (Cincinnati Bengals) – Did not play, inactive. Kurtis Rourke, QB (San Francisco 49ers) – Did not play, inactive. Kaelon Black, RB (San Francisco 49ers) – Played 17 offensive snaps. 7 carries, 25 yards. Cumulative season stats: 2 games. 45 offensive snaps. 21 carries, 90 yards, 1 reception, 5 yards CJ West, DT (San Francisco 49ers) – Played 26 defensive and 4 special teams snaps. Had 3 tackles. Cumulative season stats: 2 games. 49 defensive snaps, 5 special teams snaps. 5 tackles, 1 solo. Myles Price, WR (Minnesota Vikings) – Played 26 offensive snaps and 6 on special teams. Had 2 kick returns, 42 yards, 1 punt return, 11 yards. Cumulative season stats: 2 games. 29 offensive snaps, 15 special teams snaps. 7 kick returns, 221 yards, 2 punt returns, 24 yards. Pat Coogan, OL (Tennessee Titans) – Played 4 special teams snaps. Cumulative season stats: 2 games. 6 special teams snaps. Aiden Fisher, LB (Houston Texans) – 10 special teams snaps, 1 tackle Cumulative season stats: 1 game. 10 special teams snaps, 1 tackle. Kahlil Benson, OL (Kansas City Chiefs) – Played 80 offensive snaps, and 8 on special teams. Started at left tackle. Cumulative season stats: 2 games. 149 offensive snaps, 13 special teams snaps. Omar Cooper, Jr., WR (New York Jets) – Did not play, on injured reserve Cumulative season stats: 1 game. 5 offensive snaps. 1 reception, 30 yards. D’Angelo Ponds, DB (New York Jets) – Did not play, inactive. Marcelino McCrary-Ball, LB (New York Jets) – Played 6 special teams snaps. Cumulative season stats: 2 games. 5 defensive snaps, 26 special teams snaps. 1 tackle, 1 forced fumble. Luke Haggard, OL (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – Did not play, inactive. Cumulative season stats: 1 game, 5 special teams snaps. Dan Feeney, OL (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – Did not play, reserve offensive lineman. Cumulative season stats: 2 games. Elijah Sarratt, WR (Baltimore Ravens) – Active, played 0 snaps. Cumulative season stats: 1 game. ON NFL PRACTICE SQUADS-E.J. Williams – Carolina Panthers, Roman Hemby – Las Vegas Raiders, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine – Indianapolis Colts, Raheem Layne – New York Giants and Cam Jones – Kansas City Chiefs
Indiana Hoosiers Men’s Tennis Wrap Up Fall Opener at UT Hidden Duals The Indiana Men’s Tennis team completed its opening event of the fall season Sunday at the UT Hidden Duals, hosted at the Goodfriend Tennis Center.
The Hoosiers competed against players from Memphis, Louisville, Middle Tennessee, and host Tennessee throughout the three-day event, finishing the weekend with 10 singles victories and 5 doubles victories. Sam Scherer led Indiana with an undefeated 3-0 singles record, while Matteo Antonescu and Ariel Zauber each collected two singles victories and went unbeaten in doubles. Scherer, Antonescu, and Zauber each finished the weekend with a 5-1 overall record. The Hoosiers will continue play through Sept. 27 at the ITA All-American Championships, where Aidan Atwood, Ben Pomeranets, Braeden Gelletich, and Sam Landau will look to make deep runs against some of the nation’s top competition.
UT HIDDEN DUALS RESULTS
Day One
Doubles:
1) Loan Lestir/Benjamin Martin (MEM) def. Sam Scherer/Aryan Badlani (IU), 6-3
2) Ariel Zauber/Matteo Antonescu (IU) def. Sean O Nuallain/Aflie King (MEM), 7-6 (7-5)
Singles:
1) Zavier Augustin (IU) def. Sean O Nuallain (MEM), 6-1, 6-4
2) Sam Scherer (IU) def. Alfie King (MEM), 6-3, 6-2
3) Matteo Antonescu (IU) def. Theodor-Matei Ene (MEM), 6-1, 6-4
4) Benjamin Martin (MEM) def. Ariel Zauber (IU), 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
5) Aryan Badlani (IU) def. Loan Lestir (MEM), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
Day Two:
Doubles:
1) Matteo Antonescu/Zavier Augustin (IU) def. Hamza El Amine/Lucas Bazin (UL), 6-2
2) Sam Scherer/Ariel Zauber (IU) def. Russell Lokko/Jerald Carroll (UL), 7-5
Singles:
1) Russell Lokko (UL) def. Zavier Augustin (IU), 6-3, 7-6 (1)
2) Matteo Antonescu (IU) def. Artem Dmytrenko (UL), 6-3, 6-3
3) Aryan Badlani (IU) def. Jerald Carroll (UL), 0-6, 6-4, 6-3
4) Maksim Hristov (UL) def. Preston Taylor (UL), 6-4, 6-4
5) Sam Scherer (IU) def. Hamza El Amine (UL), 6-3, 5-7, 7-5
6) Ariel Zauber (IU) def. Lucas Bazin (UL), 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (4)
Day Three:
Doubles:
1) Sam Scherer/Ariel Zauber (IU) def. Martin Doskocil/Woodson McMillin (UT), 6-2
2) Matteo Antonescu/Zavier Augustin (IU) def. Clement Mayoral/ John Patrick Popowich (MTSU), 6-4
Singles:
1) Sam Scherer (IU) def. Clement Mayoral (MTSU), 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
2) Shion Itsusaki (UT) def. Aryan Badlani (IU), 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-6 (5)
3) Ariel Zauber (IU) def. John Patrick Popowich (MTSU), 7-5, 6-2
4) Aryan Saleh (MTSU) def. Matteo Antonescu (IU), 6-2, 6-2
5) Eric Crivei (MTSU) def. Zavier Augustin (IU), 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
Indianapolis Colts signing Wide Receiver Darius Slayton according to Reports With receiver Alec Pierce expected to miss at least several weeks after aggravating his surgically repaired heel, the Indianapolis Colts need help at the position. They’ve gotten it, in the form of veteran receiver Darius Slayton. Via multiple reports, Slayton has agreed to terms with the Colts. Earlier this month, the Giants cut Slayton. He was in the second year of a three-year, $36 million contract. The Giants owe him $9.75 million fully guaranteed in 2026. They’ll get an offset for whatever he makes from the Colts. Slayton spent seven years with the Giants. He has 296 career catches for 4,435 yards and 22 touchdowns. The Colts have Pierce, Keenan Allen, Laquon Treadwell, Josh Downs, Ashton Dulin, and Deion Burks on the roster at the receiver position. Pierce likely will be put on injured reserve, which will create the roster spot for Slayton.
Taylor’s Eleanor Schuitema Repeats as Crossroads League Women’s Golfer of the Week For the second-straight week, Eleanor Schuitema was recognized as the Crossroads League Women’s Golfer of the Week, as announced by the league office on Monday. Schuitema shot a 54-hole total of 217 for the second-straight tournament, finishing in second place at one-over par for the event. The junior opened the tournament with rounds of 73 and 76, before closing with a career-best round of 68 for the ninth sub-par round of her career. Schuitema has now posted TU’s top finish in each event this fall, while doing so 10 times during her three-year career with the Trojans. Schuitema has also carded the four-best single-round scores of the fall for Taylor and leads the Trojans with a 72.3 scoring average. The Crossroads League Player-of-the-Week award is the fifth honor for Schuitema in her time with the Trojans and moved TU Athletics to 14 such honors already in the 2026-2027 year. Schuitema and the No. 20 Trojans are slated to resume competition on September 28 and 29 at the Battle at Blackthorn in South Bend, Indiana.
Indianapolis Colts Wide Receiver Alec Pierce aggravated heel injury and will miss at least several weeks As the Indianapolis Colts try to turn around a season that has started with two straight losses (and now nine in a row), they’ll be missing one of their highest-paid players, for multiple weeks. Via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Pierce aggravated his heel injury during Sunday night’s loss to the Chiefs. Pierce had surgery on the heel in the offseason. Pierce will “attempt to rehab” the injury in lieu of surgery. He is expected to miss “several weeks.” If all goes well, Rapoport says, Pierce “could return midseason.” In the offseason, Pierce signed a four-year contract with a base value of $28.5 million per year — well below the market value of more than $42 million. He caught four passes for 61 yards in a 41-23 loss to the Ravens in Week 1, and one pass for 11 yards against the Chiefs in Week 2. The Colts, at 0-2, are in a three-way tie with the Texans and Titans in the AFC South.
Taylor Trojans Again Garner Votes in NAIA Top 25 Football Poll On the wave of a three-game win streak, the Taylor football team once again collected votes in the NAIA Top 25 Poll. The Trojans were among the 33 teams to be ranked or receive votes in Monday’s ratings, maintaining its position just back of a Top-25 national ranking. TU has once again showed off a powerful offensive attack this season, scoring at least 28 points in all four outings. Taylor sits No. 24 in the NAIA with 37.0 points per game, No. 17 with 461.0 total yards of offense per game and No. 10 with 255.0 rushing yards per game. On the defensive side, the Trojans rank No. 36 in the nation by allowing 25.8 points per game, with that number dipping to just 18.3 points per game in TU’s last three contests. RV Taylor (3-1) will resume its schedule on October 3, with a 1:05 pm start at No. 11 Marian (3-1). The Trojans will then host three-straight home games on October 10, 17 and 24 inside Turner Stadium.