Typically it’s finest to save lots of the trash speaking till after the sport’s been gained.
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti discovered that lesson in primetime after the coach suffered a crushing loss to the Preventing Irish within the first spherical of the Faculty Soccer Playoff on Friday evening.
Notre Dame Preventing Irish working again Jeremiyah Love (4) celebrates after scoring a landing in the course of the first half of a recreation between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Notre Dame Preventing Irish within the first spherical of the Faculty Soccer Playoff on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in South Bend. (IMAGN)
Cignetti had a lot to say throughout his pregame look on ESPN’s “Faculty GameDay,” noting that the Hoosiers “don’t simply beat top-25 groups, we beat the s— out of them.”
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That was not evident in Friday’s 27-17 loss to Notre Dame. However maybe extra mystifying than the loss was Cignetti’s controversial resolution to punt within the fourth quarter.
Trailing by 17 factors with simply over 10 minutes remaining, Indiana discovered itself at fourth-and-11 on the Notre Dame 48-yard line. All issues thought of, Indiana was anticipated to go for it. However that’s not what occurred.
As an alternative, punter James Evans ran out on the sphere.
After the sport, a deflated Cignetti was requested to elucidate his resolution.
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti watches towards Notre Dame in the course of the first half of the primary spherical of the NCAA Faculty Soccer Playoff, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in South Bend, Ind. (AP Picture/Darron Cummings)
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“I didn’t need to punt, however we have been doing nothing on offense, and our protection was preventing. That was the one optimistic, actually, that I might draw, is our protection was nonetheless preventing, as a result of offense was doing nothing,” he mentioned.
“And I didn’t need to go fourth-and-10 – it’s such as you’re simply wishing and hoping. You don’t have anything to base it on that you would be able to convert fourth-and-10 at that time, proper? And there’s nonetheless time in case you punt to win the sport. So, that was the explanation why. I didn’t need to do it, however I felt prefer it was the perfect transfer.”
However the plan shortly backfired, and Notre Dame would lengthen their lead on the following drive.
Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) drops again to cross towards the Texas Longhorns in the course of the second half of the 2024 SEC Championship recreation at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Brett Davis-Imagn Photographs)
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Notre Dame strikes on to face SEC champion Georgia within the Sugar Bowl.
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