Indiana soccer's star gamers preview first-round CFP sport: Right here's the memorable moments – IndyStar

BLOOMINGTON — The Indiana football crew had an unofficial media day to preview the Faculty Soccer Playoff on Tuesday night time. 
The Hoosiers (11-1) had eight gamers (4 from the offense and 4 from the protection) converse to reporters about their first-round matchup against Notre Dame on Friday night. 
Right here’s one second that stood out from each participant that stepped as much as the rostrum on Tuesday night time: 
Extra:Indiana vs Notre Dame: The football rivalry that wasn’t takes center stage in CFP first round
Fisher sounded so much like his coach on Tuesday night time when he revisited the crew’s loss to Ohio State. 
“I do know plenty of the fellows right here, the JMU guys, I feel we misplaced 3 times within the final two years,” Fisher mentioned. “It isn’t a sense that we like and never a sense that we need to repeat.”
That’s an identical message to the one Cignetti had for IU followers at his introductory press convention. He’s now gone 14 seasons and counting as a head coach and not using a dropping season and the singular focus he brings to the sidelines has rubbed off on his gamers. 
These JMU transfers like Fisher helped construct the successful tradition that’s taken maintain in Bloomington, and it was their lengthy monitor document of success that helped their phrases carry weight within the locker room. 
The longest tenured JMU transfers on the crew (James Carpenter, Solomon Vanhorse and Nick Kidwell) have profession information of 52-9. 
Extra:Curt Cignetti handed Kurtis Rourke keys to Indiana’s offense. They made college football history.
The sixth-year quarterback was requested about his feelings going into what could possibly be his ultimate school soccer sport — he’s out of eligibility after this season — however Rourke isn’t cleansing out his locker simply but.  
“I actually have cherished this 12 months, cherished all my years in school,” Rourke mentioned. “Simply realizing this could possibly be the final attainable school sport undoubtedly involves my thoughts, but in addition I am taking it as a optimistic and motivating, that it is another likelihood to have an important alternative to play with the fellows and this crew that is been so profitable.”
“Simply actually utilizing it to inspire me much more than I already need to go on the market, have enjoyable, take pleasure in it. We’ll discuss my final school sport in 4 video games.”
Rourke, who completed ninth within the Heisman voting (22 factors) with three first-place votes, threw for two,827 yards (70.4%) with 27 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He’s one landing away from tying Kellen Lewis’ document for many passing touchdowns in a single-season and 173 yards from turning into simply the fourth-ever Hoosier to move for 3,000 or extra yards in a single-season. 
Extra:Indiana vs. Notre Dame: How the CFP first-round opponents match up by the numbers
Indiana and Notre Dame haven’t performed since 1991, and the Hoosiers haven’t received in South Bend since 1898. The typical ticket value bought for the video games is north of $700. 
Do gamers get a way of that enthusiasm for the uncommon matchup between the instate colleges? 
“I see it every single day,” Sarratt mentioned. “I’ve to get off Twitter. I see it a bit of an excessive amount of. I see the significance to everybody who’s concerned with each packages and I am as excited to have the ability to play on this sport. Who is aware of subsequent time we’re going to have the ability to play?”
Sarratt is grateful to be on this place having began out his profession at Saint Francis, a university in Pennsylvania with lower than 2,000 college students. He was IU’s main receiver this season with 49 catches for 890 yards (18.2 yards per catch) with eight touchdowns. 
Extra:How Indiana football DE Mikail Kamara went from zero to hero, silencing his doubters
Kamara, who was the primary IU participant with 10 sacks in a single season since 2008, isn’t altering his tune now that IU has reached the playoffs. 
He’s been pounding the desk for the Hoosiers all 12 months and considered them as a possible title contender after a 6-0 begin. He introduced that very same degree of confidence with him to the rostrum on Tuesday night time when speaking in regards to the challenges of dealing with a dual-threat quarterback. 
“I really feel like their scheme is fairly easy,” Kamara mentioned. “It is only for us to go on the market and match our gaps and do what we have to do. We have practiced it. We have seen it. It is one thing totally different however nothing that scares us in any respect.”
However don’t mistake easy for second-rate. 
“While you play towards a crew that wishes to run their quarterback, which means they need to grind it out,” Kamara mentioned. “That is going to be a bodily ballgame to see who outlasts the opposite, and I do know it should be us on high.”
Extra:Indiana football RB Justice Ellison is ’embracing every single moment’ in his new home
Ellison is the one in all two gamers on IU’s roster who has performed in South Bend, and it’s an expertise he’ll always remember. The previous Wake Forest working again had 15 carries for 63 yards in a 45-7 loss to the Irish in 2023. 
It was solely the sixth all-time matchup between the packages. 
“I soaked all of it in,” Ellison mentioned. “It was an historic sport as properly. Wake Forest was taking part in — Sam Hartman was taking part in his old-fashioned, Wake Forest. Being within the environment with a packed crowd.”
Indiana receiver Ke’Shawn Williams additionally obtained a beginning nod for Wake Forest within the loss. He returned a pair of kicks for 35 yards and had three touches on offense — a 20-yard acquire on the bottom and two catches for 22 yards. 
Ellison is hoping for a greater outcome within the rematch. 
“I knew I used to be going to return again,” Ellison mentioned. “I knew I used to be going to return again and get one other shot at it. To see all of it full circle I feel is wonderful.”
Extra:The last time IU football played Notre Dame: NBC debut, pro QBs, bad blood and The Bus
Walker could have overshared when he talked about slowing Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard down. 
“We put in new finish stops, like spying the quarterback or simply working like previous, previous so simply to navigate him — have him have hassle escaping the pocket,” Walker mentioned. “We simply know he’s an important quarterback so we have now plenty of performs constructed to cease his effectiveness, and it is prepared.”
Leonard ran for 721 yards (5.8 yards per carry) this season and 14 touchdowns. He topped 100 yards in a single sport twice and had double-digit carries in 9 of the crew’s 12 video games. 
It isn’t all that stunning IU would add some new wrinkles into the sport plan — the Hoosiers didn’t face a real dual-threat quarterback through the common season – however coaches are loath to share any particulars. 
It’s why when the Hoosiers opened apply to the media for quarter-hour on Tuesday night time nearly all of what reporters obtained to see was gamers stretching, however Walker can simply make up for the fopaux with a giant hit or two on Friday night time.
Extra:Indiana vs. Notre Dame: How the CFP first-round opponents match up by the numbers
The JMU gamers that Curt Cignetti introduced over with him to Bloomington knew this system was destined for nice issues lengthy earlier than anybody else. 
“I’ve a full perception in Coach Cig and the employees and all the things they do,” Horton mentioned. “So simply following them from JMU to IU, I knew from the get-go that no matter we do goes to be particular.”
Horton had seen it earlier than when Cignetti made certain James Madison didn’t miss a beat leaping into the FBS. He reworked the Dukes into one of the talked about groups within the nation in 2023 amidst a 10-0 begin that included wins over Virginia and Utah State. 
“I do know Cig goes to get the folks that he needs and he’ll run a good enterprise and all people goes to observe alongside,” Horton mentioned. “He will get all people to purchase in and do all the things {that a} coach may do.”
Extra:Riley Leonard is one of the best dual-threat QBs in the FBS. Indiana football wants him to pay a toll for that.
Ponds, who earned second-team FWAA All-American honors hours earlier than talking to reporters, is among the IU’s youngest starters as a real sophomore. He was additionally one of many final gamers added to the roster through the spring portal window.
He is felt at dwelling in Bloomington the minute he arrived, and is keen to reward everybody that is believed in him over the past six months.
“All the fellows in right here, even the transfers, all the things, they took me in with open arms,” Ponds mentioned. “It undoubtedly means so much to me, and I undoubtedly need to deliver a Nationwide Championship right here to Bloomington.”
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Instances. You may observe him on X @michaelniziolek and skim all his protection by clicking here.

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