⚡ CFB Dashboard

- Curt Cignetti said Indiana kicker Nico Radicic missed the Howard game after waking Thursday with a pull in his rib cage. He said the replacement missed the first attempt but was good afterward. The interview provides the reason for that game's absence, not a confirmed return date or clearance for the next opponent. - Indiana recorded 12 tackles for loss and five sacks against Howard. Cignetti said the rush became difficult to block, though finishing tackles on the quarterback initially needed work. He approved using four defensive ends together on some third-and-long snaps, citing the staff's effort to maximize personnel; that does not make it a new every-down front. - Cignetti said Nick Marsh and Shazz Preston rotated more at the left receiver position against Howard, with Marsh also playing some on the right. He included them among the leading receiver group and praised Charlie Becker's preparation, explosiveness and special-teams work. The late-game snaps did not, by themselves, announce a demotion or new depth-chart order. - Indiana gave both backup quarterbacks game action. Cignetti praised Grant's runs and two touchdown passes, along with his value as an experienced backup and teammate; Tyler missed his first two throws before completing one. Cignetti demanded better execution on those misses but did not announce a change to Josh Hoover's starting role. - Cignetti liked Indiana's ability to repeatedly hand off and sustain an early drive against Howard, while warning that Big Ten rushing yards will be harder to earn and depend on line, tight-end and perimeter blocking. Both coaches agreed to shorten the fourth quarter to 10 minutes, an important limit when interpreting this blowout's raw production.

- Indiana's missed tackles against North Texas extended to established defenders Isaiah Jones, Mario Landino and Amare Ferrell, according to Peegs, which also noted unusually heavy defensive-front rotation in the heat and the team's first live tackling since the spring game as context rather than proof the problem is fixed. - Indiana produced one sack and two quarterback hurries in the opener, but Peegs attributed some of the limited pressure to North Texas' quick throws and wide-zone approach while observing that Bryant Haines used relatively few stunts, twists and unconventional defensive packages. - Indiana receivers Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh combined for six catches, 81 yards and three touchdowns on only eight targets against North Texas, giving Josh Hoover productive top targets within an opener the report characterized as run-heavy and schematically restrained. - Indiana generated 175 combined kick- and punt-return yards against North Texas and sent eight of nine kickoffs for touchbacks, while Nico Radicic made a 49-yard field goal and all seven extra points, documenting a significant special-teams contribution without assuming the return production will repeat.