Know the Foe: Indiana Hoosiers

Each week during the Illinois football season, Illini Inquirer will ask five questions of a beat reporter of an opposing team to preview the upcoming game. This week, we caught up with Peegs.com's Matt Weaver to preview No. 9 Illinois' Big Ten opener at No. 19 Indiana on Saturday (6:30 p.m., FOX) at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.

1. How would you put into context how Curt Cignetti has impacted the Indiana football program during the last two years? And how has he turned a long-time bottom-tier Big Ten program into a College Football Playoff contender?

Matthew Weaver: It is hard to put into context what Curt Cignetti has done for the Indiana football program because it is something that has never been seen around here before. Indiana has been the doormat of the Big Ten, and quite honestly, of college football for most of its football history, and in one season, Cignetti totally changed the narrative about the program. Not only did they win a lot last year, but they also won big nearly every week. They were very productive on offense, and they played tremendous defense. It was just a really well-coached team in all facets.

He and his staff do it with great schemes and great teaching. They are outstanding at getting the most out of players, as well as knowing a player's strengths and putting the players in the best position to be successful. Their practices are incredibly efficient and detail-oriented, and they have a great plan and they execute it on a daily basis. Their development of players is very impressive as can be seen by the number of impactful players they have that were lightly recruited coming out of high school.

Off the field, Cignetti has gotten people outside of the program to believe and buy into what is happening. The administration has supported the program in a way that has never been seen before. From the president to the athletic director, the resources that Cignetti has at his disposal to put together a staff and build a winning program is unprecedented at Indiana.

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