A Playful Exchange Between Coaches Ahead of the Peach Bowl

BLOOMINGTON — Oregon coach Dan Lanning shared a light-hearted moment with Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti during a virtual press conference on Saturday, as both prepared for the upcoming Peach Bowl. The exchange highlighted the unique challenges coaches face when balancing game preparation with transfer portal recruiting.

Cignetti mentioned that he had to pause his usual prep work for the game, as his coaching staff was hosting 13 transfer portal recruits on campus. Among them were notable names like Michigan State receiver Nick Marsh and Penn State defensive lineman Xavier Gilliam. Lanning responded with a chuckle, saying, “I’ll tell you, coach Cignetti, keep focusing on those portal guys.”

The transfer portal window opened on Friday, and college football’s College Football Playoff semifinalists are among the few teams still juggling game prep with recruiting efforts. Lanning admitted that he had a breakfast meeting with some recruits earlier that morning, adding, “It is what it is. Right?”

The Impact of Transfer Portal on Team Preparation

IU football coach Curt Cignetti has been managing the demands of the transfer portal while preparing for the Peach Bowl. After a 38-3 victory over Alabama, Cignetti gave his team a day off but returned to the office on Friday to focus on one-on-one meetings with each portal player on campus. He will shift his attention back to Oregon once these meetings are complete.

This schedule can be hectic, but Cignetti believes it’s manageable because campus visits from transfer portal players differ from those of high school recruits. “They don’t need 48 hours on campus,” he said. “It’s usually one night, they’re making a business decision. They’re normally older guys. They’ve been through it. They know what they’re looking for. Either you’re a fit or you’re not.”

Evaluating Transfer Portal Needs

Cignetti knew from the start what his team’s needs would be when the portal window opened. While many players may wait until after the College Football Playoff to announce their future plans, he conducted retention discussions during an off week following the Big Ten title game.

Indiana is expected to sign between 15 to 20 transfers due to the number of players in their final year of eligibility and others leaving early for the NFL. Despite this, Cignetti emphasized that the team isn’t worried about being short-handed during Peach Bowl practice.

“We would like them to continue to practice,” Cignetti said. “A few have chosen to go home and won’t be with us this week. I don’t think that’s going to present a problem for us in terms of our preparation.”

Current Players in the Portal

At the start of the transfer portal window on Friday, only a trio of reserve defenders from Indiana entered the portal: cornerback Amariyun Knighten and defensive linemen William and Andrew DePaepe.

The transfer portal runs from January 2 to January 16, with players competing in the national title game receiving an additional five days from January 20 to 24. Players who enter the portal can also withdraw their names and return to school.