Indiana football: DC Bryant Haines senses culture change in second stint with the program

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti gets a bit incredulous when people question his lofty aspirations for the program.

He felt that frustration when he walked out to midcourt at Assembly Hall in December and publicly called out his rivals in what he describes now as a spontaneous outburst aimed at anyone who doubts IU can win in the Big Ten.

“It was just three seasons ago that Indiana was a touchdown away from winning the Big Ten Conference, three seasons ago,” Cignetti said at Big Ten Media Days.

“Now, in this day and age, the Internet society, I’ve got to have it now, three seasons ago seems like three decades ago, and all of a sudden Indiana’s become like an impossible job or they’re irrelevant.”

New defensive coordinator Bryant Haines might have been one of those doubters back in 2012 after spending one year on IU’s staff as a graduate assistant for coach Kevin Wilson.

“The culture feels a little bit different this time than last time,” Haines said, after Friday’s practice. “Not to say it had a losing feel to it, but I don’t know if the program was ready to take off. I don’t feel that way anymore. I don’t feel that way anymore. I feel like something special could happen.”

Cignetti brought Haines over in the same role (defensive coordinator and linebackers coach) he had over the past two seasons at James Madison. He’s been a part of Cignetti’s defensive staff at multiple stops, going back to the coach’s time at Division II IUP.

Haines’ past experience in the Big Ten gives him a unique perspective of IU’s place in the conference.

He also spent a year as a graduate assistant at Ohio State for then coach Urban Meyer in 2013. The Buckeyes’ 42-14 win over IU that season extended their win streak to a school-record 23 games. They reached the Big Ten title game and finished 12-2.

Indiana…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/indiana-football-dc-bryant-haines-191005159.html

Author : The Herald-Times

Publish date : 2024-08-16 19:10:05

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