Indiana Football Previewed by Northwestern HC David Braun Ahead of Week 4
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On Friday night (8:00 p.m. ET, FOX), Indiana (3-0) opens its Big Ten slate against Northwestern (2-0) in Bloomington. Wildcats head coach David Braun previewed the matchup on Monday. Here are his notable statements on the Hoosiers, along with our take:
Indiana praised by Northwestern head coach David Braun during his opening statement ahead of Week 4
"The job that coach [Curt] Cignetti has done at Indiana – that staff, that group of players – I would argue it's probably the most remarkable and impressive turnaround in all of college football history, for them to go win a national championship last year," began Braun.
"It shows up tangibly on tape. These guys are well-coached. They're very talented. And I'm not just referring to last year's team. I'm referring to the tape that Indiana has put out there the first three weeks. Quarterback plays at an extremely high level.
"You can just tell these guys have a certain way of going about their day-to-day. There's a standard. There's a level of excellence and a level of expectation. There's no doubt that this football team, as talented as they are on the perimeter and as effective as they've been at the quarterback position for now three years, it starts up front for these guys, with their offensive line and their defensive line.
"This offensive line is a veteran group. And that's where it starts for them offensively. Defensive line and the front seven – they're multiple, they're talented, they're aggressive. The numbers don't lie in terms of what they've been able to do against rushing attacks these last two seasons. It presents an incredible challenge for us – especially going on the road on a Friday night."
There's a lot to unpack there. The first thought: Cignetti himself couldn't have dreamt up a more welcome evaluation of his team. All the keys Cignetti harps on – day-to-day consistency, elite play at the line of scrimmage, etc. – is clearly evident to Braun in the Hoosiers' on-field performance.
Braun's praise for Josh Hoover is also noteworthy. Despite a gaudy stat line of 649 yards (72.5 percent completion rate) and 10 touchdowns against zero interceptions through three games, Hoover's performance thus far has been critiqued at times – including by us here at Indiana on SI.
JOSH HOOVER TO CHARLIE BECKER AGAIN
That's the duo's third @IndianaFootball TD of the first half pic.twitter.com/ZpfmH9hFZk
– FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 12, 2026
Cignetti was having none of it during his presser on Monday, though. But a head coach backing his quarterback is the expectation. But for Braun, an opposing Big Ten coach, to go out of his way to highlight Hoover, that carries weight.
How Indiana football has evolved since 2024 through the eyes of Northwestern HC David Braun
"Obviously, some of the personnel has changed," said Braun on the difference between Indiana when his squad met the Hoosiers in 2024 (a 41-24 IU win) and the present day. "I think there's a certain level of confidence within the group, and continuity.
"I know coach Cignetti has had that staff together for a long time and there were a lot of players initially that had come with him from JMU. But you can tell this group has been at it for three years. And they've won a lot of big games. Won a Big Ten championship and a national championship.
"But there's a certain level of confidence they move with… What's been very evident year in and year out offensively – and, again, I don't want to diminish the talent in the backfield or the wide receiver rooms because they've certainly had that throughout – but it starts up front with the offensive line play and really sound decision making from the quarterback position.
"On the defensive side of the ball, just very aggressive, very sound, very multiple. And you can't leave out special teams play. I mean, shoot, they blocked a punt in the national championship game last year. They're sound. They're aggressive. They're bought in. They're a program. It's not a bunch of individuals. It's a team. And we all know those are the most difficult opponents to face."
Powerhouse programs ooze confidence. Every coach in the country will tell you they have the utmost confidence in their troops – and the players will say the same of themselves and their teammates. But the Ohio State's and Georgia's of college football operate with a different swagger.
And that attitude reverberates throughout a roster and a stadium. Opponents pick up on it. (Braun seems to have noticed it.) The Hoosiers now have that, making a trip to Bloomington as daunting a task as a visit to The Shoe or Happy Valley.
Another key nugget from Braun: he said the Hoosiers' defense is "very aggressive, very sound." Those are usually mutually exclusive. It's extremely difficult to prevent big plays and consistently create negative ones, yet that's exactly what Indiana does. There isn't a team or coach that does disciplined aggression better than the Hoosiers and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines.
Today's best reads
- One Question Indiana Football Must Answer vs Western Kentucky
- Big Ten Football Week 3 Power Rankings: Is Indiana the Clear-Cut No. 1?
- 4 Takeaways From Curt Cignetti's Week Four Press Conference
- 3 Bold Predictions For Indiana Football vs Western Kentucky
- How Indiana Football's Next Five Opponents Fared in Week 2
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/indiana as Indiana Football Previewed by Northwestern HC David Braun Ahead of Week 4.
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