After weeks of navigating the complexities of the transfer portal while preparing for a College Football Playoff showdown with Notre Dame, Indiana has shifted its full attention to the highly anticipated matchup.
The transfer portal opened Dec. 9 and remains active through Dec. 28. During that time, the Hoosiers balanced player retention, recruitment and game preparation—a demanding juggling act for head coach Curt Cignetti and his staff.
“It was challenging. I did get home a lot later than I normally do, and I was still in early, 4:30, 5:00 a.m.,” Cignetti said Monday. “You’re dealing with portal evaluations, official visits, and still opponent prep to some degree.”
Indiana has already made a splash in this transfer cycle. The Hoosiers convinced wide receiver E.J. Williams to withdraw from the portal and remain with the program, while securing commitments from five new players.
Still, the overlap of portal activity and preparations for perhaps the biggest game in school history presented unique challenges.
“Off weeks are different than game weeks in terms of what’s required in terms of your focus and attention to detail,” Cignetti said. “I’m glad that week is behind us.”
Now, with game week underway, Indiana is putting its portal efforts on pause, fully dedicating itself to the clash with Notre Dame.
This marks Indiana’s first-ever playoff appearance, and the matchup against an in-state rival and storied program like Notre Dame carries historic significance.
Balancing portal activity and game preparation was no small feat, particularly given the condensed recruiting calendar.
Cignetti acknowledged the challenges posed by the chaotic December schedule, which includes early national signing day, transfer portal activity, bowl games, and the expanded playoff.
“In terms of the recruiting calendar, I don’t know that there’s any easy answers to that,” Cignetti said. “When you look at it from a player’s perspective, everybody starts school in January, so guys that are switching schools need to have the opportunity to visit prospective schools in December.
“Yet seasons end at the end of November, championship games the first week of December, and there’s always going to be bowl games, and now there’s the expanded playoff,” Cignetti continued. “I don’t think it’s a simple solution, and if it was, it would be remedied by now.”
Programs like Indiana face a tight window to evaluate talent and secure commitments while staying focused on its current season.
Despite the challenges, Cignetti and the Hoosiers are locked in on Notre Dame. By temporarily pausing portal activity, Indiana aims to give itself the best chance to succeed and possibly advance in the playoff.
For a program new to this stage, the stakes have never been higher, and the focus on the task ahead is as sharp as ever.
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