Maryland

What Curt Cignetti Said After Indiana’s 42-28 Win Over Maryland

Published

1 year ago

September 28, 2024

What Curt Cignetti Said After Indiana’s 42-28 Win Over Maryland

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Here’s everything Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti had to say during his postgame press conference after the Hoosiers defeated Maryland 42-28 on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

Indiana is 5-0 for the first time since 1967 and the Hoosiers are 2-0 in the Big Ten for the first time since 2020.

Opening statement …

Cignetti: Okay, good win. Far from perfect, trust me. 4-0 in the turnover ratio against us, had not turned it over going into the game one time and still won by two scores. But defense really responded to every one of those turnovers.

There’s a lot of corrections to make, but it was a good effort, a gutty effort.

You could feel the fans out there. I’m glad that they keep improving in the attendance area. I thought that was a good turnout, and good is the enemy of great, so let’s have a great turnout. Let’s sell it out next week or next time we’re at home and figure out how to make it even louder because that’s what we want to do; we want to be the best in everything we do.

Even when we’re good, even when we perform good, we’re not satisfied. But it was a good turnout.

We’re 5-0. But this isn’t the end for us. I’m proud of the team and everything they’ve accomplished.

I felt like we’ve made good progress in the off-season, in the winter, spring, summer, but we had to put it on film. We can play better than we played today.

On responding to adversity …

Cignetti: Yeah, there were a lot of good responses in that game. The defense responded to offensive turnovers. The offense responded to touchdowns given up by the defense. We responded more than they did.

So there was really a lot that went on in that game. There’s no doubt about it. Winning is good because it deepens belief in confidence and success, which leads to confidence and belief, which leads to success. You’ve still got to put the work in, but strengthens that confidence and belief.

On Indiana’s energy throughout the game …

Cignetti: Well, that’s us. We want to play every play like it’s 0-0. Never too high, never too low. Something bad happens, okay, we’re going to play this play. You get 11 guys playing that way consistently, then you’ve got a chance.

On the defensive line and the pressure it applied …

Cignetti: Yeah, I don’t know how many sacks we had total. Five? Okay. He seemed like he was on the ground on awful lot early in the game, which is what we wanted to do.

We just have to – when we have a chance to kind of go for the jugular, we’ve got to get a little better at that. But they’ve got some playmakers. They’ve got some guys that get on top of you. They got us in a defense we didn’t want to be in on the long run.

But that’s where it all starts, up front. We’re experienced up front. We think it’s one of our strengths, and it was definitely one of the areas that they weren’t feeling too great about coming into the game, and we needed a big win there, and I think we got it.

On getting a late-game blocked punt …

Cignetti: Yeah, that was awesome. I have no idea what happened. I was taking my headset off and giving it to somebody behind me and I completely missed it. I just wish we would have picked it up and scored.

On limiting the effectiveness of receiver Tai Felton …

Cignetti: Well, I think he went out, didn’t he? And didn’t return, right? It’s hard for him to have a big day when he’s not on the field.

Follow-up question noting that Felton went out in the third quarter …

Cignetti: What did he have? He had five for 38, yeah. But Hemby made some.

We did a pretty good job, and it started up front with the pressure. They got on top of us a couple times, though.

On how Kurtis Rourke responded to his own adversity …

Cignetti: Yeah, I mean, he responded like I kind of felt like he would. I didn’t think he’d be flustered by the two interceptions, and he wasn’t.

When we had our one-on-one opportunities, we were winning, and we played well when we played with tempo, the two-minute drive and some of the other times. He’s a grizzly old vet. He’s got to hold on to that ball a little better in the pocket when he runs it.

Indiana’s Elijah Sarratt (13) celebrates his touchdown during the Indiana versus Maryland football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On wide receivers Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt …

Cignetti: Yeah. They were winning their one-on-ones when it was press coverage, and we were getting them the ball, and I was glad to see Donaven won his one-on-one in the red area. That was a play we were hoping to be able to get called against zero blitz coverage.

We felt like that was a match-up that was in our favor going into the game, and it turned out to be that way.

On the impact of the fans …

Cignetti: Oh, it’s extremely valuable. Players feed off of that energy. Look, it’s all about energy, right? You’ve got to have energy to do anything, and the fans are supplying the energy and the players are feeding off of that energy.

I don’t know how many points it’s worth, but it’s really important, and I think we got everything moving in the right direction here.

On what the Hoosiers learned about themselves …

Cignetti: Well, I think you learn about your team every week. You play 12 regular season games, you learn about them in the off week, too. I thought this was a good challenge for us, and we outlasted them. We did a lot of good things. But there’s a lot of things we can do better.

On a “new” Indiana this season …

Cignetti: Well, I don’t know what the old Indiana was other than what I watched on tape or maybe looked in a record book.

We are what we are, and we have a blueprint and a plan and a philosophy how to play the game. It’s all about people and processes. I think we’ve got a chance to be a good football team. Todd Blackledge said at the end of the UCLA game that this is a good football team, Indiana. You’ve got to prove it every day, every play.

On tight end Zach Horton and his impact …

Cignetti: Yeah, well, I’m glad other coaches point that out, too, when they watch us on tape or scout us, how valuable he is. It’s not all about his touches. He does a lot of great things for us offensively. He’s really a blood-and-guts hard-nosed tough guy with talent.

He’s a tremendous football player.

On the versatility of the running game …

Cignetti: We play those three backs every game, and they’ve been really consistent. If we didn’t turn it over four times, maybe we would have had 200.

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Maryland

Md. Gov. Moore follows stellar week picking football playoff games with more predictions – WTOP News

Published

3 hours ago

January 17, 2026

Press Room

Md. Gov. Moore follows stellar week picking football playoff games with more predictions – WTOP News

Another week, another fabulous slate of playoff games for football fans. And there’s no bigger fan than Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.

The governor had a dream week picking NFL and college playoff games for WTOP last week. He went 7-1 (2-0 for college and 5-1 for NFL). Moore’s only miss was picking the Jags over the Bills.

But, can he keep his hot streak going? Moore gave WTOP his picks in all five upcoming pro and college playoff games.

NFL matchups

For the NFL Divisional games, Moore likes Denver (14-3) at home to beat Buffalo (12-5).

“I wouldn’t want to play this Broncos team in Denver right now,” he told WTOP. “Bills quarterback Josh Allen has 10 interceptions on the season. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see at least one this weekend.”

“In the end, I really think it’s the defense for the Broncos that’s going to deliver the win for them,” he said.

In the San Francisco (14-3) at Seattle (12-5) matchup, Moore said, “This Seahawks team is looking like the most well-rounded in the playoffs. They’ve got it all.”

Moore said he’s paying attention to the injury status of Seahawks’ quarterback Sam Darnold (oblique). “If he plays, I’m confident, they’ll win,” he said.

New England (14-3) hosts Houston (12-5) in the other AFC Divisional game.

“I’m putting my faith in Drake Maye here. He’s been an animal on the field,” Moore said. “This Patriots team has one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL and I think it’s going to overcome this Texans’ defense.”

The governor saved his boldest pick for the final NFL game of the weekend between the Rams (12-5) and the Bears (11-6).

Frigid temperatures are expected in Chicago, which might favor the underdog home team. Bears’ second-year quarterback and Gonzaga High School alum Caleb Williams is coming off a game in which he completed an all-time clutch throw on fourth down to help Chicago advance.

“I think this is going to be a year for these sophomore quarterbacks,” Moore said, adding he thinks the Rams are “running out of steam.”

“I know this is my big upset of the week, but I’m locking in on the Bears,” he said.

College football

For the College Football Playoff National Championship game Monday night, Moore did not hesitate to pick undefeated Indiana (15-0) over Miami (13-2), despite the game being played in Miami Gardens.

“Miami has been playing great football and they’ve had a hell of a season but I just don’t see Indiana losing this one,” Moore told WTOP. “Indiana isn’t just winning games, they are blowing people out. What they did to Oregon last week was embarrassing. I mean they crushed them.”

The Hoosiers are led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who is a Miami native.

“I just think Mendoza does it all here. He gets the win and then rides into the first spot in the draft,” Moore said.

WTOP will keep checking in with Moore for his picks until a champion is crowned in the Super Bowl.

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Maryland

Owings Mills, Baltimore residents charged in Washington Co. triple-fatal fire

Published

15 hours ago

January 16, 2026

Press Room

Owings Mills, Baltimore residents charged in Washington Co. triple-fatal fire

MARYLAND (WBFF) — Maryland State Police announced two additional arrests made in connection with the triple murder and house fire in Washington County last November, authorities announced Friday.

Lanea George, 40, of Owings Mills, was arrested and charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and obstruction of justice.

David Chapple, 43, of Baltimore, was also arrested and charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder.

ALSO READ | Mother seeks justice after daughter killed in Washington County triple-fatal house fire

On November 18, 2025, shortly after 5:00 a.m., the State Fire Marshal responded to a reported fatal structure fire at a single-story residence located in the 13,000 block of National Pike in Clear Spring.

During the initial investigation, authorities found multiple signs of foul play, including K-9 alerts for accelerants and evidence of trauma to the victims that was not caused by the fire, police reported.

The deceased victims were identified as Brittany Ray, 31; Harold Flichman, 36; and Brianna Mae Weishaar, 25, all from Clear Spring.

All three victims were pronounced dead at the scene, and autopsy results showed that the cause and manner of death were homicide by gunshot, authorities reported.

ALSO READ | Mother fights to amend Second Look Act after daughter’s murder in Washington County

George is being held without bail at the Baltimore County Detention Center, awaiting transport to the Washington County Detention Center.

Chapple is also being held without bail at the Washington County Detention Center.

The Maryland State Police Homicide Unit is continuing its investigation in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, including the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Baltimore, and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.

Authorities stated they expect more arrests to follow and urge anyone with information to contact the Maryland State Police Hagerstown Barrack at 301-766-3800. Calls can remain confidential.

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Maryland

No. 12 Maryland women’s basketball sneaks past USC, 62-55

Published

1 day ago

January 16, 2026

Press Room

No. 12 Maryland women’s basketball sneaks past USC, 62-55

Throughout all of Thursday’s game, No. 12 Maryland women’s basketball searched for a shot to gain a slight edge over USC.

It was a grind. The Terps played into USC’s gameplan, and the contest was extremely low scoring. Until the final minute, Maryland’s largest lead was five points.

The game was tied at 54 with under three minutes remaining, and Maryland hadn’t made a field goal in the fourth quarter. But Yarden Garzon broke the tie with a deep 3-point heave, which was enough for the Terps to ultimately hold on for the victory, 62-55.

Maryland came in averaging 87 points per game. But Thursday was unlike any other game it had played this season. The Terps had to work for every shot, and free throws got them over the edge.

“I was happy that we could rely on our defense in this game, because this was a game that wasn’t probably the prettiest from an offensive end,” head coach Brenda Frese said. “Defensively, we did some good things to be able to hang in there.”

The Terps shot 20-of-24 from the charity stripe in the second half despite only making seven field goals. But instead of forcing shots, Maryland adjusted. It had two free throw attempts in the first half and played sloppy throughout.

USC’s physicality and defensive prowess was deafening, forcing the Terps to a flat-footed start.

Before Thursday’s matchup, Frese emphasized that USC was physical and defensive-oriented. The Terps didn’t take advantage of that physicality in the first half, but anticipated that its guards would have trouble getting open looks.

In the first half, USC was physical without fouling. That changed in the second half, as Maryland forced its way to the line.

Maryland committed 13 first-half turnovers, emphasizing its difficult start; it was too reckless. But despite these shortcomings, it only trailed by one heading into halftime.

Both teams came into Thursday needing a bounce-back victory. Early on, it appeared as though the Trojans wanted it more. They were more physical, but shot the ball poorly. USC had 15 more shot attempts than Maryland in the first half.

Those Trojan shooting struggles were what ultimately gave Maryland just enough leeway to win the game in the second half.

Both teams tried to find momentum from deep, but shot poorly. USC shot 5-of-32 (15.6%) from deep and Maryland shot 4-of-16 (25%).

The talented freshman Jazzy Davidson took advantage of her matchups early on, but she later tailed off. She notched 12 first-quarter points, then didn’t score for the rest of the game, missing 16 consecutive shots to finish the game.

“Being able to hold Jazzy was really important,” Frese said. “To be able to hold her 0-for-14 out of that first quarter was really impressive from this group.”

Kara Dunn led USC with 21 points. Meanwhile, the Terps’ distribution was more evenly spread. Addi Mack led the Terps with 12 points, and five Terps scored nine or more points. Maryland needed a collective effort to propel its offense after being top-heavy on Sunday.

The Terps have been consistently shorthanded this season, undergoing a plethora of season-ending injuries. But since conference play began, they have been relatively healthy.

That changed in the first half Thursday.

Rainey Welson went down after a collision with Davidson, where she was elbowed and went straight to the locker room. Welson had scored 12 points in back-to-back games, but did not return on Thursday.

Foul trouble also hurt the Terps. Oluchi Okananwa got into foul trouble on Sunday against Ohio State, and her absence fueled the Buckeyes to come back in the first half. It happened again. Okananwa was a non-factor in the first half, only playing eight minutes and scoring two points.

Okananwa finished with seven points, but the Terps didn’t need one of her signature high-scoring performances. Instead, they needed a run to gain a slight advantage.

And after a lull of slow back-and-forth, the Terps embarked on a 6-0 run on back-to-back and-one conversions. Davidson went to the bench late in the third quarter with knee pains and the Terps capitalized from the free throw line. Meanwhile, the Trojans went without a field goal for four minutes.

The Trojans fought back with a 7-0 run in the fourth to take a slight lead, but the Terps never relented for a signature Big Ten road victory.

“I like where we’re trending. I love where our bench is at,” Frese said. “You see, the confidence that they’re playing with.”

1. A game like March. The Terps have won close Big Ten games this season, but hadn’t played in a game like Thursday’s. It was a defensively-focused game — the Terps played into USC’s style and grinded out a back-and-forth win. There were no double-digit leads and no comebacks needed.

“A big thing for us has been stressing the communication piece and staying together,” Mack said. “Throughout the game, we did a really good job of, regardless of what adversity we face, we all came together.”

2. Second half free throw success. The Terps had one trip to the free throw line in the first half, but used their ability to get to the charity stripe to win the game in the second half. The Terps shot 20-of-24 (83.3%) from the free-throw line in the second half, accounting for 57% of their points.

3. Turnovers an issue. Despite grinding out the win, the Terps committed 19 turnovers on Thursday, which allowed the Trojans to take 21 more shots. Maryland’s strong shot contests allowed it to overcome that deficit despite having 10 more turnovers.

“We were all locked in on defense communication, that’s been a big thing in practice,” Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu said. “If I’m not communicating, no one else is going to communicate.”

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