Indiana’s 20-17 escape at Nebraska on Saturday came down to one snap, and Curt Cignetti admitted afterward that the Hoosiers borrowed the idea from Kansas.
Indiana was trailing heading into the fourth quarter before Josh Hoover found Nick Marsh for a 44-yard touchdown that proved to be the difference. After the game, Cignetti explained where the fourth-and-1 concept came from and gave Kansas a strong nod for it.
"The fourth-and-1 play, Kansas made that one famous with that guy starting at quarterback for Tampa," Cignetti said. "That guy's a good coach. We stole that one about five, six years ago."
Cignetti was pointing to Jalon Daniels, who picked up his first win as an NFL starter on Thursday Night Football, and associate head coach Andy Kotelnicki, now back with Kansas for his second stint. That puts the play in Kotelnicki’s first run coordinating the Jayhawks’ offense.
Indiana used the look to suggest a run, then hit Marsh behind the defense for a clean touchdown. The route and the disguise were enough to flip the game, and the Hoosiers finished the job from there.
Kotelnicki spent two years away from Kansas as Penn State’s offensive coordinator, but his earlier work with the Jayhawks helped spark one of the program’s best offensive stretches under Lance Leipold. By the second season with Kotelnicki calling plays, Kansas was averaging 7.0 yards per play, a school record at the time and second-best in the country behind only Ohio State.
Kansas is still trying to find steadier offensive rhythm now, but Cignetti’s comments were another reminder that the scheme has earned real respect around the sport. The Jayhawks’ offense also flashed more explosiveness than it had shown all season in last week’s loss to Utah, a sign that Cignetti’s praise may have landed as a positive note for the program.
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