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In his second season at the helm, Curt Cignetti led Indiana to its first national championship.
During the Hoosiers’ title run, Cignetti became known for his demanding coaching style. Indiana opened spring practice Thursday, and new transfer wide receiver Nick Marsh got a crash course in what it means to play for Cignetti.
Marsh, a transfer from Michigan State, arrived at practice wearing gold cleats. After noting Marsh’s productive two-year stint in East Lansing, Cignetti turned his attention to wideouts.
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Nick Marsh (6) of the Michigan State Spartans runs the ball down the field during the first quarter of a game against the Maryland Terrapins at Ford Field on November 29, 2025, in Detroit. (Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
“I didn’t like the gold shoes he came out with today,” Cignetti said. “He learned what it’s like to get ripped. I don’t know if that happened to him very often at Michigan State. It was before practice started.”
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Marsh totaled 1,311 receiving yards and nine touchdowns at Michigan State. TCU quarterback Josh Hoover also headlines Indiana’s transfer additions.
An Indiana Hoosiers helmet during a game against the Ball State Cardinals at Lucas Oil Stadium on August 31, 2019, in Indianapolis. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Cignetti added that the coaching staff has “more work to do with this group than with the first two teams,” noting that the group is still learning more about the players the team will likely rely on next season.
Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti during the second quarter against the Miami Hurricanes in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium on January 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Indiana went 16-0 en route to a thrilling victory over Miami in the College Football Playoff National Championship in January.
Cignetti framed his call for Marsh’s cleats as an early message about expectations.
“It was a wake-up call,” Cignetti said of the receiver’s cleats before practice. “But he really worked hard and did a great job for us.”
