In a time where Indiana University basketball continues to steal the show with high-profile headlines, football made a huge splash with the addition of coveted transfer defensive back D’Angelo Ponds. A Freshman All-American team member from a season ago, the Hoosiers secured Ponds over pursuits from programs like Miami (FL) and Colorado, as well as a host of SEC schools. This adds to a strong transfer portal class that head coach Curt Cignetti and his staff have put together.
Ponds, a James Madison transfer like many new incoming Hoosiers, posted some impressive numbers in his debut campaign with 51 total tackles, 12 pass breakups, and two interceptions. A three-star recruit coming out of high school, he’s a testament to Cignetti and Co.’s ability to develop less-heralded talent into shining diamonds. That ability still needs to translate into wins, true, but this is just the latest development in what has already been a fast start for the new coaches running the program.
With the addition of prominent four-star defensive back Chris McCorkle III a few days ago, the fact that a name like Ponds would endorse this staff shows that anyone–big names, small names, whoever–are in good hands with Cignetti and his crew. Coaches Rod Ojong and Ola Adams–both of whom are coming onto Cignetti’s staff from outside his previous group at James Madison–are clearly working hard as they take the reins of the defensive back room in Bloomington. They should have a ton of talent to work with if they keep this up.
Perhaps most importantly, though, look at the top competition for Ponds’ services. Colorado and Miami are not poor schools, nor are they schools like Indiana where football has historically not been at the top of the heap. These are two of the bigger names and bigger budgets in the game right now, and that Indiana was able to swoop in and ensnare one of the Transfer Portal’s top talents shows two things. One, it shows that money doesn’t always matter the most, especially when a comfortable fit is in place. Two, it shows that the perception around Indiana football is rapidly changing. Again, they need to go out and prove it on the field. That being said, winning the off-season is something the big-time programs historically do, and right now Cignetti is racking up a good number of off-season wins.
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