Curt Cignetti rationalizes Charlie Becker’s new role at punt returner
· Yahoo Sports
Fumbling a punt and turning the ball over in a Big Ten game is the kind of nightmare-inducing play that was a hallmark of Indiana football during the B.C. (Before Cignetti) era and Curt Cignetti is determined to leave it there.
Indiana has prioritized special teams as much as just about any team in the country under Cignetti, frequently playing offensive and defensive starters there during his tenure. It’s worked wonders, notably with D’Angelo Ponds’ blocked punt against Illinois and Mikail Kamara’s similar blocked punt in the National Championship Game against Miami, both of which went for scores.
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But Indiana fans were treated to a slightly different scenario on Saturday against Western Kentucky: Charlie Becker, Indiana’s first option at wide receiver, back deep to field the punt. He returned it just once, but Becker’s presence at one of the game’s most precarious positions raised a few eyebrows around the fanbase.
Cignetti addressed it, unprompted, during his Monday press conference. Asked about Northwestern’s early turnover creation, Cignetti spoke to the Wildcats’ ability while complimenting that of his own team before slipping in the following note on Becker:
“I get asked, ‘why do you have Charlie Becker back on punt return?’,” Cignetti said. “Well, drop a punt and change the momentum of a Big10 game. That’s why.”
Tyler Morris was initially Indiana’s return man back deep before dropping two punts against Howard. That’s survivable against the Bison, less so against the Hoosiers’ Big Ten schedule.
We’ll see if Becker remains back there for the length of the season, but Cignetti’s logic is pretty sound. You’d just rather someone else could step up at that spot.
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