Curt Cignetti had perfect message for Kurtis Rourke at halftime

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti on Friday was clearly unhappy with quarterback Kurtis Rourke’s first-half performance against Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish hosted the Hoosiers in the first round of the expanded College Football Playoff at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Ind. Cignetti’s squad got completely outplayed over the first two quarters, trailing Notre Dame 14-3 at halftime.

Before heading back to the locker room for the break, Cignetti was asked what he needed to see from Rourke in the second half. The first word out of the Indiana coach’s mouth spoke volumes.

“Completions,” Cignetti said with a wry smile on his face.

“And we’ve got to do a better job of protecting him and a better job separating. We’re going to have to get the pass game going, then get the offense going.

"I give Notre Dame credit. They're taking it to us."

—IU head coach Curt Cignetti at halftime vs. Notre Dame. pic.twitter.com/r7lYEfbtwK

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 21, 2024

Rourke went 6/13 for 77 yards with an interception in the first half. He started the game 2/8 and got picked off on his fourth throw of the contest.

The Indiana QB finished the game with a 20/33 passing clip for 215 yards with 2 touchdowns and an interception. But a bulk of that production came thanks to a couple of inconsequential touchdowns to end the fourth quarter.

Notre Dame held on for a 27-17 win that was not as close as the final score made it seem.

Cignetti himself also did not have his best game from a coaching standpoint. Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman outsmarted Cignetti throughout the game.