ATLANTA – “Something was definitely said and stuff like that, it just felt good to prove that person wrong, whoever that was,” junior defensive back D’Angelo Ponds said on Wednesday night at Peach Bowl Media Day.
Indiana football preaches about blocking out the noise. Whether it’s head coach Curt Cignetti, linebacker Aiden Fisher, or quarterback Fernando Mendoza, they’re talking about blocking out the outside noise and distractions as a team.
Well Ponds did as best as he could, he let it affect him a bit, specifically when he hit Alabama’s quarterback Ty Simpson in the Rose Bowl.
“I think he hit him pretty good,” Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines said.
The hit resulted in the first forced fumble of Ponds’s career. Not a half bad first one to force, especially on that stage. Ponds and the defense shut Alabama down in the 38-3 Rose Bowl victory, advancing to the College Football Playoff Semifinal in the Peach Bowl this Friday against Oregon.
A rare sight to see was a Hoosier lowering their shoulder solely to lay the lumber, and not wrap up with a form tackle.
What went viral that stuck out to Ponds?
A simple Tweet saying he “don’t wanna hit.”
Indiana players showing that they’re affected by the outside media and social media is potentially a first for the players.
"There was some (extra) stuff that played into that," Ponds said whilst laughing Tuesday when originally asked about his hit in the Rose Bowl.
The Hoosiers have tried their hardest to stress that they stay off social media. Even Fisher mentioned on Wednesday night that at least half the team doesn’t have any social media.
Well, some guys prepare differently. Ponds acknowledged it falls in line with the mentality Haines has.
“I lean into all that stuff, as long as it brings out a better version of themselves,” said Haines on Wednesday.
Haines has garnered a love amongst Indiana fans on X (formerly known as Twitter) and has gotten plenty of interaction.
The fandom love has even led to Hoosiers Connect auctioning off Haines’s belt from the Rose Bowl victory.
The Indiana squad is slowly starting to show a more personable side that fans have been wanting to see. Even if Fisher says, “it kind of feels like we’re robots,” the squad is showing some personality.
The Indiana squad reads as clear as Schrödinger’s theory. What causes so many issues for teams apart from the schematics, is that the opponents don’t find out if Cignetti’s killer robots are on the field or the personable Hoosiers.
So far, all that’s been on the field are the robots. Granted, they still show personality. Just a week ago at the Rose Bowl pressers Ponds was asking Isaiah Jones his opinion on D’Angelo Ponds.
Ponds’ hit on Simpson was rogue from a form tackle perspective, but will it still make his highlight reel?
“Oh yeah, definitely, definitely,” said Ponds.
Ponds has another chance to add to his highlight reel on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN against No. 5 Oregon in the Peach Bowl.
