Elijah Sarratt Followed Curt Cignetti to Indiana — and Became a Star in the Shadows

College Football: Elijah Sarratt Follows Curt Cignetti to Indiana and Rises to Stardom

Updated Oct. 24, 2025, 10:53 p.m. ET

During the second quarter of Indiana’s remarkable upset over then-No. 3 Oregon earlier this month, quarterback Fernando Mendoza took a step back to make a throw that has become a hallmark under head coach Curt Cignetti: a perfectly timed, precision pass aimed at the back shoulder of wide receiver Elijah Sarratt, one of the players Cignetti brought over from his time at James Madison. However, as Sarratt adjusted and reached for the ball, Oregon cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. — who would later intercept Mendoza and run it back 35 yards for a game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter — grabbed a significant portion of Sarratt’s jersey with his right hand, hindering the receiver’s movement by holding him firm near the armpit. To most spectators that day, especially those cheering for the Hoosiers, it seemed like an evident pass interference that would have awarded Indiana a first down. Yet, no flag was thrown.

“I’ve been getting grabbed a lot this whole season,” Sarratt mentioned during Indiana’s postgame presser jilli slots. “But I know it’s going to happen. I’m a bigger receiver 8k8.con. I’m not going to get every single call. But Fernando came to me on the sideline and said, ‘I’m coming back to you every single time,’ which just boosts my confidence. I know if I continue to get chances to make plays, eventually I will. So, big thanks to Fernando for believing in me and still giving me that opportunity.”

Sarratt would definitely get that opportunity again — multiple times, in fact — but not before Cignetti lost his cool over the missed call. In that moment, realizing there would be no penalty, Cignetti stormed onto the field and across the sidelines, nearly reaching the hash marks while unleashing his frustration to everyone nearby. When an Indiana staffer finally managed to pull Cignetti back to a more appropriate spot, he continued his tirade down the sideline, vocally challenging the officials. A slow-motion replay of his outburst — which earned him a sideline warning penalty — showed Cignetti visibly upset, with his chewing gum almost flying into a referee’s face. The incident was yet another reminder that Cignetti, who would soon receive an eight-year, $93 million contract just days after defeating the Ducks, always stands by his players.

“I’ve always believed we are where we’re meant to be,” Sarratt expressed. “Big shout out to the man above. He’s never wrong. He put me in this position to be here right now, and I can’t thank him enough. ph365 login ph registration I also owe a lot to Coach Cig and everyone who came from JMU and allowed me to continue doing what I love.”

On that overcast Saturday at Autzen Stadium, Sarratt saved his eighth and final reception for the 6:22 mark in the fourth quarter, when Mendoza delivered another back-shoulder throw that resulted in the game-winning touchdown in a monumental 30-20 victory. Earlier in the same drive, he caught two more passes — a 13-yarder that kept the momentum alive on third-and-6 and a 29-yarder that set up Indiana to score — finishing with a team-high 121 yards.

In a broader context, Sarratt has established himself as one of the top receivers nationally this season, even if the college football world is hesitant or perhaps unwilling to acknowledge it due to Indiana’s struggles prior to Cignetti taking charge. His touchdown against the Ducks marked Sarratt’s second consecutive game-winning score, having previously turned a short slant against Iowa’s aggressive defense into a stunning 49-yard touchdown with 1:28 left in that earlier game.

Sarratt is now ranked ninth nationally among players from power conferences in receptions (43), tied for seventh in receiving yards (603), and leads with receiving touchdowns (12) as he heads into Saturday’s match against a revitalized UCLA (Noon ET Saturday on FOX). The fact that he has more receiving yards and touchdowns than Ohio State’s star Jeremiah Smith, a player many consider a Heisman Trophy candidate, highlights the respect Sarratt deserves.

“Everyone tells me, ‘Yeah, I’m hearing good things from the [NFL] scouts,’” Sarratt said at Big Ten Media Days while reflecting on his decision to return to Indiana for his senior season. “You see your little draft profile sometimes. I feel like I could have been drafted if I had gone last year, but I wanted to improve my stock. My goal is to be a first-rounder this year, and — God willing — I hope I can do that.”

If Sarratt achieves this goal, it would crown an incredible journey that began as a zero-star recruit in Stafford, Virginia, approximately an hour from Washington, D.C. He earned three varsity letters at Colonial Forge High School from 2017-19 before transferring to football powerhouse St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, which has produced notable talents like former Michigan tailback Blake Corum and others. At St. Frances, he shared the field with current Michigan stars Derrick Moore and Jaishawn Barham, among other future Division I players.

However, a lack of high-profile recruiting options led Sarratt to end up at FCS-level Saint Francis in rural Pennsylvania, a school currently preparing to drop its athletic programs to Division III next year. He was honored as an FCS Freshman All-American after catching 42 passes for 700 yards and a team-leading 13 touchdowns in 2022, attracting the attention of Cignetti, who helped elevate James Madison from a consistent FCS contender to an FBS program in the restructured Sun Belt Conference.

Sarratt soon burst onto the national scene, tallying 82 receptions for 1,191 yards and eight touchdowns, which earned him first-team All-Sun Belt honors, along with an invitation from Cignetti to transfer to Indiana. The shared challenges faced by Cignetti and his former JMU players during their rise have created a profound bond.

“When people ask why I followed Coach Cignetti, why I made this choice over other schools,” said linebacker Aiden Fisher, another player who made the transition from JMU to Indiana, following the Hoosiers’ emotional victory at Oregon. jili slot 777 login register online “This is why. Complete buy-in. Complete trust in what Coach Cig is doing here. best casinos in philippines Doing things like this leads to wins like this. There’s no looking back on it. You believe in what he tells you, what he sees in you, and his preparation and process. It’s unmatched. That’s why players want to play for him.”

Fisher’s heartfelt sentiments could just as easily express Sarratt’s feelings, who spent the aftermath of last year’s fairytale run to the College Football Playoff deliberating whether to use his last year of eligibility. On a personal level, Sarratt caught 53 passes for 957 yards and eight touchdowns last season, earning third-team All-Big Ten honors from coaches and media alike. Unfortunately, as a team, Indiana lost in the playoff’s first roundagainst seventh-seeded Notre Dame, 27-17, after trailing by 24 points with less than five minutes left. This underwhelming performance contrasted with the way Cignetti’s squad had played all season, save for a disappointing defeat to then-No. 2 Ohio State in late November. The prevailing sentiment was both raw and unfinished.

As Sarratt weighed his future, torn between another year with Cignetti and entering the NFL Draft, he recalled a childhood lesson learned early in his sporting life. He used to chase that trophy, knowing it was the ultimate goal above all else — a realization that meant there was unfinished business for him at Indiana, which now stands at 7-0 and is ranked No. 2 in the nation for the first time in program history.

Sarratt recognized he still had room to improve his blocking, route-running, and catching reliability after dropping six passes over the past two seasons combined. Most crucially, he committed to taking Indiana deeper into the playoffs this year.

“We don’t want to go to the College Football Playoff and lose in Round 1 again,” Sarratt stated at Big Ten Media Days. “That’s not our goal. Our aim is to win a national championship.”

What are your thoughts on Sarratt’s journey and potential this season?