Indiana football head coach Curt Cignetti brought Derek Owings with him from James Madison to become the Hoosiers’ director of athletic performance. In this role, Owings strives to build the fastest, most violent team in America.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Wide receiver Elijah Sarratt was one of Indiana’s most prized transfer portal recruits this offseason after being named to the All-Sun Belt first team at James Madison in 2023.
Derek Owings is Indiana’s new director of athletic performance, and he’s one of seven assistants who followed Cignetti from James Madison to Indiana. He headed James Madison’s strength and conditioning program under Cignetti from 2020-23, when the Dukes went 38-7 with 20 All-America selections and 24 first-team all-conference picks across four seasons.
Though they don't call plays on game days, strength coaches are particularly important in today’s college football. They have a hands-on role with players throughout the year, from in-season training to winter, spring and summer workouts. The investment in Owings speaks to that, and Indiana announced plans last July to renovate a football-only weight room inside Memorial Stadium.
Owings said the on-field demands of each position require specific training, but in general he’s trying to build the fastest, most violent team in America. When he first started working with Indiana’s roster in the winter, Owings wanted to take things slow and not rush building the foundation. Early on, he focused on technique and weight room expectations.
Over the last few seasons at James Madison, Owings is most proud that players got faster during the season and typically hit their personal records in October and November. His focus on speed correlates with Cignetti’s belief in shorter, up-tempo practices.
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