Angelo Ponds didn’t rush the moment.
He waited until he was back in the Indiana locker room area, where celebrations feel private and earned.
Surrounded by family, players, and the quiet release that follows something hard-won, the father of Hoosiers defensive standout D’Angelo Ponds snapped a belt in celebration. It was playful. It was proud. And it felt intentional.
If it landed as a response to Michael Irvin, that was part of the fun.
BTA 🏆 pic.twitter.com/54RTUEmFId
— Angelo Ponds (@AngeloPonds) January 20, 2026
Irvin has turned the “belt to ass” into a Miami calling card. In Hurricanes wins, the Hall of Famer has leaned fully into the theater, whipping opposing jerseys, flashing the belt with showman flair, and even once handing a Mississippi State fan a stack of cash just to secure Bulldogs gear before letting it fly. The message has been consistent. Miami wins. Belt to ass.
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This time, Indiana had the final say.
Ponds’ celebration wasn’t loud or confrontational. It wasn’t staged for cameras or social media. It happened behind the scenes, in a space meant for family and reflection. There was no edge to it, no bad blood. Just a father matching passion with passion and enjoying the moment alongside his son’s teammates.
Out on the field, Michael Irvin, serving as an honorary captain for the University of Miami Hurricanes, stood nearly motionless as cream and crimson confetti poured down.
IU confetti raining down on a beltless Michael Irving is the highlight of my day pic.twitter.com/CZ2yI2ypmM
— Kevin O’Neill 🇺🇸 (@Coach_K_ONeill) January 20, 2026
He looked stunned, almost frozen, as if the scene needed a second to register. It was the look of someone who had emptied himself for the program long ago and still carried it.
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As he finally walked away, Irvin quietly muttered, “We’ll be back.”
If D’Angelo Ponds returns for his senior season with the Indiana Hoosiers, that line may linger. Not as a threat. Not as tension. Just belief. Just pride. And maybe, the first note of something worth circling in 2026.
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