Curt Cignetti

Curt Cignetti
Cignetti in 2025
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamIndiana
ConferenceBig Ten
Record24–2
Annual salary$11.6 million [1]
Biographical details
Born (1961-06-02) June 2, 1961
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Playing career
1979–1982West Virginia
PositionQuarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1983–1984Pittsburgh (GA)
1985Davidson (QB/WR)
1986–1988Rice (QB)
1989–1992Temple (QB)
1993–1999Pittsburgh (QB/TE)
2000–2006NC State (QB/TE/RC)
2007–2011Alabama (WR/RC)
2011–2016IUP
2017–2018Elon
2019–2023James Madison
2024–presentIndiana
Head coaching record
Overall143–37
Tournaments
  • 0–1 (CFP)
  • 6–5 (NCAA D-I playoffs)
  • 4–3 (NCAA D-II playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Awards

Curt Cignetti (/kɜːrt sɪɡˈnɛti/ born June 2, 1961) is an American college football coach who is the head football coach at Indiana University. He previously served as the head coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) from 2011 to 2016, Elon University from 2017 to 2018, and James Madison University from 2019 to 2023.

Cignetti is a five-time conference coach of the year and a two-time national coach of the year. He is the only college football coach to have started 10–0 with two different teams in consecutive seasons, achieving this unique distinction with James Madison University in 2023 and Indiana University in 2024. During his first season at Indiana, he was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year after leading the Hoosiers to a program-record 11 wins and their first-ever College Football Playoff berth.[2] In 2025, he repeated as Big Ten Coach of the Year as Indiana completed the first 12–0 regular season in school history and won their first Big Ten Conference title since 1967.[3][4]

Early life and playing career

Cignetti was born June 2, 1961, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is the son of Hall-of-Fame coach Frank Cignetti Sr.[5] Cignetti played quarterback for the West Virginia Mountaineers from 1979 to 1982 under head coaches Frank Cignetti Sr. and Don Nehlen.[6][7]

Assistant coaching career

After graduating from West Virginia, Cignetti began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Pitt in 1983 under Foge Fazio. He has also coached at Davidson College, Rice University, and Temple University.[8]

In 2000, Cignetti joined Chuck Amato's staff at North Carolina State University (NC State). During his tenure, the Wolfpack achieved significant success, including a school-record 11-win season in 2002. In 2003, he coached quarterback Philip Rivers, who earned ACC Player of the Year honors. Over seven seasons, NC State participated in five bowl games, securing victories in four. Notably, in 2006, Cignetti recruited future Super Bowl champion quarterback Russell Wilson to the Wolfpack.[9][10]

In 2007, Cignetti became part of Nick Saban's inaugural coaching staff at the University of Alabama, serving as wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator. During Cignetti's time under Saban at Alabama, the Crimson Tide achieved remarkable success, including a 12–0 regular season in 2008 and a 14–0 national championship season in 2009. During this period, Alabama won 29 consecutive regular-season games. Cignetti played a pivotal role in recruiting and developing key players, such as wide receiver Julio Jones, Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram II, and linebacker Dont'a Hightower. The 2008 recruiting class featured six future first-round NFL draft selections.[9]

Head coaching career

IUP (2011–2016)

When Curt Cignetti became head coach at IUP in 2011, the program was coming off a 4–10 conference record in the previous 2 seasons. In his first season, he revitalized the team, which won six of its final seven games by an average margin of 28 points, finishing 7–3. The following year, IUP won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) title and advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals, ending the season 12–2. In 2013, Cignetti’s team posted a 9–2 record, and he guided IUP to NCAA playoff appearances in both 2015 and 2016. His 2016 team finished 10–2. Across six seasons, Cignetti compiled a 53–17 record at IUP, with three NCAA playoff appearances and two conference championships. On December 31, 2016, he accepted the head coaching position at Elon University.[9][10]

Elon (2017–2018)

At Elon, Cignetti inherited a program with a 4–20 conference record and six consecutive losing seasons. In his first year, the Phoenix turned their fortunes around, winning eight straight games after an opening loss to MAC champion Toledo. The team was ranked as high as sixth nationally and competed against James Madison for the conference championship, earning their first NCAA Playoff berth since 2009. For this turnaround, Cignetti was named Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year award. In 2018, Cignetti led Elon to a historic 27–24 victory over James Madison, snapping JMU's 22-game CAA winning streak and 19-game home winning streak. This marked Elon’s first win over a top-five FCS opponent and helped the team secure back-to-back NCAA playoff appearances for the first time in program history.[11]

James Madison (2019–2023)

Cignetti was named head coach at James Madison on December 14, 2018, guiding the Dukes to a 14–2 record in his first season. Cignetti's Dukes made an appearance in the FCS National Championship game, ultimately falling to North Dakota State in the title matchup.[9][10] In the pandemic-affected 2020 season, shortened and delayed to spring 2021, JMU finished 7–1 and reached the FCS Semifinals. The 2021 season saw further success, as the Dukes finished 12–2 and announced their move from the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) to the Sun Belt Conference. In their first season at the FBS level in 2022, JMU made a seamless transition, finishing 8–3 and earning a share of the Sun Belt East Division title.[9][10]

Indiana (2024–present)

2024 season

See also: 2024 Indiana Hoosiers football team

Cignetti was named head football coach at Indiana University on November 30, 2023, to replace the recently dismissed Tom Allen.[12] Shortly after his hiring, he drew media attention for his confident remark, telling reporters, "I win. Google me," when asked about his coaching record.[13] Cignetti guided Indiana to its first 8–0 start since 1967, then to a 9–0 record, marking a program milestone, and finally to a 10–0 start, the best in Indiana football history.[14] The Hoosiers achieved their first-ever 11-win season, highlighted by a victory over defending national champions Michigan, earning the team national recognition, a top-five ranking, and a College Football Playoff berth.[9][15] Indiana finished the season being ranked number ten in the country with an 11–2 record, their season ending with a loss to Notre Dame in the first round of the 2024–25 College Football Playoff.[16]

Indiana University extended Cignetti partway through his first season with a new eight-year contract. The deal doubled his salary to $8 million annually and included commitments to upgrade the football program, such as stadium enhancements and increased athlete and staff compensation.[9]

2025 season

See also: 2025 Indiana Hoosiers football team

Entering 2025, the Indiana Hoosiers were ranked #20 in the AP Top 25 to open the season.[17] After starting 5–0 and rising to #7 in the rankings, the Hoosiers defeated #3 Oregon by a score of 30–20 at Autzen Stadium.[18] This marked Indiana's first ever win against a top-5 team on the road, and their second ever win against a top-5 team, the first since they defeated Purdue in 1967.[19][20] Following the win, Indiana rose to #3 in the AP poll, the highest ranking in program history.[21] After improving to 7–0, Indiana climbed to #2 in the AP Poll, setting a new all-time high for the program.[22] The Hoosiers ended their regular season with a dominant 56–3 win over rival Purdue, a 12–0 record, and a #2 ranking in the AP poll.[23] On, December 6, 2025, the Hoosiers matched up with the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big 10 championship game. The Hoosiers won, 13–10.[24] On December 7, the 13–0 Hoosiers were ranked No. 1 team in the AP Top 25 poll for the first time in program history, and also earned the #1 seed in the college football playoff field – another school first.[25][26]

On October 16, 2025, Cignetti and Indiana signed an eight-year, $93 million contract extension.[22] Following the regular season, Cignetti was named Big Ten Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year, sweeping both the Hayes–Schembechler Award (coaches) and the Dave McClain Award (media).[4][3][27]

As Indiana's profile rose nationally, Cignetti also became more visible as a public figure around the program. The Athletic reported that Memorial Stadium introduced a "Coach Cignetti Pose Cam" feature on the scoreboard during home games and that Cignetti viewed his increasingly brash media persona as a deliberate way to draw attention to a program he believed had long been overlooked.[28]

Major achievements and program turnarounds

At James Madison, Cignetti guided the Dukes’ transition from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), posting a 52–9 record from 2019 to 2023 and winning three conference titles.[29]

In 2024, his first season at Indiana, the Hoosiers achieved a school-record 11 wins, secured the program’s first College Football Playoff berth, and finished ranked No. 10 in the Associated Press poll, while Cignetti was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.[30]

Coaching philosophy

Commentators and players have described Cignetti's programs as emphasizing tempo, physicality, and discipline with practices designed to be "fast, physical [and] relentless" while remaining "smart, disciplined [and] poised". He frequently frames execution as "one play at a time" with each snap treated independently to build consistency over the course of a game.[31][32]

Reporters covering Indiana's transition under Cignetti have highlighted a deliberate culture reset—professionalism, accountability, and a "winning mindset"—paired with higher practice tempo and tighter organization.[33] Cignetti has also said he prefers efficiency over sheer volume in practice, using fewer of the allowable sessions or hours and focusing on pace and organization to simulate game pressure.[31]

Analysts often connect Cignetti's approach to his time on Nick Saban's Alabama staff, particularly around evaluation, roster construction, and sustaining culture through clear expectations. In 2025, Saban said Indiana's rapid turnaround reflected Cignetti's evaluation and culture work amid frequent roster changes, adding that Cignetti "has done a really good job as a head coach".[34]

National coverage has characterized his public tone and on-field identity as unapologetically aggressive, noting his "attack" ethos and unwillingness to "play nice".[35] Earlier national profiles also traced how his methods and messaging traveled from prior stops to Indiana as part of the program's turnaround.[36]

Former players and colleagues from his assistant-coaching stops have described Cignetti as an exacting teacher and an intensely focused preparer, sometimes calling him a "cocky nerd" for his combination of blunt candor and studied approach to the job.[28] A 2025 profile in The Athletic reported that Cignetti became known for marathon film sessions in which he repeatedly rewound plays to critique players' footwork and assignments and for occasionally stepping into drills himself when quarterbacks failed to execute a rep, reinforcing his standards for precision and preparation.[28] The same profile noted that he prefers concise, high-tempo practices that often finish in roughly 90 minutes, emphasizing efficiency over volume, and that he stresses eliminating "self-imposed limitations" while delivering feedback that players have characterized as direct but constructive.[28]

Personal life

Cignetti and his wife, Manette, have three children, Curt Jr., Carly Ann, and Natalie Elise.[37] His brother, Frank Jr., also coaches and is offensive coordinator at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He previously served as Pitt offensive coordinator. His father, Frank Sr., coached for the West Virginia Mountaineers from 1976 to 1979, and served as coach of Indiana University of Pennsylvania from 1980 to 2005.[38][39]

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
IUP Crimson Hawks (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) (2011–2016)
2011 IUP 7–3 5–2 3rd (West)
2012 IUP 12–2 6–1 1st (West) L NCAA Division II Quarterfinal 7
2013 IUP 9–2 5–2 2nd (West) 24
2014 IUP 6–5 5–4 5th (West)
2015 IUP 9–3 6–1 T–1st (West) L NCAA Division II Second Round 19
2016 IUP 10–2 6–1 2nd (West) L NCAA Division II Second Round 12
IUP: 53–17 33–11
Elon Phoenix (Colonial Athletic Association) (2017–2018)
2017 Elon 8–4 6–2 3rd L NCAA Division I First Round 21 20
2018 Elon 6–5 4–3 6th L NCAA Division I First Round 19 19
Elon: 14–9 10–5
James Madison Dukes (Colonial Athletic Association) (2019–2021)
2019 James Madison 14–2 8–0 1st L NCAA Division I Championship 2 2
2020–21 James Madison 7–1 3–0 1st (South) L NCAA Division I Semifinal 3 3
2021 James Madison 12–2 7–1 T–1st L NCAA Division I Semifinal 3 3
James Madison Dukes (Sun Belt Conference) (2022–2023)
2022 James Madison 8–3 6–2 T–1st (East)[a]
2023 James Madison 11–1 7–1 1st (East)[a] Armed Forces[b] 24 25
James Madison: 52–9 31–4
Indiana Hoosiers (Big Ten Conference) (2024–present)
2024 Indiana 11–2 8–1 T–2nd L CFP First Round† 10 10
2025 Indiana 13–0 9–0 1st Rose† 1 1
Indiana: 24–2 17–1
Total: 143–37
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
  • †Indicates CFP / New Years' Six bowl.
  • #Rankings from final Coaches' poll.
  • °Rankings from final AFCA poll for IUP and final STATS poll for Elon and James Madison.
  1. ^ a b c James Madison was not eligible for their conference title or post-season play in their first two years of FBS transition while members of the Sun Belt Conference. They had the best record in the SBC East Division in 2022 and tied for the best record in 2023, but weren't allowed to play in the conference championship game.
  2. ^ On November 30, 2023, Cignetti was hired by Indiana before James Madison played in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Records

NCAA Division I
  • First NCAA Division I head coach to start 8–0 or better in consecutive seasons at different institutions (James Madison, 2023; Indiana, 2024)[40]
Indiana
  • Most head coaching wins in a single season: 13 (2025)
  • Most Big Ten Conference head coaching wins in a single season: 9 (2025)
  • First head coach to start their tenure with a 4–0 record (2024)
  • First head coach to reach double-digit wins in a single season (2024)
  • First head coach to defeat an AP top-five ranked opponent on the road (2025)
  • First head coach with consecutive 10–0 seasons (2024, 2025)
  • First head coach to reach the College Football Playoff (2024–25)
James Madison
Elon
  • First head coach to defeat a top-five FCS opponent (October 16, 2018, at No. 2 James Madison)
  • First head coach to reach the NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs in back-to-back seasons (2017, 2018)

References

  1. ^ "Indiana University and Football Coach Curt Cignetti Agree to New Eight-Year Contract Through 2033". Indiana University Athletics. October 16, 2025. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
  2. ^ Niziolek, Michael (December 3, 2024). "Google it. IU football's Curt Cignetti wins Big Ten Coach of the Year". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved November 30, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Bowie, Dustin. "Curt Cignetti named Big Ten Coach of the Year again as Indiana surges to 12–0." The Indianapolis Star. December 3, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Curt Cignetti wins second consecutive Big Ten Coach of the Year award." Crimson Quarry. December 4, 2025.
  5. ^ Doyel, Gregg (November 20, 2024). "Indiana's Curt Cignetti learned faith, family, football from dad Frank". IndyStar. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
  6. ^ Callihan, Schuyler (December 18, 2024). "Curt Cignetti Gives a Shoutout to Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia on Pat McAfee Show". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 19, 2025.
  7. ^ "Curt Cignetti Bio". James Madison University Athletics. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
  8. ^ "Staff Directory: Curt Cignetti". IUPAthletics.com. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Dellenger, Ross (November 20, 2024). "Forever a basketball school, Curt Cignetti has awakened a 'sleeping giant' of a football program at Indiana". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d Rittenberg, Adam. "Curt Cignetti's viral rise to making Indiana a College Football Playoff contender". ESPN. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  11. ^ Smith, Adam. "EPIC FOR ELON: Phoenix takes down Dukes in dramatic, historic victory". The Times. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  12. ^ Marot, Michael (November 30, 2023). "Indiana Hoosiers agree to deal with Curt Cignetti as new football coach". AP News. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  13. ^ McDaniel, Mike (December 23, 2023). "Indiana's Curt Cignetti Flexes Winning Record: 'Google Me'". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
  14. ^ Haehnle, Kaspar (November 1, 2024). "The rise of Indiana football and how MSU can prepare". The State News. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
  15. ^ Niziolek, Michael. "Indiana football will play Notre Dame in College Football Playoff first round". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  16. ^ Niziolek, Michael (August 4, 2025). "Where is IU football ranked in preseason US LMB Coaches Poll Top 25?". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  17. ^ Bode, Josh (August 11, 2025). "IU football ranked in preseason AP poll following historic season". WISH-TV. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  18. ^ Russo, Ralph D.; Williams, Justin (October 12, 2025). "Indiana legitimizes rise with win at Oregon: Hoosiers end Ducks' home dominance and more takeaways". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  19. ^ Osterman, Zach (October 11, 2025). "Likes, dislikes from No. 7 Indiana football's win at No. 2 Oregon: Ducks hunted, haunted by IU". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  20. ^ Kassim, Ehsan (October 11, 2025). "What's Indiana football's highest ranking? Hoosiers looking at history after Oregon win". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  21. ^ Kadlick, Mike (October 12, 2025). "AP Top 25 Poll: Indiana Earns Highest Ranking in Program History With Win Over Oregon". SI. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  22. ^ a b Vannini, Chris (October 16, 2025). "Indiana signs Curt Cignetti to new 8-year contract amid Penn State speculation". The Athletic. Retrieved October 16, 2025.
  23. ^ Osterman, Zach (November 29, 2025). "Indiana finishes regular season with exclamation point. Now come the questions". USA TODAY. Retrieved November 30, 2025.
  24. ^ Marot, Michael (December 7, 2025). "No. 2 Indiana beats No. 1 Ohio St. 13-10 to end Big Ten title drought, lock up top playoff seed". AP News. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
  25. ^ "Indiana takes No. 1 spot in AP Top 25 for first time in history". Reuters. December 7, 2025. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
  26. ^ "Alabama, Miami in, Notre Dame out and Indiana No. 1 in College Football Playoff rankings". NFL.com. Associated Press. December 7, 2025. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
  27. ^ "IU's Curt Cignetti wins Big Ten Coach of the Year for second straight season." WISH-TV. December 3, 2025.
  28. ^ a b c d Hamilton, Brian (December 3, 2025). "Indiana football was irrelevant. Then a 'cocky nerd' arrived". The Athletic. The New York Times Company.
  29. ^ Rittenberg, Adam (November 20, 2024). "Curt Cignetti's viral rise to making Indiana a College Football Playoff contender". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
  30. ^ Wetzel, Dan (September 23, 2025). "Curt Cignetti isn't here to play nice, and he may not be close to done". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
  31. ^ a b DiPrimio, Pete (February 8, 2024). "Win Now – Cignetti Won't Wait on Football Success". IUHoosiers.com. Indiana University Athletics. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
  32. ^ Flick, Daniel (August 29, 2025). "Notes, Quotes from Curt Cignetti's Radio Show Before Indiana Football's Season Opener". Sports Illustrated (Indiana Hoosiers On SI). Retrieved October 25, 2025.
  33. ^ "How Curt Cignetti brought 'the winning mindset' to Indiana football". Indiana Daily Student. August 29, 2024. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
  34. ^ Flick, Daniel (October 11, 2025). "Why Nick Saban Thinks Curt Cignetti's Indiana Football Success is Sustainable". Sports Illustrated (Indiana Hoosiers On SI). Retrieved October 25, 2025.
  35. ^ Wetzel, Dan (September 23, 2025). "Curt Cignetti isn't here to play nice, and he may not be close to done". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
  36. ^ Rittenberg, Adam (November 20, 2024). "Curt Cignetti's viral rise to making Indiana a College Football Playoff contender". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
  37. ^ Bob Fulton. "Geography Lesson". IUP Magazine. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
  38. ^ Ankony, Jack (October 18, 2024). "Nick Saban A Long-Time Believer in Indiana Coach Curt Cignetti". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 16, 2025.
  39. ^ Shoemaker, Wesley (September 22, 2022). "Remembering former WVU head coach Frank Cignetti Sr". The Daily Athenaeum. Retrieved October 16, 2025.
  40. ^ "Nine Finalists Selected for 2024 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award". Sugar Bowl. December 10, 2024. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
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