Curt Cignetti’s Contract

[Yah-E]

He’s a coach with an excellent history. Won everywhere he has been and been an assistant on some great teams. I think someone will come after him for sure if he wins big at Indiana. It would be refreshing to see him finish his career there though.

Family of deep coaching traditions.

His father Frank Sr was a long time coach and brother (Frank Jr. - Pitts’s ex OC last year) is also another seasoned coach in both college and NFL. Curt’s sister-in-law (Frank Jr.’s wife) told me that supposedly our PJ had told Frank Jr. that “he can call him at anytime”. I guess both PJ & Frank Jr worked together under Greg S at Rutgers. By the tone of Frank Jr.’s wife, doesn’t sound like PJ’s RTB culture is his cup of tea.

Frank Jr and his wife now go supports Curt because Frank Jr is out of job (fired by Narduzzi last year) and the sister-in-law said “yeah, Curt will be gone next year” - meaning out of IU.

 

[Word]

He only stayed at Elon for 2 years and left after a 6-5 season. I could see him bolting after this season. And with his ego, you'd think he would want something bigger than Indiana.

 

[U2Gopher]

He’ll be at Florida State next year

Doubt it, but I guess it could happen. The buy out in Tallahassee is huge.

 

[Ski-UT-Mah]

He’ll be at Florida State next year

Maybe USC? Lincoln Riley’s buyout is $88 million though so not sure they can stomach that and get him as well

 

[MNVCGUY]

If we promise to not tell PJ that you said something good about another coach, can you admit this seems to be a pretty good hire for Indiana?

Clearly they are having a great year, they also have benefited from an extremely soft schedule to this point which really only has one game left on it that looks like it will be a true challenge and that is a trip to Columbus to play Ohio State. They do play Michigan but that team is trending in the wrong direction right now and has a real mess at QB.

As for Cignetti, he looks like a great hire for them. He also brought in a ton of transfers so the challenge for him will be sustaining success at a school that has really struggled to do that in football.

The way things are going they may just ride this schedule to the playoff and will get a chance to prove they are for real. Will be really interesting to see how they do when they head to Columbus to take on Ohio State.

 

[highwayman]

Family of deep coaching traditions.

His father Frank Sr was a long time coach and brother (Frank Jr. - Pitts’s ex OC last year) is also another seasoned coach in both college and NFL. Curt’s sister-in-law (Frank Jr.’s wife) told me that supposedly our PJ had told Frank Jr. that “he can call him at anytime”. I guess both PJ & Frank Jr worked together under Greg S at Rutgers. By the tone of Frank Jr.’s wife, doesn’t sound like PJ’s RTB culture is his cup of tea.

Frank Jr and his wife now go supports Curt because Frank Jr is out of job (fired by Narducci last year) and the sister-in-law said “yeah, Curt will be gone next year” - meaning out of IU.

That’s quite a lot of info. You got this on your guest spot on The View?

 

[btowngopher]

It seems like a decent number of first year coaches have a good first year partly because a lot of their best players transfer from their previous school. Indiana had 13 players transfer in from JMU. I doubt Dignetti brought his bad players with him. It's like a normal transfer portal year on steroids. Plus, they often flip much of their recruiting class. Deon did this moving from Jackson State to Colorado and even PJ did this to a degree moving to the U from Western Michigan - Chris Autman-Bell, Tanner Morgan and John Michael Schmitz were recruits that flipped to the U.

https://www.indystar.com/story/spor...na-hoosiers-roster-curt-cignetti/74876165007/

Like us, they got a one year rental at quarterback and are making the best of it, but it leaves a big question mark for next year. Of course, showcasing a dynamic offense will help future quarterback and WR recruiting.

Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy for Indiana, but it will be interesting to see how things play out moving forward after at least partially combining the talent of two teams and recruiting classes into one.

First year coaches are allowed to make roster cuts as well, Sanders at CU being the first to really apply that large scale.

 

[Panthadad2]

LOL. Indiana has one single currently ranked team on their whole schedule in OSU (MI will drop). That schedule is soft as baby poo. In a way, it's similar to MN 2019 where the Gophs went 8-0 before facing a ranked team (then faced 4 including the bowl).

Regardless, the Hoosiers and Cignetti are demolishing the teams on their schedule when they would have probably posted a few losses in almost any other year. They can't do much better than that.

 

[Some guy]

LOL. Indiana has one single currently ranked team on their whole schedule in OSU (MI will drop). That schedule is soft as baby poo. In a way, it's similar to MN 2019 where the Gophs went 8-0 before facing a ranked team (then faced 4 including the bowl).

Regardless, the Hoosiers and Cignetti are demolishing the teams on their schedule when they would have probably posted a few losses in almost any other year. They can't do much better than that.

If they finish 10-2 there is a pretty good chance they get left out for a 9-3 team from the big ten or SEC or a 10-2 team from big 12 or ACC

We will see if being big ten matters more or if SOS matters more.

They may end up with 0 wins against teams with 8+ wins

 

[Pompous Elitist]

If they finish 10-2 there is a pretty good chance they get left out for a 9-3 team from the big ten or SEC or a 10-2 team from big 12 or ACC

They may end up with 0 wins against teams with 8+ wins

Yeah but what about CFP criterion “game control”.

 

[Some guy]

Yeah but what about CFP criterion “game control”.

Good point. I don’t know what the metrics think of them

They need to be cheering hard for teams on their schedule to win

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Maybe USC? Lincoln Riley’s buyout is $88 million though so not sure they can stomach that and get him as well

I wouldn't be surprised if he bolts to the NFL before a couple more years at USC tarnishes his "brand".

 

[60's Guy]

Can't we just give the guy credit? He didn't make the schedule.
They are averaging just short of 50 points a game. Nebraska's defense was their strength...they gave up 56 points versus Indiana.
The Gophers have had plenty of soft schedules and done nothing with them other than 2019 and even then they lost winnable games that snuffed a title opportunity.
Indiana has been horrible for a number of years.
PJ took over a 9 and 4 team coming off 5 straight bowl appearances.
Indiana had won 3 Big Ten games total, the last three years! This guy has four Big Ten wins in four tries!

 

[howeda7]

Maybe USC? Lincoln Riley’s buyout is $88 million though so not sure they can stomach that and get him as well

Riley might flee back to Oklahoma.

 

[Dave H]

Can't we just give the guy credit? He didn't make the schedule.
They are averaging just short of 50 points a game. Nebraska's defense was their strength...they gave up 56 points versus Indiana.
The Gophers have had plenty of soft schedules and done nothing with them other than 2019 and even then they lost winnable games that snuffed a title opportunity.
Indiana has been horrible for a number of years.
PJ took over a 9 and 4 team coming off 5 straight bowl appearances.
Indiana had won 3 Big Ten games total, the last three years! This guy has four Big Ten wins in four tries!

Who isn't giving them credit? Pointing out they have a weak schedule is part of why though no matter how you slice it. Plenty did when Fleck had his run in 2019. It doesn't diminish anything you win the games that is the only control you have.

 

[MaxyJR1]

He would be wise to stay at Indiana as long as the B1G gives them decent scheduling.

Next year Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Purdue, UCLA, MSU, Maryland, PSU and Oregon

 

[60's Guy]

Who isn't giving them credit? Pointing out they have a weak schedule is part of why though no matter how you slice it. Plenty did when Fleck had his run in 2019. It doesn't diminish anything you win the games that is the only control you have.

I think you may have selective reading?

"extremely soft schedule"
"Cignetti may or may not be a good hire for them but I don't think you can draw a lot of conclusions based on the teams they have played to date."

And 6 people agreed with those comments


"Everyone can coach against the Indiana schedule so far."
And one person agreed.

Yes, he has some defenders but many are flat out dismissing him or offering back handed compliments.

 

[60's Guy]

Who isn't giving them credit? Pointing out they have a weak schedule is part of why though no matter how you slice it. Plenty did when Fleck had his run in 2019. It doesn't diminish anything you win the games that is the only control you have.

And how about this? The narrative is the Gophers have an incredibly tough brutal schedule:

North Carolina 3 and 4


Rhode Island. 6 and 1 whoa! Our only opponent with 2 or fewer losses after 7 games


Nevada. 3 and 5


Iowa 4 and 3


Michigan. 4 and 3


USC. 3 and 4


UCLA 2 and 5

Indiana just curb stomped Nebraska. Nebraska has 5 wins.


We haven’t played anybody with 5 wins besides Rhode Island.

 

[Panthadad2]

And how about this? The narrative is the Gophers have an incredibly tough brutal schedule:

North Carolina 3 and 4


Rhode Island. 6 and 1 whoa! Our only opponent with 2 or fewer losses after 7 games


Nevada. 3 and 5


Iowa 4 and 3


Michigan. 4 and 3


USC. 3 and 4


UCLA 2 and 5

Indiana just curb stomped Nebraska. Nebraska has 5 wins.


We haven’t played anybody with 5 wins besides Rhode Island.

Massey says Indiana has the 78th toughest schedule so far. Nebraska has the 72nd hardest. Neither has anything near a ranked win.

Strength of Schedule
USC #2
UCLA #4
Michigan #17
Iowa #18
Minnesota #34

Like I said, their schedule so far is soft as baby poo.

 

[maroonfive]

Massey says Indiana has the 78th toughest schedule so far. Nebraska has the 72nd hardest. Neither has anything near a ranked win.

Strength of Schedule
USC #2
UCLA #4
Michigan #17
Iowa #18
Minnesota #34

Like I said, they're schedule so far is soft as baby poo.

Either way it is a great story and we dont play them so I will cheer for them the rest of the season.

 

[MNVCGUY]

I think you may have selective reading?

"extremely soft schedule"
"Cignetti may or may not be a good hire for them but I don't think you can draw a lot of conclusions based on the teams they have played to date."

And 6 people agreed with those comments


"Everyone can coach against the Indiana schedule so far."
And one person agreed.

Yes, he has some defenders but many are flat out dismissing him or offering back handed compliments.

Why is the level of credit that Indiana gets so important to you?

Indiana has played an incredibly soft schedule so far....they have dominated the teams on it but I don't know why you can't grasp that people want to see them win a tough road game or beat a ranked team before believing completely in them.

Indiana is definitely one of the better teams in the Big Ten this year, when they play Ohio State in Columbus we will get to find out just how good they really are. As for their coach, he was able to bring a ton of players with him and go the quick fix route.....time will tell if he can sustain it and win at a place where winning in football has been really tough to do with any sort of consistency.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

This may be a silly question but how is anyone deriving “strength of schedule” (in a relevant, meaningful, or accurate way) halfway through a season roughly half of which were non-con cupcakes.

Indiana is an awesome overnight rags to riches story (yeah yeah, so far) and epitomizes why some of us even bother watching sports and particularly MN fans since this what we live for and hope to see. I hope they go 12-0. Nothing would make me happier as a fan of sports, scrappy athletes, and (some) coaches than to see Indiana go undefeated and do it in the right way in contrast to a certain Big Ten program. I don’t know much about Cignetti but I don’t see him as an asshat like Prime, or the team and fans entitled a-holes like the Wolverines or Buckeyes. I doubt the players are mercenaries to the extent of places like Mich, OSU, CO. Chances are the clock strikes midnight somewhere along the way but I don’t understand some of the comments here. This is their 2019. Try to enjoy the drama.

 

[btowngopher]

I think you may have selective reading?

"extremely soft schedule"
"Cignetti may or may not be a good hire for them but I don't think you can draw a lot of conclusions based on the teams they have played to date."

And 6 people agreed with those comments


"Everyone can coach against the Indiana schedule so far."
And one person agreed.

Yes, he has some defenders but many are flat out dismissing him or offering back handed compliments.

Some of those were from before they played Nebraska.

 

[btowngopher]

I just get annoyed when others are so quick to anoint another historically struggling program as being completely turned around after one season or in this case half a season. People did the same thing with Indiana during the COVID year, with NW last year, with Kansas last year.

 

[Spoofin]

Soft schedules matter for Indiana I see

 

[MNVCGUY]

This may be a silly question but how is anyone deriving “strength of schedule” (in a relevant, meaningful, or accurate way) halfway through a season roughly half of which were non-con cupcakes.

Indiana is an awesome overnight rags to riches story (yeah yeah, so far) and epitomizes why some of us even bother watching sports and particularly MN fans since this what we live for and hope to see. I hope they go 12-0. Nothing would make me happier as a fan of sports, scrappy athletes, and (some) coaches than to see Indiana go undefeated and do it in the right way in contrast to a certain Big Ten program. I don’t know much about Cignetti but I don’t see him as an asshat like Prime, or the team and fans entitled a-holes like the Wolverines or Buckeyes. I doubt the players are mercenaries to the extent of places like Mich, OSU, CO. Chances are the clock strikes midnight somewhere along the way but I don’t understand some of the comments here. This is their 2019. Try to enjoy the drama.

Indiana's schedule has been soft and I don't really know why anyone would even bother to argue with it. No power 4 non-conf opponents and the best team they have played in the Big Ten so far is Nebraska and they got them at home. But they are winning the games and convincingly in most cases.

They are clearly good, it just remains to be seen how good because they have not been tested yet and potentially won't really be until they head to Columbus to take on Ohio State. Their season is very comparable to our 2019 season and it makes for a good story this year as they may very well end up in the playoff.

Cignetti has caught a perfect storm in a way. The new landscape has allowed him to bring in a ton of players for a quick fix and the dissolving of divisions ended up granting Indiana with an extremely favorable Big Ten Schedule. If he wins 10 games he will be the first coach to ever win double digit games at Indiana.....the question will be if it will be a flash in the pan or if he can actually win consistently at a school that has never really been able to do that in football.

 

[Panthadad2]

Either way it is a great story and we dont play them so I will cheer for them the rest of the season.

Yes, it's definitely a great story so far. I find it hard to cheer for any other conference foe, so I won't be cheering for them.

 

[Some guy]

He would be wise to stay at Indiana as long as the B1G gives them decent scheduling.

Next year Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Purdue, UCLA, MSU, Maryland, PSU and Oregon

Indiana is going to always have the same scheduling as everyone.


You play your locked rival every year (Purdue)
You play everyone else at least twice every 5 years.
You play a few teams 3 times in 5 years.



Teams with “easy schedules” are teams with a locked rivalry against a bad team. So I guess Indiana getting Purdue every year does make them play Purdue 3 more times than Minnesota will in a 5 year stretch and thus everyone else 3 fewer times.

 

[Panthadad2]

Cignetti has won at D2 (IUP), FCS (Elon then JMU), and G5 FBS (JMU). I love the stories of coaches that start at the lower levels and then work up the ranks; although I don't know if anyone who was an assistant for years at Alabama can ever be in the category of "work up the ranks".

Of the three previous head coaching gigs, IUP was a power in D2 before he got there (his brother built that program) as was JMU in FCS. Elon was the only former program that would be considered a turnaround project and he was only there for two years before jumping to probably the second biggest power in FCS at the time below NDSU. Time will tell if he can do a lasting turnaround at Indiana or if he's using it as a stepping stone for a more powerful program like he did at Elon.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

Yes, it's definitely a great story so far. I find it hard to cheer for any other conference foe, so I won't be cheering for them.

Vandy is another great story if you can’t bring yourself to cheer for Indiana. They get Texas next and still get LSU and Tennessee. Go Commies!