Cignetti change

[McDad]

Got a new contract at IU for 11.6M per year.

Source 104.5 zone in Nashville

Breaking: IU football reaches new 8-year deal with Curt Cignetti

The Penn State noise has been shut down. For the second time in as many years, Indiana has restructured head football coach Curt Cignetti’s contract during the season. The new deal has an ave…

www.thedailyhoosier.com

 

[zjcvols]

Got a new contract at IU for 11.6M per year.

Source 104.5 zone in Nashville

Breaking: IU football reaches new 8-year deal with Curt Cignetti

The Penn State noise has been shut down. For the second time in as many years, Indiana has restructured head football coach Curt Cignetti’s contract during the season. The new deal has an ave…

www.thedailyhoosier.com

That agent was foaming at the mouth Sunday night, didn't even wait a week!

 

[McDad]

That agent was foaming at the mouth Sunday night, didn't even wait a week!

Ain't nobody paying a buyout AND beating that contract.

 

[05_never_again]

Look elsewhere then, PSU.

I know the $11.6 is an average annual number over the life of the deal and not necessarily this year's salary, but that average amount is more than all but 2 coaches are making this year (Kirby and Day).

Highest Paid College Football Coaches & Salaries - USA TODAY

Ever wondered who the highest paid coach in college football is? Find out today with USA TODAY's complete salary data.

sportsdata.usatoday.com

 

[amaralfan1]

I guess it makes sense. He did take a 3-9 team in 2023 to 11-2 in 2024 (and they are 6-0) this year. This is a team that's only been to 14 bowl games in program history. They haven't won a conference title since before the moon landing. Cignetti is doing unthinkable thinks for Hoosier football and it's hard not to be happy for him.

 

[05_never_again]

He's an incredibly smug and cocky guy who benefited from a soft schedule last year (and lost convincingly to the 2 good teams he played), but what he's done there is still amazing. The Mendoza pickup in the Portal has paid enormous dividends.

 

[volfanbill]

I guess it makes sense. He did take a 3-9 team in 2023 to 11-2 in 2024 (and they are 6-0) this year. This is a team that's only been to 14 bowl games in program history. They haven't won a conference title since before the moon landing. Cignetti is doing unthinkable thinks for Hoosier football and it's hard not to be happy for him.

It’s not very hard for some of us

 

[stolitonic]

He's an incredibly smug and cocky guy who benefited from a soft schedule last year (and lost convincingly to the 2 good teams he played), but what he's done there is still amazing. The Mendoza pickup in the Portal has paid enormous dividends.

You know what would be funny?

Indiana now going on a very extended losing streak after giving him that contract lol.

 

[TrumpedUpVol]

$10MM+ isn't unreasonable given the current college landscape if he's able to lead the Hoosiers to back-to-back playoff berths, regardless of the field expansion.

 

[05_never_again]

You know what would be funny?

Indiana now going on a very extended losing streak after giving him that contract lol.

I wonder what the buyout it. I'm sure it's significant.

Indiana is a place where it is going to be harder to sustain success, NIL era or not.

 

[Carp]

He can win 8 games a year and still be a legend when he retires.

 

[Boston Vol]

I wonder what the buyout it. I'm sure it's significant.

Indiana is a place where it is going to be harder to sustain success, NIL era or not.

If you mean the buyout of he’s fired, it’s fully guaranteed.

 

[StarRaider]

Ain't nobody paying a buyout AND beating that contract.

buyout is $15MM if CCC leaves IU... seems kind of low to me

https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2025/10/16/curt-cignetti-contract-buyout-hire-indiana-football-coach/86734302007/

 

[McDad]

buyout is $15MM if CCC leaves IU... seems kind of low to me

https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2025/10/16/curt-cignetti-contract-buyout-hire-indiana-football-coach/86734302007/

I wasn't clear in my post. Ain't nobody paying for their fired coach's buyout and paying Cignetti 12M+ a year.

 

[StarRaider]

I wasn't clear in my post. Ain't nobody paying for their fired coach's buyout and paying Cignetti 12M+ a year.

gotcha... plus I assume the poachers would have to pay the $15MM to IU

 

[McDad]

gotcha... plus I assume the poachers would have to pay the $15MM to IU

I was thinking after I posted about his new salary, I wonder if any head coach would conclude it's better to take a reduced salary and use the savings for NIL? Probably not, but I would consider it if I were coaching.
7M to 11M likely doesn't change my life much. But 4M could be huge to upgrade the team.

 

[SpookyAction]

He's a bargain for IU.
He's making that program bank and their NIL has at least one very deep pocket.

They were comatose before he was hired.

 

[stolitonic]

I wasn't clear in my post. Ain't nobody paying for their fired coach's buyout and paying Cignetti 12M+ a year.

Simple reality is that if Penn St (or any major school) wants him bad enough-$15 million is not going to be a roadblock..

If Cignetti is getting paid the same as Kirby and Day, then their agents will be getting them raises very soon and $12 million becomes the new "price" for a decent coach. So Heupel, etc would soon get bumped up to that range also

Nothing in CFB happens in a vacuum

 

[CAVPUT]

The game is nuts. What I find interesting is that pic that someone posted that showed Cignetti, Smart and Kiffin all on Saban's staff. Give the man credit. He was confident enough to hire 3 of best current coaches to be on his staff. Leave it to UT to get Pruitt from the bama tree. Geez.

 

[YankeeVol]

He's an incredibly smug and cocky guy who benefited from a soft schedule last year (and lost convincingly to the 2 good teams he played), but what he's done there is still amazing. The Mendoza pickup in the Portal has paid enormous dividends.

He built JMU at the FBS level (also won a NC his first year there in the FCS). AND then took IU to the football playoffs in year one, and has them undefeated currently. You jealous?

 

[Hoosier_Vol]

So Indiana is a football school now?

 

[YankeeVol]

So Indiana is a football school now?

I mean, they've made the "playoffs" more recently*.

*and likely will again. MBB hasn't since 22-23.

 

[volfanhill]

Guy has won big with a ton of his old players from JMU. Same as Vandy. Still skeptical. Next year will tell the story on both these coaches

 

[TNHopeful505]

Guy has won big with a ton of his old players from JMU. Same as Vandy. Still skeptical. Next year will tell the story on both these coaches

Not sure how you can be skeptical. He's still winning on a P4 level. With a school that traditionally people haven't even realized they had a football team. No one, I repeat NO ONE thought of football when they thought of Indiana. But Cignetti is a fun guy to listen to. He is cocky and refreshing but not in a d-bag way like Kiffin can sometimes be. He is just fun. If Heupel left today, he'd be a fantastic replacement. That being said, he ain't leaving IU, nor should he.

 

[Firebirdparts]

I was thinking after I posted about his new salary, I wonder if any head coach would conclude it's better to take a reduced salary and use the savings for NIL? Probably not, but I would consider it if I were coaching.
7M to 11M likely doesn't change my life much. But 4M could be huge to upgrade the team.

My guess is lots of them. $4 million for better assistants would also be life changing. If he didn't want to leave Indiana anyway, then the whole process is really just kind of disgustingly stupid. It's like they both didn't know how to not do it.