INDIANAPOLIS — When Curt Cignetti was appointed as the Indiana football team’s head coach last fall, he made a bold commitment to achieve immediate success. This was not mere bravado; it was a promise that he followed through on, surprising many skeptics. Cignetti led the Hoosiers to historic heights, achieving a school-record 11 victories, securing a top 10 ranking, and earning the program’s first-ever playoff berth. This remarkable journey is set to culminate in a playoff match against the highly ranked Notre Dame this Friday night.
On Tuesday, Cignetti’s achievements were duly recognized as he received the prestigious AP Coach of the Year award, garnering 30 out of 45 votes from AP Top 25 voters. Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham finished in second place with eight votes, while Oregon’s Dan Lanning received five votes and SMU’s Rhett Lashlee garnered two votes. Cignetti expressed his gratitude, stating, “Thank you to The Associated Press for this tremendous team honor. Our program has had a great season, and we look forward to opening the College Football Playoff against Notre Dame on Friday.”
The enormity of this accomplishment is underscored by the fact that many had doubted Indiana could achieve such a successful season, particularly in Cignetti’s inaugural year. He orchestrated an impressive turnaround, winning eight more games than the previous season, which captivated fans and observers alike. It’s noteworthy that Indiana holds the record for the most losses in Football Bowl Subdivision history; thus, this remarkable achievement is even more significant.
At 60 years old, Cignetti has built a reputation for success throughout his 14-year coaching career, consistently steering his teams toward victory. He has never experienced a losing season and is known for his rapid turnarounds at different programs—be it at Alabama under Nick Saban or during his successful stints at Elon, James Madison, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Cignetti has clinched multiple conference coach of the year awards over his career, and his migration of coaching staff and players from James Madison to Indiana has produced surprising results.
Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman acknowledged Cignetti’s accomplishments, indicating that he took the time to learn about him after the playoff pairings were made. “He’s won everywhere he’s been. He’s done a great job,” Freeman commented, signaling respect for Cignetti’s success. The upcoming playoff game will see the seventh-seeded Notre Dame (11-1) face off against the tenth-seeded Indiana,
Cignetti’s honor as Coach of the Year marks the first time an Indiana coach has won this award since it was established in 1998. His predecessor, Tom Allen, finished second in 2020, leading the Hoosiers to a commendable 6-2 record and a No. 12 ranking. However, this season has been historic for both the Hoosiers and Cignetti, with him becoming the first Indiana coach to achieve a 10-0 start and to record double-digit victories in a season.
Among the program’s standout moments was a staggering 77-3 victory over Western Illinois in September, which marks the largest margin of victory in school history. Additionally, Indiana recorded two of its biggest wins in Big Ten play, defeating Nebraska 56-7 and rival Purdue with a score of 66-0 to close out the regular season. Out of their 11 wins, ten were by at least 14 points, and they only trailed in the second half of a single game, which was a loss to then-No. 2 Ohio State. Notably, Indiana enters the playoffs as the highest-scoring team, averaging 43.3 points per game, while also boasting the sixth-best scoring defense and number one run defense in the FBS.
Nobody within the program is surprised by this success, especially Cignetti, who expressed immense pride in his players and coaching staff for their outstanding achievements. “This team’s accomplished a lot, and I’m proud of what they’ve accomplished,” he stated. “But in saying that, no one’s satisfied. The players are hungry for more, and the coaches are hungry for more.”