New IU football coach Curt Cignetti is on the ground in Bloomington and things are moving quickly.
According to a report by Matt Zenitz of 247Sports, Indiana is expected to hire several key components Cignetti’s James Madison staff.
That includes offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan, defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, and quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri.
Quarterbacks have flourished at JMU under the trio of Cignetti, Shanahan and Sunseri over the last three years, combining for 10,816 yards, 119 TDs, 18 INTs.
James Madision ranked 33rd in total offense in 2023, and 29th in 2022 — the program’s first two years in FBS. They ranked 21st and 13th in 2023 and 2022 in scoring offense.
JMU was also 30th and 5th in total defense in 2023 and 2022, respectively under Haines the last two years, and 19th and 22nd in scoring defense.
Not to be confused with the former NFL head coach, Shanahan graduated from Pitt in 2012 after four years on the gridiron where his 159 receptions and 2,276 yards both rank in the top 10 in school history. He’s been working with Cignetti in various roles since 2016. Ahead of the 2021 season at JMU he was promoted to offensive coordinator.
Sunseri came to JMU in 2021 after a two-and-a-half year stint on Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama, where he served as an offensive analyst, working primarily with the quarterbacks. Sunseri is a former starting quarterback at Pitt (2008-12), where he made 39 consecutive starts for the Panthers. While at Pitt, where he was at one point coached by Curt Cignetti’s brother, Frank Jr.
Haines came to James Madison with Cignetti. In each of his five seasons, the Dukes ranked top 30 nationally in both the FCS and FBS in total defense. Haines has Indiana connections. He was on the IU staff in 2012 as a graduate assistant, coached at Manchester College, and the Ohio product was a star linebacker at Ball State.
Cignetti arrived in Bloomington this morning and will meet with the media at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Touched down in Bloomington. pic.twitter.com/BFXalOOLmL
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) December 1, 2023
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