After Indiana football began the Curt Cignetti era with some promising results, questions quickly began arising.
As the Hoosiers stacked wins, fans wondered how sustainable this was. Soon enough, as this IU season went from good to great — to historic — fans pondered whether Cignetti would remain in Bloomington long term. His name started to float around the discourse of other programs who could have forthcoming coaching changes.
It’s nothing the Hoosiers haven’t dealt with before. When Tom Allen led them to a strong two-year run in 2019-20, he became a popular name in coaching search conversations. IU has long been a stepping-stone sort of program, where success leads to turnover.
But Saturday morning, Indiana put an end to some of those fears. The university announced a new contract for Cignetti, with an extension and a significant raise after he led IU to a 10-0 start, the best mark in program history.
“After first meeting coach Cignetti, we were very confident that he was the perfect fit for what we were trying to build with our football program,” athletic director Scott Dolson said in IU’s press release. “We were confident IU could become a winning program and we love what he’s building here. We love the student-athletes that he’s bringing here. We love how our fanbase has rallied around this team and made Memorial Stadium the place to be on Saturday afternoons. And now, we love the fact that he’s going to be doing all those things right here in Bloomington for a long, long time.”
Cignetti’s original contract with Indiana went through 2029, though the team’s eventual bowl game appearance this year would’ve triggered an automatic one-year extension. This new contract runs through 2032.
Under his initial deal, Cignetti’s annual compensation — accounting for base salary and non-performance-related income — averaged $4.5 million per year. He’s now set to make $8 million per year with the new contract.
“I am beyond appreciative for the tremendous commitment, confidence, and support from president Pam Whitten and athletic director Scott Dolson. Manette and I love Bloomington and are grateful for how the IU community has embraced us,” Cignetti said in the release. “I look forward to leading this outstanding program and doing my part to continue the momentum for Hoosier football.”
In some ways, this is a move Indiana had to make. Cignetti has been with the Hoosiers for less than a year, but he’s already completely changed their trajectory. The reeling, desperate program he inherited in December 2023 is now thriving with a real chance at a first-ever College Football Playoff appearance.
Cignetti’s first contract represented a real step up for IU football, by its own standards. But now that he’s achieving success on a national scale, beyond the norm in Bloomington, it’s sensible that IU brings his compensation closer to the top coaches in the country. Per USA Today, only 15 other coaches in the nation — including just four in the Big Ten — make at least $8 million per year.
The details of the new contract are not yet public, but there are already reports that IU will also increase the pool for Cignetti’s assistants and staff. This announcement also comes just days after reports of Memorial Stadium renovations in the works. It seems likely that Cignetti’s new contract could include guarantees of money devoted to facility improvements.
In the ever-changing college sports landscape, football is clearly king. It’s the biggest profit-driver of any sport, which, in turn, influences decision-making for athletic departments. IU would’ve been foolish to not capitalize on the momentum Cignetti’s brought the football program this season. The Hoosiers rarely have opportunities like the one they’re currently experiencing, to break into a higher tier in college football and stay there. This season could have long-lasting impacts not only on IU football, but for the entire athletic department.
This new contract doesn’t necessarily prevent other schools from still approaching Cignetti about job openings. But based on his interview with FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff on Saturday morning, he sounds unlikely to leave IU.
“Honestly, they came to me. They were very proactive,” Cignetti said. “Some people say, ‘Well, why would you do that when this one may open, that one may open, and you’re going to be a hot commodity, and blah blah blah.’ And the fact of the matter is, we’re the emerging superpower in college football. Why would I leave?”
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