BORDEN, Ind. — IU football coach Curt Cignetti insists he doesn’t want to get into the public discourse about the state of college football.
And with the issues so significant and complex they’ve risen to the level of the U.S. Congress, that’s an understandable posture.
But Cignetti also lives and breathes the daily realities of the sport.
And while no one has navigated the rapidly changing landscape better than Cignetti, he’s no doubt concerned, and probably at times frustrated, with where things are headed. After all, the unpredictability of it all is suboptimal for a coach who thrives on relentless dedication to a blueprint and a plan.
As one of the most prominent voices in the sport, Cignetti could certainly use this opportunity to put his opinions on the record. On NIL, the transfer portal, the College Football Playoff, there’s a lot he could say, and the audience would be captive. But Cignetti is doing his level best to stay out of the public eye and leave things to Congress, Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti and other leaders in college sports.
“I know what our people (The Big Ten) support,” Cignetti said. “For me to comment on this or that, I’ve got no control over this process.”
But restraint in front of the cameras isn’t always a strength for the IU football coach. And a question about high school recruiting bumped Cignetti off track for a moment. He opened up about what he’s seeing on the ground as roster budgets keep swelling to previously unimaginable amounts.
What Cignetti is seeing on the ground has him legitimately concerned.
“The market (for high school players) is pretty expensive. It’s scary,” Cignetti said. “I think players should get paid. But something is gonna have to be done in the next 12-24 months, or universities aren’t going to be able to handle this. College football won’t exist the way we’re going right now.”
Cignetti recently implied his 2025 national championship team’s budget was in the $15 million to 27.5 million range, while estimates put the biggest spenders in the sport well north of those figures. Some estimates suggest top roster budgets will swell to $50 million or more soon — if we’re not already there.
There are no signs of the market leveling off, and Cignetti’s comments suggest the bidding wars have hit the high school level — where it can be difficult to justify spending large amounts for unproven prospects.
Where will all of this money come from? And what will the collateral damage be? Can the bill before Congress save the day?
No one really knows.
And that realization seemed to hit Cignetti after yet another question about the state of college football was lobbed in his direction.
“You know what, I’m done on the college football issues,” he said. “You can’t win. I will stay in my lane.”
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