Indiana football director of athletic performance Derek Owings emerged as a strong candidate for a head strength and conditioning coach opening with USC, per a report from 247Sports.
But just over two hours after that report surfaced, things already changed. ESPN has now reported Owings is signing a new three-year contract with “a big pay raise” that will keep him in Bloomington.
Owings is set to enter his sixth season working with IU head coach Curt Cignetti, joining his James Madison staff in 2020 and following him to Bloomington ahead of spring 2024. Cignetti and Indiana players, on multiple occasions, attributed Owings for the team’s physicality and strength across the board.
Owings also played a role in the Hoosiers staying relatively healthy throughout last season. They lost Nick Kidwell and Drew Evans to season-ending injuries, and Kurtis Rourke missed time with a thumb injury suffered during the Nebraska game, but they rarely lost any players to the sorts of soft tissue injuries that can easily spring up in football.
Retaining Owings ensures continuity for Cignetti’s program entering the summer. Fall camp doesn’t begin until August, and May and June are heavy recruiting months for the coaching staff. But the summer leading into fall camp is a key window for individual work, particularly with strength and conditioning. The Hoosiers will now avoid any hiccups with that important summer work.
This isn’t the first time Indiana’s faced a situation like this. Defensive coordinator Bryant Haines was linked with other defensive coordinator job openings earlier in the offseason, and Indiana gave him a new contract to keep him around.
This story was updated after a follow-up report indicated Owings will stay with Indiana.
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