BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana football's rampant head coaching search has been a fast-moving process that could be nearing a conclusion.
On Sunday, Indiana fired previous head coach Tom Allen after seven seasons at the helm of the program. In doing so, Allen and the university agreed to a buyout settlement of $15.5 million to be split into two payments from the athletic department's donor fund. The decided-upon lump sum was around a $5 million reduction to the original terms of Allen's buyout.
In the following days, Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson, assisted by search firm TurnkeyZRG, has led a search that has included the vetting of multiple potential candidates. Zach Osterman of the IndyStar was the first to report the involvement of the firm in the search process.
Dolson, through his actions, would need to move quickly. In what's been a generally quiet search for most of it's process, the forward-facing results seem to indicate that's what's happening. The Hoosiers' timeline is short by necessity, and the impending hire is of utmost importance with regard to the direction of both the program and the athletic department as a whole.
Ultimately, Indiana has prioritized candidates with a significant track record as a head coach at the collegiate ranks. Now, according to a report from John Brice of FootballScoop.com, the Hoosiers' search may have it's top candidate as of now.
Current James Madison head coach Curt Cignetti.
"While Indiana has talked to and vetted numerous candidates – most notably, Jason Candle of Toledo – it has this week zeroed focus on Cignetti, a sitting head coach with 13 years' head coaching experience," the report read.
As a head coach, Cignetti has been a winner wherever he's gone. At any of his stops where he's been the head man of his program, Cignetti's teams have yet to end the season absent a winning record – both in conference and overall.
In six seasons at Indiana University Pennsylvania, Cignetti-led Crimson Hawk teams were a combined 53-17 and 33-11 in league play. IUP was a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Champion once under his tutelage, and the Crimson Hawks made three NCAA Division II playoff appearances.
Cignetti then took the head coaching job at Elon, where the Phoenix were 14-9 in his two seasons in North Carolina and 10-5 in conference. Playing at the FCS level, the Phoenix were FCS Division I playoff participants both seasons.
From Elon, Cignetti advanced to his current role as the head coach of football powerhouse James Madison, a title he's held since the 2019 season. Playing in the Colonial Athletic Association for three years – the same conference as Elon – the Dukes were a staggering 18-1 in conference play, and 33-5 overall. Conference champions for all three seasons, the Dukes made either FCS Division I semifinal or championship appearances in back-to-back-to-back years.
As James Madison transitioned to FBS Division I status beginning last season, the Cignetti both maintained his role as head coach as well as the winning ways of his program. JMU went 8-3 and 6-2 in Sun Belt play last season, and just completed an 11-1 regular season with a 7-1 conference record.
Due to an NCAA rule that implements a postseason ban for two seasons upon any program making the step up to enter the FBS ranks, the Dukes have been denied bowl berth by practical measures over the past two seasons. However, this season, the Dukes are set to go bowling after not enough immediately eligible teams met the required 6-win threshold.
Leading the charge to a historic entrance to FBS unlike any seen before this season is Cignetti, a man who's gained the reputation as a program-building commander who has success wherever he goes.
Cignetti, 62, is a Pittsburgh native and has been around the game as a coach since the early 1980s. He's held various assistant roles at Pitt, Davidson, Rice, Temple, NC State and Alabama. During his time with the Wolfpack, he helped recruit Russell Wilson to NC State. His final stop before pursuing a head coaching gig of his own was on Nick Saban's staff at Alabama, where he was a part of the coaching staff for the 2009 national champion Crimson Tide.
Should Indiana decide upon Cignetti as the program's 30th head coach, the Hoosiers would owe James Madison a $1.2 million payment as a part of his contract's buyout clause.
But that price tag may be well worth the value he could bring to Indiana's football program.
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