BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Multiple reports indicate Indiana University is finalizing a deal with James Madison’s Curt Cignetti to be the Hoosiers’ new head football coach.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel was the first to report the hire with FOX59/CBS4’s Chris Widlic confirming the news.
Cignetti led James Madison for the last five seasons, helping transition the program from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The Dukes went 52-9 under him, going 11-1 this season, finishing first in the Sun Belt and earning a bowl bid.
The Dukes were not eligible to play in a bowl game this year because of the move from FCS to FBS, but because there are not enough bowl-eligible schools they will go bowling for the first time in program history.
As a result of Cignetti’s successes at James Madison, the coach was named Coach of the Year for his conference.
In his first season at JMU, the Dukes won 14 games in a row and made the FCS national championship game, while leading the country in total defense and finishing third in scoring offense. JMU made it to the semifinals in his second and third seasons.
The reported IU hire coached at Elon University for two seasons, compiling a 14-9 record, and at Division II Indiana University of Pennsylvania for six years, going 53-17.
Cignetti has extensive experience as an assistant coach at the collegiate level, including a stop as wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator under Nick Saban at Alabama from 2007-2010. He also was a recruiting coordinator at North Carolina State while he was a quarterbacks and tight ends coach for the Wolfpack.
He’ll replace Tom Allen, who was fired after six seasons on Sunday morning.
