Tag: Curt Cignetti

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti throws shade at Notre Dame, College Football Playoff

Do you think he has a point?

If you didn’t know much about Notre Dame football’s opponent Indiana Hoosiers head coach [autotag]Curt Cignetti[/autotag], in the first-round of the College Football Playoff, is that he isn’t afraid the tell everyone what he thinks.

He’s gone viral with some of his comments in his first season with the Hoosiers, and Cignetti has done it again ahead of the matchup with the Irish.

When he spoke about his team’s seeding with CBS Sports, he was critical about where his team was seeded, citing a few facts about the Hoosiers. What he fails to mention is the Hoosiers strength of schedule, No. 67 according to ESPN, which is one of the worst game the CFP field. For comparison, the Irish were No. 59, not much of a difference, but still better.

Indiana played a light Big Ten schedule, it’s only game they played against a ranked opponent, they lost to Ohio State. Again, comparing to the Irish, who played five ranked opponents, beating every single one of them.

It’s hard to validate Cignetti’s complaint, even with the gaudy statistics which were inflated by inferior opponents, that they deserved to host a first-round game.

Nov 30, 2024; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti in the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

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If Big Ten coaches have a group chat, who’s the most annoying in it? We have theories.

Before The Snap was joined by The Solid Verbal’s Dan Rubenstein and Ty Hildenbrandt to assign stereotypical texting behaviors to Big Ten coaches.

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Earlier in the 2024-25 college football season, Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule revealed that he and the other Big Ten football coaches talk perhaps a little more than people previously thought.

“We have a Big Ten coaches group chat to discuss issues, and [Illinois head coach Bret Bielema] heads up a lot of that,” Rhule said in September ahead of the Cornhuskers’ game against Illinois.

College Football Playoff: 5 things that would make the 12-team CFP a success in its first season

Well, that prompted us here at For The Win’s Before The Snap to wonder what that group chat is like and which Big Ten football coaches fit various stereotypes when texting. But we couldn’t do it alone, so we asked The Solid Verbal podcast’s Dan Rubenstein and Ty Hildenbrandt to weigh in as well.

Which Big Ten football coach is complaining about the refs each week?
Ohio State’s Ryan Day, definitely.

Which Big Ten football coach hypes up their past success a little too much?
USC’s Lincoln Riley or Indiana’s Curt Cignetti.

Which Big Ten football coach sends the group chat motivational messages?
Oregon’s Dan Lanning.

Which Big Ten football coach never responds or only “likes” messages?
Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz.

Which Big Ten football coach is sending only TikTok videos?
Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck.

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WATCH: What Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said about Ohio State after the game

We all had to buckle up before this one based on past comments. #GoBucks

Ohio State took care of business on Saturday. The Buckeyes got off to a bit of a slow start but then made some huge momentum changing plays to head into the locker room up 14-7 and never looked back on the way to a 38-15 victory.

It was the second top-five win of the year for OSU and keeps its dreams of winning the Big Ten and punching a ticket to the College Football Playoff in hopes of winning a national title on the table.

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti was pretty bold and brash leading up to the contest, even saying Ohio State “sucked” when introduced as the head man at halftime of an Indiana basketball game, so Buckeye Nation had no love lost for him (before it even got started).

With as outgoing and transparent as Cignetti is, you may be interested in what he had to say after playing Ohio State. Would he give the Buckeyes credit, criticize crucial breaks and mistakes, make excuses, or more?

Cignetti was actually very complimentary of what was on the OSU sideline and if you missed any of his comments, we have them here for you to absorb and react to.

This win is worth celebrating, but you know what week it is — it’s the big one, or The Game, against Michigan. The Buckeyes would love nothing more than to stick it to the Maize and Blue and put the universe back in order.

We’ll have coverage all week, so check back often.

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti passes when asked if Hoosiers belong in CFP

Curt Cignetti scoffed at a question after Indiana’s loss to Ohio State

Ohio State handed Indiana its first defeat on Saturday, a 38-15 thumping.

Hoosier coach Curt Cignetti was asked if he thought the Hoosiers belonged in the CFP Top 12.

The coach wasn’t having any part of the question.

“Is that a serious question?” Cignetti said. “I’m not even going to answer that one. The answer’s so obvious.”

Ohio State trolling the Hoosiers after a win is proof Indiana is a football school now

Welcome to the big show, Indiana.

No. 2 Ohio State dispatched No. 5 Indiana on Saturday and decided to troll Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti as a result.

If someone had told you a year ago Ohio State would troll Indiana after a win, you might have grimaced a bit.

However, that’s how much the Hoosiers have elevated in the college football world. The Buckeyes now see them as a worthy opponent and a great win for their playoff résumé.

The trolling in question referred to Cignetti’s famous “Google me” quote that the Indiana coach gave during his introductory press conference.

A fake newspaper popped up on the Ohio State jumbotron with the headline of “Buckeyes win??? Google it!”

In any other world, that’s Ohio State punching down on a lesser opponent. In 2024, this is proof that Indiana is officially a football school.

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Former Wisconsin offensive linemen, top assistant named semifinalist for national award

Former Wisconsin linemen, top assistant named finalist for national award

Several former Wisconsin Badgers have helped lead the Indiana Hoosiers to a record 10-0 start to the 2024 season.

Those are tackle Trey Wedig, guard Drew Evans and offensive line coach Bob Bostad. The trio is a significant reason the Hoosiers’ line was named a semifinalist for the 2024 Joe Moore Award on Tuesday.

Related: Indiana coach Curt Cignetti is doing what everybody expected Luke Fickell to do at Wisconsin

The award, with history since 2015, is given annually to college football’s best offensive line. Notable recent winners include Washington (2023), Michigan (2021-22), Alabama (2020) and LSU (2019).

The Hoosiers were named a semifinalist for the 2024 award along with Alabama, Army, Iowa, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Tulane.

As mentioned, three former Badgers are a big reason for the nomination.

Wedig has started all 10 games at right tackle for the Hoosiers this season. He boasts one of the top PFF grades of any eligible tackle in the Big Ten, making him one of Curt Cignetti’s top transfer additions from a highly successful offseason.

The versatile lineman entered the portal after playing a reserve role on the 2023 Badgers in year one under Luke Fickell. He would’ve been up for limited snaps again in 2024 with both Jack Nelson and Riley Mahlman back for a final season.

Evans, meanwhile, transferred to Indiana back in 2023 after initially walking on with the Badgers ahead of the 2022 season. He started the first nine games of the 2024 season for the Hoosiers before suffering a season-ending injury last week in practice.

Bostad, finally, is the most notable former Badger of the group. The current Indiana offensive line coach was a top assistant under Bret Bielema in the mid-2000s before returning to the Wisconsin program in 2017 as its inside linebackers coach.

He transitioned back to offensive line duties in 2022 as Paul Chryst reworked his offensive coaching staff. The veteran assistant then took a job at Indiana after Chryst’s firing.

Indiana will look to continue its dream season on Nov. 23 when it faces the top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. The team is a win away from possibly reaching the Big Ten title game, a remarkable turnaround after a 3-9 final season under Tom Allen.

A big factor in that success has been the work of Wedig, Evans and Bostad along the offensive line.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti is doing what everybody expected Luke Fickell to do at Wisconsin

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti is doing what everybody expected Luke Fickell to do at Wisconsin

Indiana continued its dream season with a 20-15 win over the Michigan Wolverines on Saturday.

The Hoosiers improved to 10-0 (7-0 Big Ten). The program’s instant turnaround in Year 1 under coach Curt Cignetti is the biggest story in college football.

Related: Big Ten Power Rankings after Week 11: Indiana remains undefeated

The why behind Indiana’s turnaround is pretty clear. Cignetti and his staff have done a phenomenal job, highlighted by reshaping the roster in the transfer portal over the offseason. That included many of Cignetti’s former players at James Madison, plus former Ohio quarterback Kurtis Rourke.

Cignetti reloaded the roster, assembled a strong coaching staff and is winning instantly. He is doing so at a program that went 3-9 in 2023 and hasn’t won more than eight games in any season since 1967.

Many point to the schedule. The Hoosiers have not faced Penn State, Oregon or Ohio State, and they will face only Ohio State this season (Nov. 23). But Saturday’s 20-15 win over Michigan was the team’s first game that wasn’t decided by two or more possessions. Light schedule or not, this season’s performance has been nothing short of amazing.

That brings up a comparison to Wisconsin under coach Luke Fickell. The Badgers are 5-4 (3-3 Big Ten) entering the final stretch of the season. They finished the 2023 season at 7-6.

The conversation surrounding Fickell’s hire involved the word championships, both from Wisconsin athletic director Chris McIntosh and from Fickell himself. The on-field results have clearly fallen far short of that self-imposed expectation.

In reality, Cignetti is doing what many expected Fickell to do upon arriving in Madison. He jumped from a successful Group of Five program, brought in a loaded transfer class, changed the culture and is winning instantly. Coincidentally, a significant piece of that success is longtime Badgers assistant Bob Bostad.

Wisconsin had a schedule similar to Indiana’s in 2023, if not easier. The difference in performance is striking. Wisconsin needed to work through substantial growing pains on both sides of the football while Indiana is a College Football Playoff contender.

This comparison will not do much to dictate Wisconsin’s future under Fickell or where Indiana goes under Cignetti. It’s worth pointing out, however, when it’s argued that more time is needed before success can follow.

That idea of more time is no longer a luxury in today’s era of college football. Most top coaches have zero trouble winning instantly at new programs. Cignetti, an ascending top coach in the sport, needed six months to turn a 3-9 team and bottom-tier program into a potential playoff participant.

2025, now, will be a critical season for Fickell and the Badgers to respond.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.

Curt Cignetti only needed 2 words to explain Indiana’s first 10-0 start in program history

Not bad, Curt Cignetti. Not bad.

Indiana football is 10-0 for the first time in team history after its 20-15 home victory over Michigan on Saturday.

Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti has done a tremendous job turning around Indiana’s football program in his first year at the helm, but he’s not getting over his skis about the success.

When asked about this remarkable first for Indiana after the win, Cignetti only had one thing to say. “Not bad.”

If you want to know how much a coach has confidence in his team and his eyes on the right prize, a national title, this is the kind of answer you want to hear.

It doesn’t appear that Indiana is resting on its laurels this season, even after such an exciting achievement as starting 10-0.

With a trip to Ohio State on the schedule for Nov. 23 after a week off, this is the right approach for Cignetti and Indiana.

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Curt Cignetti sent a message to Indiana’s doubters after hanging 56 on Nebraska and remaining undefeated

The Indiana offense demolished Nebraska’s highly touted defense

No. 16 Indiana absolutely routed an up-and-coming Nebraska team at home on Saturday, 56-7, to remain undefeated and Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti wasn’t ready to stop handing out Ls after the final whistle.

The first-year Indiana coach came into his postgame press conference ready to remind everyone how hyped Nebraska’s defense was coming into Week 8 and it’s hard to blame him.

“I know there was a national perception Nebraska had a pretty legit defense on a national scale,” Cignetti said per IndyStar‘s Zach Osterman. “So maybe this will open their eyes.”

That comment may feel like overkill, but in the 12-team College Football Playoff era, style points matter. Each team has to not only win, but prove on every single play it is one of the best dozen teams in the country just to have an opportunity to play for a national title.

Which is why it matters that Indiana put up 495 yards of offense (280 yards passing, 215 yards rushing) as much as it does that everyone remembers how much respect Nebraska’s defense had before Saturday.

Even more impressive is the fact Indiana scored 28 points in the second half without starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who injured his hand and was held out as a precaution.

The Hoosiers are sure to move up in the polls this week, but Week 9 is when their schedule really takes a turn. Up next they host Washington, then face Michigan State and Michigan in consecutive weeks. It only gets tougher after that as Indiana travels to Ohio State then gets Purdue in the regular season finale.

It’s not enough for Indiana to pass each test. It needs to turn each win into a statement.

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Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti’s UCLA comments go viral at Big Ten media days

Curt Cignetti’s honest take on going to UCLA.

There was some instant bulletin board material for the UCLA Bruins last week at the Big Ten media day. Head coach at Indiana Curt Cignetti had some interesting words about his first Big Ten matchup against the UCLA Bruins.

The 63-year-old may not be the best to be trash-talking other conference schools, as he has yet to coach a game at Indiana. The former James Madison head coach is coming off a 12-2 season a year ago, before getting hired in November of 2023 by Indiana.

Cignetti was asked what it would be like for his Hoosiers to start their Big Ten season in Pasadena. This is what the head coach had to say, per Zion Brown of The Indianapolis Star.

” “We’re just going to an old stadium to kick somebody’s (butt),” Cignetti said. “When I say that, that’s not directed toward UCLA. That’s the objective every week. Look, I know that 1967, we were there and we haven’t been there since and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. We’re not going out on a cruise or for a tour. We’re going out to play a football game. We got a job to do.”

Before the game against UCLA on September 14th, the Hoosiers have two home games. Indiana should be favored to win both games as they host Florida International on August 31st and Western Illinois on September 6th.

The Hoosiers went 3-9 last season, and 1-8 in Big Ten play. It was the final season for head coach Tom Allen, who was there for 7 seasons.