Indiana has taken decisive action to secure the future of its football program by extending head coach Curt Cignetti’s contract for an impressive eight years, averaging $11.6 million annually. The announcement, made on Thursday, comes during Cignetti’s second season at the helm, in which the No. 3 Hoosiers reached their highest ranking ever in the AP Top 25 following a victory over Oregon in Week 8.
Athletic director Scott Dolson expressed the school’s commitment to elevating IU Football to a championship-caliber program, emphasizing that Cignetti’s leadership is paramount to achieving this goal. “His accomplishments during the last season and a half have been nothing short of remarkable,” Dolson said. “As much as anyone, he believed in what was possible with our program, and he’s turned that belief into reality.”
In a related video shared by the university, Cignetti expressed his desire to retire as the head coach at Indiana, underscoring his commitment to the program. Since joining Indiana from James Madison, Cignetti has led the Hoosiers to a remarkable record of 17-2, including an impressive 10-0 start in 2024, prior to setbacks against Ohio State and Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff.
Currently, Indiana boasts a pristine 6-0 record this season, with no remaining games against ranked opponents. This extension marks Cignetti’s second contract renewal, following an initial extension granted in November 2024 after the team’s strong start. Previously, Cignetti’s salary ranked 18th among all FBS coaches, but this new contract positions him among the highest earners, only behind Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Ohio State’s Ryan Day.
Cignetti’s coaching career began in 2011 at IUP, where his teams consistently avoided losing seasons, going 53-17 during his tenure. His success continued at Elon before he took charge at James Madison, where he led the team to win the FCS national title in his first year. The Dukes subsequently advanced to the semifinals in the following seasons and excelled after moving up to the FBS, amassing a 19-4 record in two years before arriving at Indiana.
Cignetti’s recent successes have garnered attention from other programs; his name surfaced as a candidate for the vacant position at Penn State following James Franklin’s departure. Additionally, with several high-profile coaching changes occurring at major schools like UCLA and Virginia Tech, Cignetti’s contract extension firmly places him at the forefront of Indiana’s football aspirations.