Cignetti will earn approximately $11.6 million a year on his new contract, which would make him the third-highest earning coach in the FBS, after his ignition of a struggling program.
When the 64-year-old joined the Hoosier program ahead of the 2024 season, he had left behind a successful five-year tenure as head coach of the James Madison Dukes, which included two conference championships. But no one could have predicted where Indiana is now.
The Indiana Hoosiers have been known as the laughing stock of not just the BIG 10, but also all of College Football. They still hold the unwanted FBS record of the most losses in history, currently standing at 715 losses all time.
However, Cignetti has turned the struggling program into a National Championship contender so far in his short stay in Bloomington.
He says he ‘couldn’t be prouder to be a Hoosier’ and ‘wants to finish his career in Indiana’.
Indiana University also commented on the appointment, stating he’s the type of coach that ‘Exemplifies high performance’:
“At Indiana University, we are committed to performing at the highest levels in everything we do, and no one has exemplified that more than Coach Cignetti.”
In 2024 and Cignetti’s first year in charge, the Hoosiers became the surprise package in an already momentous season for College Football, which saw the creation of the 12-team playoffs.
Indiana would make the inaugural edition of the new playoffs after an impressive 11-1 record in the regular season, only falling to eventual National Champions Ohio State. This set up a first-round match-up against state rivals Notre Dame, which the Hoosiers fell short in a 27-17 away loss.
And so far, in 2025, the Hoosiers have a perfect 6-0 record, and are in talks and contention for an appearance in the National Championship game in Miami come mid Januray.
Cignetti’s recruitment so far in Bloomington has been nothing short of remarkable. From the many that he’d brought with him from JMU, including Wide Receiver Elijah Sarrat, who currently sits tied second in the FBS receiving touchdown rankings with seven and star Defensive End Mikial Kamara.
His work with quarterbacks has been revolutionary too, with Canadian Kurtis Rourke having a college career-defining year in 2024, earning himself a draft selection to San Francisco.
And in 2025, to the Mendoza brothers, with older brother Fernando one of the Top Quarterbacks in the country and many tipping him for a Heisman trophy nod.
Despite rumours of Cignetti potentially moving to a bigger Football program, including Penn State, which has recently moved on from James Franklin as their head coach, the Pennsylvania native will commit his future to Indiana and the Hoosiers, who will look to win a National Championship under his leadership.
