Curt Cignetti Won A National Title — And Broke The Coaching Carousel In The Process

Indiana’s Curt Cignetti — a Dec. 2024 hire — has turned into a near-mythic underdog story: a national title, a 33-2 run midway through Year 3, and a marquee home showdown with Ohio State this weekend.
His rapid success is reshaping hires: athletic directors are increasingly chasing sitting head coaches with winning résumés from lower divisions rather than unproven coordinators.
With skyrocketing budgets and short leashes, schools expect instant results — so Cignetti-style overachievers are prized but remain the exception, not the rule.