Curt Cignetti a name gaining ‘a fair bit of traction’ in the Indiana football coaching search

It’s safe to assume that the Indiana football head coaching search is nearing the end of the road and a few names are starting to circulate as more serious candidates than others.

Over the past 24 hours, names including Mike Hart, Paul Chryst, Tom Herman, Justin Frye and others have emerged as potential candidates.

Even throughout Wednesday, there were numerous reports of emerging candidates. As Wednesday winds down, however, it looks like there are a few candidates above the rest. Those would include: Paul Chryst, Mike Hart, Tom Herman and Curt Cignetti.

Cignetti, 62, is the name that has ‘gained a fair bit of traction’ as of late, per IndyStar reporter Zach Osterman, who also broke the news on the firing of Tom Allen. Other reports have indicated Cignetti moving up Indiana’s board as well.

A source confirmed to HoosiersIllustrated.com that Cignetti is a strong potential candidate for the Indiana football head coaching opening.

Cignetti has been tremendous at every stop throughout his collegiate coaching career. Currently at James Madison, Cignetti has led the Dukes to a 52-9 record in five seasons.

After arriving at James Madison in 2019, he led the Dukes to the FCS National Championship game in his first year. That season, he led the Dukes to a third overall ranking in scoring offense at 40 points per game.

Cignetti went 33-5 at the FCS level in three seasons.

The past two years have been no different at the FBS level. Currently James Madison is 11-1 following an 8-3 record in 2022. Throughout the last two seasons, the Dukes have been in and out of the top-25 consistently, receiving its first ever ranking(s) in the the AP poll.

Last season they averaged 37 points per game and this year they are currently at 35.1 points per game. They scored 36 points and had 395 yards in a win at Virginia in week two this year.

In two seasons at the FBS level, Cignetti has yielded three 1,000+ yard receivers, including two this year. They have also averaged 9.2 yards per pass attempt in the two years.

Before his arrival at James Madison, Cignetti coached at Elon and IU-Pennsylvania.

Prior to his arrival at Elon, it was a program that went 12-45 five previous seasons. He went 14-9 in his two seasons and helped them achieve their second and third FCS playoff appearances in program history.

He has an overall record of 119-35 as a head coach in 13 seasons.

His experience goes beyond his 13 years as a head coach, however. He spent four seasons as the wide receiver coach for Alabama from 2007-10, where he coached Julio Jones for three seasons and also was instrumental in the recruitments of running back and Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram and other key members of the 2008 recruiting class.

Alabama would win 29 regular season games in a row between 2008 and 2010.

Cignetti was on staff at NC State prior to Alabama where he was the quarterbacks and tight ends coach. He spent seven seasons on staff, including four years with Phillip Rivers. Rivers was ACC Player of the year in 2003. Cignetti also recruited Super Bowl winning quarterback Russell Wilson to the Wolfpack before leaving for Alabama.

Cignetti got his career started at Pitt as a graduate assistant and would make other coaching stops at Davidson, Rice and Temple as well.

SEE ALSO: Key thoughts on Indiana football head coaching search

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