‘I really wasn’t looking to leave JMU. I mean I loved it there. I figured I’d retire there’: Curt Cignetti details his decision to leave James Madison for Indiana football

Curt Cignetti has never been afraid of a challenge. He has also strived to be great and he expects that won’t change with his newest challenge, Indiana football.

“If you want to be normal that’s fine, but as the guy down in Tuscaloosa used to say, ‘Normal equals average. If you want to be great you have to do special things to be great,’” Cignetti said during his appearance on Next Up with Adam Breneman.

His mentor, Nick Saban, instilled that belief in him and it has helped him get to where he is today.

So despite being comfortable as the coach of James Madison, Cignetti decided to leave for a new challenge at the age of 62.

“I really wasn’t looking to leave JMU. I mean I loved it there. I figured I’d retire there,” he said.

Cignetti had no plans to leave the program he had led to a 52-9 record over five seasons.

After successfully making the jump from the FCS to the FBS, it seemed like Cignetti had found his coaching home.

That was until Indiana’s Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Dolson and Indiana University President Pamela Whitten came calling.

“I wasn’t necessarily looking to make a move,” Cignetti said. “I had a really strong feeling coming out of our multiple conversations in a very short amount of time.”

It took only three days for them to sell Cignetti on the idea of leading Indiana football.

Cignetti sensed a newfound commitment to building the football program during his conversation with the school’s leaders.

“There was a commitment to really get football going here,” he said. “Obviously the history of Indiana football is not very good, but I firmly believe any Power Four program, especially a state institution like Indiana that has the state’s name on it, with the proper commitment can be successful.”

Cignetti has stated many times that he believes with the right leadership and personnel that Indiana can become a good program.

The changing dynamics of FBS football and a massive new TV contract also helped push Cignetti to leave his former school.

“Indiana came calling and that Big Ten [TV] contract they signed really caught my attention at the time,” Cignetti said. “It became very apparent that the Big Ten and the SEC were going to be the two big players in Power Four football.”

That massive TV contract combined with conference realignment helped position the Big Ten as one of the two leaders in the sport which intrigued the former JMU coach. 

While he did not visit the campus during the interview process, Curt Cignetti had been to Bloomington in the past as an assistant with NC State and Rice back in 1987. 

“I really liked it when I was here. I thought the campus was beautiful,” Cignetti said. 

With the proper commitment and the right leadership, he believes he can turn the Indiana football program around. 

His past coaching history of turning programs around has fueled the belief and confidence he carries with him. Now he has the chance to show it on the biggest stage.

“I felt like I’ve done this before twice already, these kind of turnarounds. Where a team was down and you walk in and year one just completely turn it around. In my mind, it was a chance to do it on the biggest stage.”

SEE ALSO: ‘Something’s got to give and it wasn’t going to be me’: Curt Cignetti has won at every stop. He doesn’t expect that to change with Indiana football

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