BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football locked up defensive coordinator Bryant Haines and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan to new three-years deals ahead of the Rose Bowl that will make them among the highest-paid assistants in their respective roles.
Cignetti told reporters on Monday that he was happy to see the athletic department move quickly to lock them to new deals amidst a busy coaching cycle.
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“Both those guys have been with me a long time; they both do a great job,” Cignetti said. “Bryant had some calls, had some people very seriously interested in him. We thought it was important to be proactive. We also wanted to lock Mike up, who’s very deserving. And I’m glad we did.”
Haines is expected to become IU’s first assistant coach to make more than $3 million a year under his new deal, per a source familiar with the situation. It’s the third time since he followed Cignetti over from JMU that he’s received a new deal that included a raise.
Cignetti first hired Haines as his defensive line and strength and conditioning coach at IUP in 2014. He spent a year coaching UC Davis’ linebackers in 2016 before rejoining Cignetti’s staff in the same role at Elon. He took over play-calling duties as JMU’s sole defensive coordinator in 2022.
He’s had a top five defense in three of the last four seasons.
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Shanahan, who has been with Cignetti since 2016, started calling plays for Cignetti in 2021. The Hoosiers go into the Rose Bowl with the No. 4 scoring offense (41.9 points per game) and No. 8 total offense (472.8 yards per game) in the country with Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza leading the way. Both marks led the Big Ten.
Cignetti also made it clear that it’s just a matter of time before the rest of the on-field coaching staff receive new contracts. He retained all but one assistant (quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri) after the 2024 season and has credited that continuity with helping the Hoosiers build on their success.
“At the end of the season, we’ll move on with the rest of staff,” Cignetti said.
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Why Indiana football signed coordinators to new contracts
