As the college football coaching carousel begins to churn, a major name is already coming off the board for a potential program to hire.
Indiana announced it has reached an extension with second-year football coach Curt Cignetti on Thursday, Oct. 16. The news comes four days after the firing of 12th-year football coach James Franklin. Cignetti has been on the short list of potential replacements for Franklin in Happy Valley, including USA TODAY’s.
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Indiana is off to a 6-0 start in the second year with Cignetti leading the program. The No. 3-ranked Hoosiers earned an impressive 30-20 win over then-No. 2 Oregon on Saturday, Oct. 11, setting up the program to have its highest-ever ranking in the history of the US LBM Coaches and AP polls.
Cignetti led Indiana to the College Football Playoff and an 11-1 regular-season record in 2024 after taking the head coaching role after leaving James Madison. The Hoosiers finished 11-2 with losses only to Ohio State and Notre Dame — who played for the national championship to end the season.
“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,” Indiana president Pamela Whitten said in a news release on Oct. 16. “Put simply, Cig is a winner.
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“From last year’s College Football Playoff appearance to this year’s top-three national ranking, the IU football program’s success has been tremendous. Curt and Manette Cignetti are home in Indiana and we are delighted that the Cignetti family will be Hoosiers for many years to come.”
Said Indiana athletics director Scott Dolson in a statement:
“We are committed to investing in IU football in such a way that we can compete at a championship level, and the No. 1 priority in doing that is ensuring that Coach Cignetti is the leader of our program,” Dolson said. “His accomplishments during the last season and a half have been nothing short of remarkable.
“As much as anyone, he believed in what was possible with our program, and he’s turned that belief into reality. This is a great day for IU football and Indiana University. I look forward to working alongside Coach Cignetti for many years to come.”
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Here’s what to know of Cignetti’s contract extension:
Curt Cignetti contract details
Following his extension, Cignetti’s contract now runs through Nov. 30, 2033, and will have an average annual compensation of approximately $11.6 million over eight years, per the school.
Curt Cignetti speaks about Indiana extension
Shortly after the extension was announced, Indiana’s football social media account posted a video of Cignetti speaking about the new extension with the Hoosiers.
“I couldn’t be more proud to be a Hoosier and I plan on retiring as a Hoosier,” Cigneti said in the video. “The way that this state has embraced us and our success in football has meant more to me than anything else.
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“So, I just wanted to get on camera and let you know that Curt Cignetti is going to work daily to make Indiana the best they can be.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Curt Cignetti contract details at Indiana: What to know
