Curt Cignetti

Curt Cignetti began his tenure as the head football coach at Indiana University Bloomington in 2024, bringing with him a proven track record of turning around football programs. Prior to his appointment at Indiana, he served as head coach at James Madison University from 2018 to 2023, guiding the team through a successful transition from the FCS to the FBS, during which he accumulated a record of 52–9 and won three conference titles. Before that, he led the Elon Phoenix from 2017 to 2018, achieving the school's first victory over a top-five FCS opponent and leading the team to consecutive NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs.

During his first season at Indiana, Cignetti led the Hoosiers to an 11–2 record, a top-five ranking, and their first-ever College Football Playoff berth. The following year, Indiana achieved its highest-ever ranking at No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll under his leadership. In that same year, Cignetti led Indiana to its first national championship and a perfect 16–0 season, the first FBS team to achieve this feat since the 1894 Yale Bulldogs. His efforts earned him the 2× AP Coach of the Year, 2× AFCA Coach of the Year, Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, and the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year awards in the span of two years.

Cignetti has showcased his expertise on ESPN's "College GameDay" in October 2024, providing insight into his coaching methods and team strategies. His leadership abilities and successful coaching record led to Indiana offering him an extended eight-year contract in 2025, valued at $93 million. He continued to set records in 2026 when he achieved the highest number of head coaching wins in a single season at Indiana with 16 wins. For his contributions to Indiana's football program and the collegiate football community, Cignetti has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year multiple times, including consecutive wins in 2024 and 2025.