Kurt “The Truth” Cignetti

[Some Irish Bloke]

Disparaging ND’s schedule compared to IU’s with the username “ndfanatic” is INSANE.

They beat Oregon, full stop that’s a great win. They opened with Old Dominion, Kennesaw, Indiana St, Illinois, and Iowa.

Again, that Oregon win is awesome. But trying to say IU is facing a gauntlet and ND’s schedule sucks is incredibly stupid

You are aware that schedules are made years in advance right?

Thank you. These were literally the points I was going to make. The difference is, in 2024, ND had a tough schedule on paper, but FSU (Ranked preseason #10) flamed out. USC was top 20, flaked. aTm was 7-1 to start then fell apart. They scheduled tough, and it didn't pan out, but they also justified their playoff berth by beating the breaks off of the teams they played (after NIU) and in the playoffs, knocking of IU, UGA and PSU.

Cignetti can't back up his own shit talk against OSu or in the CFP, then he doubles down by literally scheduling more cupcakes OOC in 2025 and beyond.

Agreed with the others, the undercurrent of IU fandom...pick a side, and keep the IU shit off of the ND forum, unless in an appropriate thread. Nobody gives a shit.

 

[SportsingHard]

I've said it many times now but will again...Cig reminds me a lot of my college coach. "Tough guy" who talks mad shit..."I recruit GD F-ing beer drinkers, F a milk drinker", "we'll play your ass in the GD F-ing parking lot", "Gamer!?! F Gamer, you can take Gamer and shove it up your f-ing ass (he said that to Rich Maloney scUM's baseball coach lol)"...I could go on and on... I don't think the dude could say a pray without dropping the F bomb.

But when it came time to fly out to the CWS every year (in this case the CFP), he'd no show when the stage was largest. In Cig's case it was last year's soft coaching vs ND, in our case tough guy coach literally just didn't show and we flew out without a coach (every year).

That is how I see it. Great coach who knows how to lift a program, but when time to put your money where your big mouth is...well, we'll see...

Does he just F dairy guys? I'm pretty cute, but I drink liquified almonds. Maintained elite Labatt speed into my 40s, though.

 

[Bane]

Be that as it may, they were underdogs in that game and nobody thought they'd win. I give them full credit for going to Oregon and winning. Oregon hadn't lost a regular season game in two years. They're tough at home and it is a crazy environment more often than not. There is something to be said for this.

Their schedule is what it is. You go up and down a lot of these threads, and everyone is either overrated or playing a weak schedule. There are elements of truth and credence to this discussions, but at the end of the day, everyone has to play who they play and get on with it. Any Notre Dame fan has likely had a discussion with non Notre Dame friend and family having to vouch for ND's schedule. These schedules are set years in advance, and believe me, I'd love for nothing more than ND to make their lives easier down the line. Indiana seems to be doing this now and I don't fault them for it.

We can sit here and dissect every team's schedule, twisting ourselves into mental pretzels to have everything fit a certain narrative of our choosing. The fact remains that Indiana Football has been perennial garbage for decades upon decades, and now they're not. I give them props for what they're doing, which they were not doing prior to this current era of NIL and The Portal. If IU wins out and manages to beat Ohio State, it's going to be interesting what the narrative sounds like then.

Cignetti will still be a jag either way

Yeah, I won't go back and retcon their win at Oregon. Whether Oregon is really elite this year or not, that's still an impressive win.

 

[Katzenboyer]

I've said it many times now but will again...Cig reminds me a lot of my college coach. "Tough guy" who talks mad shit..."I recruit GD F-ing beer drinkers, F a milk drinker", "we'll play your ass in the GD F-ing parking lot", "Gamer!?! F Gamer, you can take Gamer and shove it up your f-ing ass (he said that to Rich Maloney scUM's baseball coach lol)"...I could go on and on... I don't think the dude could say a pray without dropping the F bomb.

But when it came time to fly out to the CWS every year (in this case the CFP), he'd no show when the stage was largest. In Cig's case it was last year's soft coaching vs ND, in our case tough guy coach literally just didn't show and we flew out without a coach (every year).

That is how I see it. Great coach who knows how to lift a program, but when time to put your money where your big mouth is...well, we'll see...

No show when the stage is the largest?

The dude took a program that went 2-10, 4-8, and 3-9 in the three seasons before he got there to the playoffs in his very first year. The only teams he lost to were the two teams that played in the title game. There is nothing about the last year that is in any way indicative of Cignetti "soft coaching vs. ND" or his team not showing in the biggest moments.

This year, he went on the road to soundly beat a team that hadn't lost at home in 3 seasons. He's most likely going back to the playoffs again, with roster talent that 1) isn't comparable to the teams he's up against for those playoff spots, and 2) does not yet have his imprint on the program with regard to high school recruits.

I swear I'm not a closet IU fan. I really don't have an opinion on Cignetti's personality whatsoever. But the obsession for some of you to undermine his accomplishments at a school that has NEVER BEEN GOOD AT FOOTBALL is just really, really strange.

The guy is a great football coach. If you don't see that, doing what he's doing at INDIANA FRIGGIN UNIVERSITY, I question your objectivity when it comes to Cignetti's resume.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

No show when the stage is the largest?

The dude took a program that went 2-10, 4-8, and 3-9 in the three seasons before he got there to the playoffs in his very first year. The only teams he lost to were the two teams that played in the title game. There is nothing about the last year that is in any way indicative of Cignetti "soft coaching vs. ND" or his team not showing in the biggest moments.

This year, he went on the road to soundly beat a team that hadn't lost at home in 3 seasons. He's most likely going back to the playoffs again, with roster talent that 1) isn't comparable to the teams he's up against for those playoff spots, and 2) does not yet have his imprint on the program with regard to high school recruits.

I swear I'm not a closet IU fan. I really don't have an opinion on Cignetti's personality whatsoever. But the obsession for some of you to undermine his accomplishments at a school that has NEVER BEEN GOOD AT FOOTBALL is just really, really strange.

The guy is a great football coach. If you don't see that, doing what he's doing at INDIANA FRIGGIN UNIVERSITY, I question your objectivity when it comes to Cignetti's resume.

Plenty of us have said that we agree he is, by all accounts, a great football coach. The resume and early success at IU speak for themselves. However, and though I don't know him personally, he sure comes off as an arrogant prick when he has a microphone under his nose.

It's just as strange that there are people who think we need to be in awe of his progress through 1.5 years...we are ND fans. We love college football. We have witnessed the rise of Boise St, UCF, the resurgence of SMU after decades of dormancy after the death penalty, we saw Cincy go the CFP when it was just 4 teams. These things happen lol, what has happened at IU is incredible but it isn't some one-off miracle in this crazy, unpredictable sport. We DISCUSS all of these things...it doesn't mean we have to root for them? We are ND FANS. On an ND Forum.

Idgaf if they share a state or not. I'm sure plenty of ND fans went to IU or have connections in Bloomington. Good for you. That means nothing to most ND fans who never have and never will give a fuck about another football team. It's not that complicated.

He is a good football coach. He is annoying and arrogant off the field. That is all. I'm sure IU fans appreciate that approach. ND fans used to think Charlie Weis was fun with his arrogant air, when things were good. I'd take a leader like Freeman all day. Thanks.

 

[Katzenboyer]

Plenty of us have said that we agree he is by all accounts a great football coach. The resume and early success at IU speak for themselves. I don't know him personally, but he sure comes off as an arrogant prick when he has a microphone under his nose.

It's just as strange that there are people who think we need to be in awe of his progress through 1.5 years...we are ND fans. We love college football. We have witnessed the rise of Boise St, UCF, the resurgence of SMU after decades of dormancy after the death penalty, we saw Cincy go the CFP when it was just 4 teams. These things happen lol, what has happened at IU is incredible but it isn't a one-off in this crazy, unpredictable sport. We DISCUSS all of these things...it doesn't mean we have to root for them? We are ND FANS. On an ND Forum.

Idgaf if they share a state or not. I'm sure plenty of ND fans went to IU or have connections in Bloomington. Good for you. That means nothing to most ND fans who never have and never will give a fuck about another football team lol. It's not that complicated.

He is a good football coach. He is annoying and arrogant off the field. That is all. I'm sure IU fans appreciate that approach. ND fans used to think Charlie Weis was fun with his arrogant air, when things were good. I'd take a leader like Freeman all day. Thanks.

That's not the tone of the conversations on this board about him, though. That's the thing.

I get it - we root for someone different. It's not people like you who I think are taking things a bit far.

It's the inkling that he's somehow this fraud that will be run out of town because 6-6, 7-5 seasons are about to happen - and the glee which some people seem to anticipate that result. And that's strange.

To me, at no point does it look like Cignetti is simply catching lightning in a bottle, and I may be wrong; but there's a certain "certainty" that he's going to crash and burn, and I just don't see it.

As for your last point, no one is saying Cig is better than Freeman. Have no idea where you're getting it.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

That's not the tone of the conversations on this board about him, though. That's the thing.

I get it - we root for someone different. It's not people like you who I think are taking things a bit far.

It's the inkling that he's somehow this fraud that will be run out of town because 6-6, 7-5 seasons are about to happen - and the glee which some people seem to anticipate that result. And that's strange.

To me, at no point does it look like Cignetti is simply catching lightning in a bottle, and I may be wrong; but there's a certain "certainty" that he's going to crash and burn, and I just don't see it.

As for your last point, no one is saying Cig is better than Freeman. Have no idea where you're getting it.

I get all that, fair points, and I agree. IU means nothing to me; I'd root for them against Bama or UGA in the playoff simply because we've seen the latter two, time and time again. I'd do the same for Illinois or USF if they got in. But I'm not going to care about the result regardless.

My point about Freeman vs. Cignetti is simply a testament to the type of character I'd prefer in a coach who runs my program. Let the results talk, you don't need a microphone to talk about how big and tough you or your program are. That's what the field is for.

Cig talking shit on Gameday right before kickoff was cut from the same cloth as Franklin trying to get under Freeman's skin.

Freeman doesn't need to do that shit and it's refreshing, that is all I'm saying.

 

[GowerND11]

I've said it many times now but will again...Cig reminds me a lot of my college coach. "Tough guy" who talks mad shit..."I recruit GD F-ing beer drinkers, F a milk drinker", "we'll play your ass in the GD F-ing parking lot", "Gamer!?! F Gamer, you can take Gamer and shove it up your f-ing ass (he said that to Rich Maloney scUM's baseball coach lol)"...I could go on and on... I don't think the dude could say a pray without dropping the F bomb.

But when it came time to fly out to the CWS every year (in this case the CFP), he'd no show when the stage was largest. In Cig's case it was last year's soft coaching vs ND, in our case tough guy coach literally just didn't show and we flew out without a coach (every year).

That is how I see it. Great coach who knows how to lift a program, but when time to put your money where your big mouth is...well, we'll see...

I feel I have seen you comment this stuff somewhere before.

So... why? What was his reasoning, and how did the team perform due to this? How could the admin allow it?

 

[NorthDakota]

I've said it many times now but will again...Cig reminds me a lot of my college coach. "Tough guy" who talks mad shit..."I recruit GD F-ing beer drinkers, F a milk drinker", "we'll play your ass in the GD F-ing parking lot", "Gamer!?! F Gamer, you can take Gamer and shove it up your f-ing ass (he said that to Rich Maloney scUM's baseball coach lol)"...I could go on and on... I don't think the dude could say a pray without dropping the F bomb.

But when it came time to fly out to the CWS every year (in this case the CFP), he'd no show when the stage was largest. In Cig's case it was last year's soft coaching vs ND, in our case tough guy coach literally just didn't show and we flew out without a coach (every year).

That is how I see it. Great coach who knows how to lift a program, but when time to put your money where your big mouth is...well, we'll see...

Cig in the playoff game reminded me a lot of myself in high school wrestling against superior competition.

No gameplan to win. Gameplan to not get embarrassed and make the final score respectable. There is nothing wrong with losing so long as you actually play to win the game. A lot of casuals and normies will even give you credit for that. But "real ones" see it and they know exactly what you are doing.

 

[Irish#1]

It really does seem that people have a hard time understanding what Jigg and I are saying: we just don't like Cig and think he's an arrogant prick who is full of shit. It has nothing to do with his coaching ability. Just because he is a good coach doesn't mean I have to like him. I loathe Kirby Smart and he is one hell of a coach. Those are two separate things.

For the record and I believe I have said this before, I'm not a Cignetti fan and you don't have to like him. I don't think anyone has said that. I'm just amused how you like to post about Cignetti and IU fans whenever the opportunity arises.

No argument from me that he coached against ND completely opposite of his bragging. He coached wanting to keep it close and hope for a break to flip things instead of trying to win. It wasn't until the final few minutes against a lot of backups that he opened things up. More than likely he will get IU back in the playoffs this year. I'm curious to see if he leaned a lesson from last year.

Fraud or not, like him or not, you have to tip your hat to the guy. Afterall, he's given us something to talk about this bye week. lol

 

[NDFAN420]

It's really weird, in a cringey way, the amount and type of unhinged vitriol that gets thrown at him by some ND "fans". It just makes ya think that there's more to it that people are having a hard time with that makes them act out in such an abby normal way. It's just really really weird and odd.

 

[Irish2155]

I feel I have seen you comment this stuff somewhere before.

So... why? What was his reasoning, and how did the team perform due to this? How could the admin allow it?

It's a bizarre story. Tech went to 6 CWS in a row and I was on the last 4 of those teams ('00-'03). We finished 2nd, 3rd, and 5th in the country amongst those years. The only year that our coach went was the first year '98 when we finished runner up.

If you can't fly, that's one thing. But we're sitting on the bus waiting to go to the airport to fly out to Lewiston, ID and our coach just doesn't show. No notice, no communication, nothing. We damn near missed our flight one year waiting for him. Then it happened again the next year, then the year after, and then again (4 years in a row). He "resigned" my senior year, and Tech has only been back to one CWS since I graduated.

How and why the admin allowed it? Only answer I have is because he was fielding a team that was top 5 in the country every year.

Travel anxiety grounds Indiana Tech coach

School president says Lance Hershberger has resigned from baseball post

www.lmtribune.com

 

[SportsingHard]

It's really weird, in a cringey way, the amount and type of unhinged vitriol that gets thrown at him by some ND "fans". It just makes ya think that there's more to it that people are having a hard time with that makes them act out in such an abby normal way. It's just really really weird and odd.

 

[FWIrish4]

It's really weird, in a cringey way, the amount and type of unhinged vitriol that gets thrown at him by some ND "fans". It just makes ya think that there's more to it that people are having a hard time with that makes them act out in such an abby normal way. It's just really really weird and odd.

You clearly have not had to deal with IU “fans” from last year’s playoff game and from this season, have you?

 

[Irish2155]

You clearly have not had to deal with IU “fans” from last year’s playoff game and from this season, have you?

I've lived in Indy my whole life and only know one true IU football fan. Sure, there are plenty coming out of the woodwork now, but they could give two shits only a year and a half ago.

I'm rooting for IU unless it is at ND's expense. A perfect scenario is them being on other sides of the bracket and ND smokes them in the title game.

 

[ulukinatme]

I don't know if it's been mentioned but Oregon needed multiple OTs to beat PSU, who we know is shit.

Also, Oregon may be 6-1, but half the teams they've played against have fired their head coaches. The other teams they've played are Northwestern, who lost to Tulane, Rutgers, and Montana St. They're a good team, but not as good as 2024.

 

[SportsingHard]

I've lived in Indy my whole life and only know one true IU football fan. Sure, there are plenty coming out of the woodwork now, but they could give two shits only a year and a half ago.

I'm rooting for IU unless it is at ND's expense. A perfect scenario is them being on other sides of the bracket and ND smokes them in the title game.

Teams I want to see ND smoke in the title game:
1) Ohio State
2) The SEC team du jour
3) Oregon
4) the little engine that could

EDIT: Maybe Miami at #3.

 

[irish4ever]

Teams I want to see ND smoke in the title game:
1) Ohio State
2) The SEC team du jour
3) Oregon
4) the little engine that could

1) Ohio State
2) The SEC team du jour
3) IU (AGAIN!)

 

[Dale]

It's really weird, in a cringey way, the amount and type of unhinged vitriol that gets thrown at him by some ND "fans". It just makes ya think that there's more to it that people are having a hard time with that makes them act out in such an abby normal way. It's just really really weird and odd.

All credit to Cignetti on the last two years. Seriously. But the short answer is if a coach implies he’s going to beat the shit out of Notre Dame pre game and then the opposite happens he’s fair game till decided otherwise between ND and IU on the field to hate on.

It’s sports. Not that serious.

 

[ulukinatme]

All credit to Cignetti on the last two years. Seriously. But the short answer is if a coach implies he’s going to beat the shit out of Notre Dame pre game and then the opposite happens he’s fair game till decided otherwise between ND and IU on the field to hate on.

It’s sports. Not that serious.

Don't start shit, won't be shit.

I feel the same way towards Ped State, they asked for it after Big Game James' pre game press conference when he tried to humiliate Freeman. Now their fans won't shut up about the Irish and the loss, so they can all suck it.

Oddly enough I don't feel the same way about Georgia. They were relatively quiet before and afterwards in comparison to the two B1G teams.

 

[Riddickulous]

If you talk shit and can't back it up, you're gonna get mocked. Cignetti bragged leading up to the CFP and then got smoked. Jeremiyah Love said "we want OSU" and then put up 4 carries for 3 yards and got mocked by OSU afterwards. It's part of the game.

 

[Bane]

Don't start shit, won't be shit.

I feel the same way towards Ped State, they asked for it after Big Game James' pre game press conference when he tried to humiliate Freeman. Now their fans won't shut up about the Irish and the loss, so they can all suck it.

Oddly enough I don't feel the same way about Georgia. They were relatively quiet before and afterwards in comparison to the two B1G teams.

As much as I hate UGA, they don't generally chirp like that. Kirby is more of a whiner and complainer than a shit talker.

 

[Rudy89]

There needs to be a line between Cignetti 2024 and Cignetti 2025. The 2024 dude was an absolute clown who was fraudulent because he roared like a lion to the media and then coached like a kitten in the playoffs. People have memory holed how much shit he talked.

2025 Cignetti is way more on the level. There isn't any false bravado or chest thumping, and their team is playing better than last year too.

First impressions can last a lifetime. That was my first impression of him. I’ll take nothing away from
His accomplishments & how’s he’s been able to elevate IU. That’s why I made sure to say I don’t believe he’s a fraud. But that shit last year just soured me on him as a person. I’ll take your word for him being better but it’s gonna take a lot to shed that “we beat the shit out of ranked teams” stuff he was spouting before the playoff game.

 

[Rudy89]

I've said it many times now but will again...Cig reminds me a lot of my college coach. "Tough guy" who talks mad shit..."I recruit GD F-ing beer drinkers, F a milk drinker", "we'll play your ass in the GD F-ing parking lot", "Gamer!?! F Gamer, you can take Gamer and shove it up your f-ing ass (he said that to Rich Maloney scUM's baseball coach lol)"...I could go on and on... I don't think the dude could say a pray without dropping the F bomb.

But when it came time to fly out to the CWS every year (in this case the CFP), he'd no show when the stage was largest. In Cig's case it was last year's soft coaching vs ND, in our case tough guy coach literally just didn't show and we flew out without a coach (every year).

That is how I see it. Great coach who knows how to lift a program, but when time to put your money where your big mouth is...well, we'll see...

How the fuck did your university keep him employed when he didn’t show to the CWS?

 

[irishandy]

1) Ohio State
2) The SEC team du jour
3) IU (AGAIN!)

I'd love to meet IU again in the playoffs, I don't care if it's at ND or IU. Kudos to what IU has done so far this year, but ND is more of a dangerous team than week 1 & 2.

 

[IrishLax]

First impressions can last a lifetime. That was my first impression of him. I’ll take nothing away from
His accomplishments & how’s he’s been able to elevate IU. That’s why I made sure to say I don’t believe he’s a fraud. But that shit last year just soured me on him as a person. I’ll take your word for him being better but it’s gonna take a lot to shed that “we beat the shit out of ranked teams” stuff he was spouting before the playoff game.

It really was insane the way he ran his mouth. I had one of my former HS lacrosse recruited by him to play football at JMU and I think at his core he is closer to a Nick Saban style, detail oriented old school hard ass coach than anything else. That's why I thought the antics last year were so shocking and why I made this thread, he acted like a total clown yapping and yapping and then coached against ND like he praying not to lose by 4 TDs.

 

[greyhammer90]

Would love to play IU in the playoffs again.

 

[FOTY977]

It really was insane the way he ran his mouth. I had one of my former HS lacrosse recruited by him to play football at JMU and I think at his core he is closer to a Nick Saban style, detail oriented old school hard ass coach than anything else. That's why I thought the antics last year were so shocking and why I made this thread, he acted like a total clown yapping and yapping and then coached against ND like he praying not to lose by 4 TDs.

He understands the entertainment business and no publicity is bad publicity. He is trying to raise the profile of Indy-effing-Ana after all.

 

[IAIrish]

Would love to play IU in the playoffs again.

I would Jeremiyah Love to meet them in the playoffs 🫶

 

[Irish2155]

I’d be careful what you ask for. IU is better than both Miami and A&M.