Kurt “The Coward” Cignetti

[pumpdog20]

We could be in conference and this game would still have been cancelled. We added a P2 game today, we lost a P2 game today.

All due respect, "conferences are cowards so ND needs to join one of the conferences" is an odd argument.

ND has actually done a pretty passable job of replacing some of these games. USC with BYU. Locked in a long term agreement with Clemson. I'm sure they can seek out some partnerships from the Big 12 to circumvent the SEC and B1G cowardice as well.

I just don't get the argument with how well things are going right now that ND should join. Especially with talks that the playoff will expand again.

Who cares?

Well, I'd for one would like more games against good teams. Maybe I'm on an island on that.

 

[Dale]

Well, I'd for one would like more games against good teams. Maybe I'm on an island on that.

We went from USC and Indiana to BYU and USC. We play 10 power games. Where are the mysterious games we’ve lost?

It seems like you’d rather blame ND for changes when Riley and Cignetti have a proven track record of game cancellation, against all teams. They are equal opportunity cowards, not a target at NDs Independence.

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

Well, I'd for one would like more games against good teams. Maybe I'm on an island on that.

Ah pump, common. You just want them in the Big 10 so your travel schedule was lighter and you could go to a lot of the road games.

 

[pumpdog20]

We went from USC and Indiana to BYU and USC. We play 10 power games. Where are the mysterious games we’ve lost?

It seems like you’d rather blame ND for changes when Riley and Cignetti have a proven track record of game cancellation, against all teams. They are equal opportunity cowards, not a target at NDs Independence.

You seem to think this is strictly an Indiana thing with me. If Texas, Alabama, etc also do what they are threatening to do, I'll bitch about those as well. As for the ACC/Big 12 teams, I'm not calling them power teams outside of Miami, Clemson, and maybe FSU. As one bid leagues, the ACC/Big 12 have more in common with the G5 then the P2. At least in my book.

 

[pumpdog20]

Ah pump, common. You just want them in the Big 10 so your travel schedule was lighter and you could go to a lot of the road games.

A lot of truth here... though I really just want more than 1 home game that's worth driving 6 hours to go see. Give me 3 marquee home games, whether Big 10 or not, the rest can be shit for all I care.

 

[Dale]

You seem to think this is strictly an Indiana thing with me. If Texas, Alabama, etc also do what they are threatening to do, I'll bitch about those as well. As for the ACC/Big 12 teams, I'm not calling them power teams outside of Miami, Clemson, and maybe FSU. As one bid leagues, the ACC/Big 12 have more in common with the G5 then the P2. At least in my book.

So to be clear, you’re using this opportunity in which we added a B1G team to the schedule and removed a B1G team from the schedule netting to zero net impact to get pre-mad about something else hasn’t happened yet. Got it.

You’re also now calling the BYU game closer to a G5 game, even though by every available evaluation of the current program, they are a universally accepted Top 20 team. Useful!

 

[ulukinatme]

I'm gonna call Cignetti a pussy because it conforms to my preexisting worldview.

He is a pussy! He took the Indiana job because he saw a turn around would be easy given their future schedules, and they've only made the schedules easier since he got on board. On top of that he didn't develop shit, he bought his title bringing in basically a whole new team that was already developed. Yeah, the plan worked, but I think he gets too much credit for favorable scheduling and using players other coaches created.

 

[ACamp1900]

Indiana is scheduling EXACTLY how I said we should for decades now and the at the end of the day no one cares bc they’re the champs,…

 

[sfk324]

Kurt Chickenetti knows he can't beat Marcus. It's even funnier knowing that by the time these games are played, he'll be gone and IU's stadium will be a ghost town again.

 

[pumpdog20]

So to be clear, you’re using this opportunity in which we added a B1G team to the schedule and removed a B1G team from the schedule netting to zero net impact to get pre-mad about something else hasn’t happened yet. Got it.

You’re also now calling the BYU game closer to a G5 game, even though by every available evaluation of the current program, they are a universally accepted Top 20 team. Useful!

Yes, now you're tracking

 

[DillonHall]

What are the odds Cignetti is even the IU head coach in 2031? He's already 65 years old

 

[Me2SouthBend]

Can we get the thread title changed back to include “The Fraud”?

 

[IrishLax]

Indiana is scheduling EXACTLY how I said we should for decades now and the at the end of the day no one cares bc they’re the champs,…

Nailed it. There is a famous Charlie Munger quote "show me the incentive and I'll show you the outcome."

Teams used to be incredibly incentivized to schedule big OOC games because it didn't impact your conference race + generated a lot of money. There have always been some incentives towards watering down schedules for Tier 2 and Tier 3 teams, but there were also incentives to play big games and chase big wins (recruiting, stepping stone, etc.)

In the expanded playoff era PLUS super conferences, these teams are mostly incentivized to play the softest schedule they can --> avoid losses --> make the field. It is quite rare to pull a "Miami" and use a marquee Week 1 win to catapult you into the playoffs after failing in your conference race. Cignetti correctly identified when he took the job that it's hard to win 7+ games in the Big Ten and that playing three walkovers where you get free wins is the best thing for a program like Indiana. The only way the equilibrium swings back is reducing or expanding the playoffs more from where it currently sits, or changing qualification criteria.

 

[OrlaNDomer]

Cignetti will never not be a bitch.

 

[T-Boone]

ND should remember this when Indiana are completely irrelevant again soon and begging for a game.

 

[NDWarrior]

Nice try asshole to try and put an IU spin on this series cancellation, saying it's ND's fault when you know Cignetti was going to cancel the IU/ND home and away as he's inclined to do.

 

[NDPhilly]

With Bama and OU, the CFP seemingly rewarded SOS in 2025, and I think you can expect it to just become more important considering the SEC’s cozy relationship with ESPN / CFP. The “Strength of Record” stat was created / pushed in 2025 to benefit them.

 

[hungryhippo]

Nice try asshole to try and put an IU spin on this series cancellation, saying it's ND's fault when you know Cignetti was going to cancel the IU/ND home and away as he's inclined to do.

View attachment 3064258

Jacob Goins Bald

 

[Dale]

With Bama and OU, the CFP seemingly rewarded SOS in 2025, and I think you can expect it to just become more important considering the SEC’s cozy relationship with ESPN / CFP. The “Strength of Record” stat was created / pushed in 2025 to benefit them.

Big Ten is averaging 3.5 teams and SEC 4 teams per playoff through 2 seasons. Big 12 at 1, ND at 0.5 and ACC at 1.5 appearances per year. Having gray area around CFP criteria and metrics allows them to construct an invitational that makes everyone content with payouts over a multi year timeframe.

It breaks one way in 2024 against the SEC? Give them 5 bids the next year. ACC set to get 0 teams? Flip Miami in. ND made their independent money making run in 2024? Yeah we can leave em out now. Big Ten getting less than the SEC? Give them 2 byes. It’s all fugazi and I think they actually prefer the murkiness over what’s valued or not over exact qualifications.

 

[IrishTusker]

With Bama and OU, the CFP seemingly rewarded SOS in 2025, and I think you can expect it to just become more important considering the SEC’s cozy relationship with ESPN / CFP. The “Strength of Record” stat was created / pushed in 2025 to benefit them.

They reward a team's record, and an easier schedule makes it less likely a team will lose. Our "best win" was against USC. So was Oregon's. The difference is Oregon was 11-1 and we were 10-2. If we didn't play A&M we're in ahead of Alabama and OU. And I doubt we could produce a schedule that is ranked as "hard" as an SEC schedule in any event.

Alabama and OU got in because of who the committee chair was, the SEC aura (Iol), and lobbying/payout considerations.

 

[ulukinatme]

What are the odds Cignetti is even the IU head coach in 2031? He's already 65 years old

I'm surprised he hasn't bailed for an NFL job already, or a bigger fish. Maybe he's holding out for Bama if DeBoer can't get it done. He definitely feels like he's in it for himself, I don't see him hanging around and being loyal to Indiana long.

 

[stlnd01]

They reward a team's record, and an easier schedule makes it less likely a team will lose. Our "best win" was against USC. So was Oregon's. The difference is Oregon was 11-1 and we were 10-2. If we didn't play A&M we're in ahead of Alabama and OU. And I doubt we could produce a schedule that is ranked as "hard" as an SEC schedule in any event.

Alabama and OU got in because of who the committee chair was, the SEC aura (Iol), and lobbying/payout considerations.

With the caveat that that team needs to be in the Big Ten or SEC. B1G/SEC teams effectively get handicapped an extra loss (even if their schedule was not in fact all that tough).

In 2025, 10-2 Oklahoma and 10-2 Alabama (even granting the farce of ignoring the SEC title game) got at-large bids. 10-2 Miami only made it because of their marquee win over us. 10-2 Notre Dame and BYU are outside looking in.
Similarly in 2024, 10-2 Ohio State and Tennessee got at-large bids while 10-2 Miami and BYU, without big wins, did not, in fact both finished ranked behind 9-3 Bama.

In other words, scheduling light works for Indiana, Penn State, and SEC teams to the degree they can. They can tune up OOC, drop two conference games, and still make the field. Not so much ACC/Big 12 teams. If they don't win their conference, they need a statement win during the regular season. This is why BYU is playing us. Expect to see more ACC/Big 12 and less B1G/SEC on our schedule unless/until something changes.

 

[IrishTusker]

With the caveat that that team needs to be in the Big Ten or SEC. B1G/SEC teams effectively get handicapped an extra loss (even if their schedule was not in fact all that tough).

In 2025, 10-2 Oklahoma and 10-2 Alabama (even granting the farce of ignoring the SEC title game) got at-large bids. 10-2 Miami only made it because of their marquee win over us. 10-2 Notre Dame and BYU are outside looking in.
Similarly in 2024, 10-2 Ohio State and Tennessee got at-large bids while 10-2 Miami and BYU, without big wins, did not, in fact both finished ranked behind 9-3 Bama.

In other words, scheduling light works for Indiana, Penn State, and SEC teams to the degree they can. They can tune up OOC, drop two conference games, and still make the field. Not so much ACC/Big 12 teams. If they don't win their conference, they need a statement win during the regular season. This is why BYU is playing us. Expect to see more ACC/Big 12 and less B1G/SEC on our schedule unless/until something changes.

I would say that applies to ND, too. There is no reason to think that a 12-0 or 11-1 ND is left out, even with a weak schedule. If we don't play A&M last year we are probably 11-1 and in the playoff.

 

[Me2SouthBend]

I'm surprised he hasn't bailed for an NFL job already, or a bigger fish. Maybe he's holding out for Bama if DeBoer can't get it done. He definitely feels like he's in it for himself, I don't see him hanging around and being loyal to Indiana long.

Great let him go to Bama. They are now amongst the poors. Unless Mark Cuban decides to go to Bama for a doctorate I’m not sure things are going to change.

 

[Sea Turtle]

Indiana did ND a solid by canceling this game so USC could get back on the schedule.

Nothing wrong with that.

 

[OrlaNDomer]

The mega conferences just allow middle tier teams to ride coattails of the water carriers. They’ll play 2-3 good teams in conference go 9-3 or 10-2 and demand to be in the playoffs with their best win bring over an 8-4 team ranked Missouri or USC.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Cignetti has kept his assistant coaching staff mostly intact at Indiana. If some of these guys start leaving at some point, that'll be a test for him.

 

[jerseyborn1971]

He's 65. He's not leaving. He can ride that train and contract into the sunset. As long as Mark Cuban keeps cutting checks, he'll go 10-2, 11-2 or 12-0 in the regular season and make the playoff. Let Cuban get interested in the basketball team again and lose some of his assistants and see what happens. He'll always be a 9 win guy though at least with his scheduling strategy.

 

[Kingbish01]

Can we get the thread title changed back to include “The Fraud”?

The guy is 27-2 at Indiana, am I the only one who thinks he's a damn good coach?? I get being a hater and all, but Indiana won a Natty....A fucking NATTY in football. Could Saban/Meyer/Dabo or Marcus have pulled that off in under 30 games?

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

The guy is 27-2 at Indiana, am I the only one who thinks he's a damn good coach?? I get being a hater and all, but Indiana won a Natty....A fucking NATTY in football. Could Saban/Meyer/Dabo or Marcus have pulled that off in under 30 games?

I pulled this off dozens of times with dozens of programs in NCAA 2014....yawn.

Again, as I and others have said, he's undeniably a good coach, and undeniably a pussy.