Coaching Carousel

[ndfanatic78]

I mean I think he's a helluva coach and will get more than 9 wins in Bloomington every year; but that's the floor. Why go to Florida and have to battle like hell to get to 8-4 every year when you can kick back, collect fat checks, and go to the playoffs at IU almost every year?

(And yes, I know it's absolutely insane to have this conversation comparing IU to UF in terms of football. Gotta love the NIL era!).

IU is playing the NIL game and Cigneti knows that. He has the full backing of the entire university. Why go to Florida or any other school where he will have to play politics and people will jump at the chance to eat him alive if he has the smallest of hiccups. I definitely could be wrong but he would become a legend of legends if he is able to bring a football national championship to a basketball school, who isn’t even that anymore. I just don’t see him going any where for at least a couple more years.

 

[PolishDomer]

IU is playing the NIL game and Cigneti knows that. He has the full backing of the entire university. Why go to Florida or any other school where he will have to play politics and people will jump at the chance to eat him alive if he has the smallest of hiccups. I definitely could be wrong but he would become a legend of legends if he is able to bring a football national championship to a basketball school, who isn’t even that anymore. I just don’t see him going any where for at least a couple more years.

It's definitely interesting since Indiana is a basketball and soccer school...would be interesting to see if they can maintain things.

Side note, my neighbor played on the Indiana championship teams in the 80s in soccer...

 

[rikkitikki08]

You guys also have to factor in Cigneti has an ego that’s the size of the solar system, if a big boy comes calling he will take the job.

 

[Dale]

I think Cignetti would jump for the right job but it would take a legit title contender. He is 64 years old. If he was 40 I could see him waiting out IU and seeing exactly what it could become. If he’s offered a job somewhere he thinks he can win a natty, at 64 you gotta take it. Probably your last job.

 

[dublinirish]

He’s going to have more than 9 wins in both his first 2 seasons. What are you talking about.

i mean hes gonna wanna coach at a bigger a program

 

[Katzenboyer]

i mean hes gonna wanna coach at a bigger a program

Why are we assuming that?

Big ego, yes. But this guy has coached at IUP, Elon, and James Madison. We're not talking about a lifer SEC assistant; he's made his bones at small schools.

With IU's upcoming schedules, he's almost guaranteed a playoff spot if his team performs well. And like someone else mentioned, he's 64. He's going to go to a full rebuild in Gainesville to hopefully get back to the same point he has the Hoosiers at now?

Just doesn't make sense to me, regardless of the size of his ego.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Why are we assuming that?

Big ego, yes. But this guy has coached at IUP, Elon, and James Madison. We're not talking about a lifer SEC assistant; he's made his bones at small schools.

With IU's upcoming schedules, he's almost guaranteed a playoff spot if his team performs well. And like someone else mentioned, he's 64. He's going to go to a full rebuild in Gainesville to hopefully get back to the same point he has the Hoosiers at now?

Just doesn't make sense to me, regardless of the size of his ego.

It really is a great point. Logically, he could stay there and likely end up their best coach ever in a short amount of time.

Bill Mallory was 69-77. Those 69 wins are the most in IU Football history for a head coach. Cignetti already has 15. From 1993-2007, they didn't go to bowl game. Then from 2007-2015, they waited again. Look at their history. They've gone to bowl games back to back 4 times in their history.

Money, power, cushy schedules, a school known more for basketball....there's a lot of reasons to stay put.

 

[dankgesang]

It really is a great point. Logically, he could stay there and likely end up their best coach ever in a short amount of time.

Bill Mallory was 69-77. Those 69 wins are the most in IU Football history for a head coach. Cignetti already has 15. From 1993-2007, they didn't go to bowl game. Then from 2007-2015, they waited again. Look at their history. They've gone to bowl games back to back 4 times in their history.

Money, power, cushy schedules, a school known more for basketball....there's a lot of reasons to stay put.

He knows that best case scenario he's going to keep getting into the playoffs against teams that can meaningfully recruit the top 100 in a way he can't, precisely because Indiana is a basketball school. And so he can expect to keep getting his shit pushed in. That will drive him to Florida or somewhere similar, imo.

 

[MPClinton22]

Why are we assuming that?

Big ego, yes. But this guy has coached at IUP, Elon, and James Madison. We're not talking about a lifer SEC assistant; he's made his bones at small schools.

With IU's upcoming schedules, he's almost guaranteed a playoff spot if his team performs well. And like someone else mentioned, he's 64. He's going to go to a full rebuild in Gainesville to hopefully get back to the same point he has the Hoosiers at now?

Just doesn't make sense to me, regardless of the size of his ego.

But remember - in this day and age, rebuilds can happen overnight. I mean, he did exactly that at IU. The prospect of going into a bare cupboard program and needing to get minimum 2 or 3 classes into the system before seeing real results isn't the case anymore. He can go there and turn over a roster in an offseason.

Not necessarily disagreeing that he's got a good thing at IU, and IU has shown a willingness to shell out the money he asks for to be competitive. Just saying, the timeline of a program rebuild is not what it once was.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

He knows that best case scenario he's going to keep getting into the playoffs against teams that can meaningfully recruit the top 100 in a way he can't, precisely because Indiana is a basketball school. And so he can expect to keep getting his shit pushed in. That will drive him to Florida or somewhere similar, imo.

Florida's got to want him first. They have to buyout Napier. 7 years, $51.8M.

Cignetti just signed a deal with IU for $8M a year.

 

[dankgesang]

Florida's got to want him first. They have to buyout Napier. 7 years, $51.8M.

Cignetti just signed a deal with IU for $8M a year.

For sure, just don't think it's likely he's at IU for another five years.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

For sure, just don't think it's likely he's at IU for another five years.

Should be pointed out again that he's 64.

 

[Katzenboyer]

But remember - in this day and age, rebuilds can happen overnight. I mean, he did exactly that at IU. The prospect of going into a bare cupboard program and needing to get minimum 2 or 3 classes into the system before seeing real results isn't the case anymore. He can go there and turn over a roster in an offseason.

Not necessarily disagreeing that he's got a good thing at IU, and IU has shown a willingness to shell out the money he asks for to be competitive. Just saying, the timeline of a program rebuild is not what it once was.

Rebuilding in the top heavy Big10 is far different than the SEC.

If Michigan fires Moore and they come calling for Cignetti? Sure, I can see him entertaining it. But I don't think those types of jobs are going to be open this year; and he ain't leaving for OKSt., Wisconsin, etc.

 

[Katzenboyer]

He knows that best case scenario he's going to keep getting into the playoffs against teams that can meaningfully recruit the top 100 in a way he can't, precisely because Indiana is a basketball school. And so he can expect to keep getting his shit pushed in. That will drive him to Florida or somewhere similar, imo.

Will just have to agree to disagree.

If he was 44, sure. He's not. He's at the tail end of his career.

 

[dankgesang]

Should be pointed out again that he's 64.

Posting this unironically

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Posting this unironicallyView attachment 3060224

Well, yeah, Cignetti is also a twat.

 

[dankgesang]

Well, yeah, Cignetti is also a twat.

I had no idea he was that old. What the hell.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I had no idea he was that old. What the hell.

Googled him.

Like @Katzenboyer said, he's been coaching up programs in the shadows for a long time.

 

[NorthDakota]

Rebuilding in the top heavy Big10 is far different than the SEC.

If Michigan fires Moore and they come calling for Cignetti? Sure, I can see him entertaining it. But I don't think those types of jobs are going to be open this year; and he ain't leaving for OKSt., Wisconsin, etc.

Doubt he will be leaving. Indiana is a perfect place for him. School has zero expectations for him. He's old. He just recruits portal guys anyway.

 

[SportsingHard]

Should be pointed out again that he's 64.

He could be handy mending a fuse when your lights have gone.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

Yeah, it's 2025. Make $5M a year and get bought out when you get fired, go land on TV or at an assistant coaching job. Maybe even be a head coach again.

Pry was getting about $5M a year, Foster was making over $3M. These alphas all think they're the guy who can turn it around. They're not looking at these jobs from a fan's historical perspective. Someone, in a few months, is going to leave a good football situation to take these jobs and give it a go.

Doesn't really seem like a career hanging itself in the toilet, but I get what you're saying.

Someone chasing a bigger paycheck at a dead end job will take the job. And both schools will fire them and reload again in 2-3 years. Rinse, repeat.

There are plenty of group of 5 jobs more attractive than Va Tech and UCLA in terms of building a program and winning.

 

[ulukinatme]

Cignetti will absolutely take a better job because it will probably mean more money, but I don't think he's stupid. Look at the IU job, he's on record saying that he looked at the schedule for 2024 and said "That's very soft/manageable, I'm going for it." Now look at Florida this year: they're 1-3 having lost to South Florida (Shouldn't have happened), LSU, and Miami. They STILL have Texas, Texas A&M, Georgia, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Florida State to play. Unless Cignetti is an idiot, I don't see him taking a job with that kind of gauntlet to run. He likes the low hanging fruit. I see him holding out for a better positioned team, maybe a Clemson type job if Dabo gets canned. With Clemson he is a big dog in the ACC while at Indiana he'll probably never overcome the big boys in the B1G. That said, there are some tougher schedules for IU in the future, so maybe he bolts after this year while his stock is up.

 

[Bane]

Everyone references Cig's big ego, but he has the kind of ego that masks a bit of insecurity. As Ulukinatme mentioned, Cig is on record saying that he took the IU job because of the easy schedule. That doesn't strike me as an "alpha" who thinks he can win big anywhere. I'm not saying he wouldn't leave, but he would only leave for significantly more money and an equally gilded path.

 

[SportsingHard]

Everyone references Cig's big ego, but he has the kind of ego that masks a bit of insecurity. As Ulukinatme mentioned, Cig is on record saying that he took the IU job because of the easy schedule. That doesn't strike me as an "alpha" who thinks he can win big anywhere. I'm not saying he wouldn't leave, but he would only leave for significantly more money and an equally gilded path.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Someone chasing a bigger paycheck at a dead end job will take the job. And both schools will fire them and reload again in 2-3 years. Rinse, repeat.

There are plenty of group of 5 jobs more attractive than Va Tech and UCLA in terms of building a program and winning.

That's great. Those more attractive jobs have to be open in order to get them. At the moment, they are not.

These guys go to what's open and where the money is. They don't think like we do. If it goes bad, they get bought out and wind up coaching somewhere else or on TV. They don't see them as dead end jobs. They think they're the guy that's going to win there, and then move onto whatever the next thing is.

The negotiations begin at the end. What's the buyout if I get fired. There's a safety net under the safety net.

You and I can sit here as fans and say "I'd never take that job." The guys in this profession are not at all thinking like that. There are coaches out there was we speak that want the openings VT and UCLA. A few of them probably have not even given it thought and or been approached yet.

 

[Irish#1]

Everyone references Cig's big ego, but he has the kind of ego that masks a bit of insecurity. As Ulukinatme mentioned, Cig is on record saying that he took the IU job because of the easy schedule. That doesn't strike me as an "alpha" who thinks he can win big anywhere. I'm not saying he wouldn't leave, but he would only leave for significantly more money and an equally gilded path.

I don't think a soft schedule was the reason for taking the job or even the top 2 or 3. Just my guess, but I would say they were $8M, a year, a willingness for IU to jump into the deep end of NIL and a chance to test himself against better competition. Afterall, he did say "Google me. I win".

I don't remember, did he have any other offers when he took the job at IU?

 

[stlnd01]

Someone chasing a bigger paycheck at a dead end job will take the job. And both schools will fire them and reload again in 2-3 years. Rinse, repeat.

There are plenty of group of 5 jobs more attractive than Va Tech and UCLA in terms of building a program and winning.

The thing about both UCLA and Va. Tech - especially Va. Tech - is that you can tell yourself a story where they are just the right head coach away from being a consistent playoff contender. That's not the case at most G5s where there are fewer paths to the playoffs and you'll never compete on NIL. And they pay better.
So why not go be that coach, instead of toiling away at a Tulane or Coastal Carolina? Shoot your shot. You probably won't win as many games, but you might, and what's the worst that happens, you get a nice buyout in a few years?

 

[Bane]

I don't think a soft schedule was the reason for taking the job or even the top 2 or 3. Just my guess, but I would say they were $8M, a year, a willingness for IU to jump into the deep end of NIL and a chance to test himself against better competition. Afterall, he did say "Google me. I win".

I don't remember, did he have any other offers when he took the job at IU?

I'm not sure about other offers, but I know he referenced multiple times IU's schedule and how easy it was and how many games he could win. I'm just saying, basically every shit talker akin to Cignetti I've met in my life from the Marine Corps to today was masking a lot of insecurity.

To me there are more or less two types of CFB coaches:
1. Guys for whom it is a really good job that pays a lot and can further their own personal brand and prestige ("Google me, I win." "I haven't even won all of my games yet".) e.g. Brian Kelly, Curt Cignetti, James Franklin

2. Guys who are hyper competitive and who seek to dominate e.g. Marcus Freeman, Kirby Smart, the ultimate example is Nick Saban. A NFL example would be Dan Campbell.

There are good and bad coaches in both camps and no one is just all one way, it's not about all or nothing, it's more of a spectrum and which way they lean. For example, I would say Cig has more 2 in him than Brian Kelly.

 

[Kingbish01]

Nobody really believes that Cignetti would turn down a big time program to stay at Indiana....right?

 

[stlnd01]

I'm not sure about other offers, but I know he referenced multiple times IU's schedule and how easy it was and how many games he could win. I'm just saying, basically every shit talker akin to Cignetti I've met in my life from the Marine Corps to today was masking a lot of insecurity.

To me there are more or less two types of CFB coaches:
1. Guys for whom it is a really good job that pays a lot and can further their own personal brand and prestige ("Google me, I win." "I haven't even won all of my games yet".) e.g. Brian Kelly, Curt Cignetti, James Franklin

2. Guys who are hyper competitive and who seek to dominate e.g. Marcus Freeman, Kirby Smart, the ultimate example is Nick Saban. A NFL example would be Dan Campbell.

There are good and bad coaches in both camps and no one is just all one way, it's not about all or nothing, it's more of a spectrum and which way they lean. For example, I would say Cig has more 2 in him than Brian Kelly.

It's worth noting that #2s can win a lot of games but don't tend to win titles. In that regard Cignetti might be better off at an IU - especially if they'll pay him and fund his NIL budget - than going to an SEC or B1G power where the expectations are higher. Frankly I think he's probably too old for the truly-big-time jobs as well.