Curt Cignetti has always been a fearless leader, with Nick Saban recalling the approach taken by the Indiana head coach in 2011. At the time, Cignetti just finished his fifth season as Alabama’s wide receivers coach under Saban.
Cignetti was given his first shot at being the head coach at IUP in 2011. The program, part of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, was coming off a horrible 4-10 season, identical to what they registered a year ago as well. Despite being associated with a powerful SEC program, Cignetti took the risk of becoming IUP’s head coach and in just his second year, he led the program to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) title and advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals.
On Tuesday, Saban talked about the conversation they had when the $93 million (via Celebrity Net Worth) head coach decided to move to IUP in 2011.
“I remember him telling me where he was going, IUP, and thinking that’s a big drop from coaching in the SEC,” Saban said. “But he wanted to be a head coach. He was ready to be a head coach, and it tells you a lot about the belief he had in himself that he would take a job at that level at a place that hadn’t had great success.”
Saban then reflected on Cignetti’s career and how he has turned around every program where he became a head coach.
“But that’s what he’s done his whole career, take programs that weren’t football hotbeds and turn them into winners,” Saban added.
Saban was referring to the success and turnarounds enjoyed by Elon and later James Madison with Cignetti as head coach. Cignetti went on to get hired by Indiana on Nov. 30, 2023. In just his first season, he led the Hoosiers to a 10-0 start in 2024, and in response, Indiana offered him a massive eight-year contract extension worth approximately $93.25 million.
Nick Saban Impressed With Curt Cignetti’s Work With Indiana
In his praise, Nick Saban added that what Curt Cignetti has done with Indiana is “incredible.” He finds them a good contender to win the national championship this season.
“What he’s done at Indiana is incredible. They were as good a team and as complete a team as I saw all year and have as good a chance as anybody to win it,” Saban added.
Cignetti has led Indiana to an unbeaten season thus far. After going 12-0 in the regular season, the Hoosiers defeated defending national champions Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big 10 championship game, followed by taking down Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl game to qualify for the College Football Playoff semifinal, where they’ll play against the Oregon Ducks in the Peach Bowl.
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