It didn’t take long for Indiana to give Curt Cignetti a contract extension.
The school announced Saturday morning that it had signed its first-year coach to an eight-year contract extension. Cignetti was hired from James Madison over the offseason and the No. 5 Hoosiers are 10-0 with two games remaining in the regular season.
Cignetti will receive $8 million per season in a deal that basically doubles the per-year salary of his initial deal.
“Since arriving on campus, Coach Cignetti has been the architect of one of college football’s greatest turnarounds and has shown the world that IU is also a football school,” Indiana president Pamela Whitten said in a statement. “Coach Cignetti exemplifies IU’s goal to win in all that we do. The success he has brought to Indiana football is shining a light on all that is amazing about Indiana University. We are excited that Coach Cignetti and his wonderful family will be a part of the Hoosier Nation for many years to come.”
Indiana has been the biggest surprise of the 2024 college football season so far. The Hoosiers can clinch a spot in the Big Ten title game with a win at Ohio State on Nov. 23. Indiana has never played in the Big Ten championship game. And the Hoosiers had never won 10 games in a single season until 2024.
Cignetti overhauled the roster through the transfer portal in the offseason. The group of new players included QB Kurtis Rourke from Ohio. Rourke has completed nearly 72% of his passes for over 2,400 yards so far and is averaging just over 10 yards per throw. He’s also thrown just four interceptions to 21 TD passes.
The Hoosiers’ success this season also means Cignetti’s remarkable coaching streak continues. He has never coached a team with a losing record since becoming a college football head coach in 2011. Cignetti was hired by IUP 13 years ago and went 53-17 with the Crimson Hawks. He was then 14-9 in two seasons at Elon before taking over at James Madison in 2019.
The Dukes were 33-5 in three seasons at the FCS level and made the semifinals in each of those seasons. James Madison moved up to the top level of college football in 2022 and promptly went 8-3, though it was ineligible for a bowl game. The Dukes were 11-1 in 2023 under Cignetti and went to the Armed Forces Bowl.