It was just after Thanksgiving of 2023 when Indiana University hired little known Curt Cignetti as its new football coach.
The questions were immediate. Who? From where? Why?
Cignetti famously had an answer for the why.
“I win,” he said. “Google me.”
And he’s done nothing but that at Indiana.
Coming off a last-place finish in the Big Ten in 2023, the Hoosiers went 11-and-2 last year in his first season.
This year, the Hoosiers ran the table, and, on Monday night, they’ll be playing for a national championship.
“It's been kind of surreal, but you get it done with the right people, properly led, and you gotta have a blueprint.”
To implement the blueprint at Indiana, Cignetti has had to utilize the transfer portal, bringing in veteran players ready to start as soon as they stepped on campus.
He said three days after taking the IU job, the roster was down to 40 scholarship players. Using the portal – including more than a dozen players who followed him from James Madison University.
“The portal guys, you're bringing them in because you have a critical need where you have to fill a hole on your football team,” he said. “So, you know, we've been successful doing it.”
Especially at quarterback.
In his first year, Cignetti brought in senior Kurtis Rourke from Ohio, where he had been the Mid-America Conference’s offensive player of the year. He threw for more than 3,000 yards and 29 touchdowns and helped lead the Hoosiers to the College Football Playoffs for the first time.
Then leading into this season, Cignetti landed Cal’s Fernando Mendoza. All he’s done in his one season is set a school record with 41 touchdown passes while leading the Hoosiers to an undefeated season and the No. 1 ranking in the land.
He also became Indiana’s first Heisman Trophy winner and is expected to be the first pick in the NFL draft this spring.
“There's no question about it that a 22-year-old is a little wiser, older, bigger, stronger,” Cignetti said. “He's had four years in the offense, defense or special teams, and he's a more productive player.”
He also brought from JMU most of his assistant coaches – including offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines - and a number of players who have become leaders on both offense and defense.
JMU wide receiver Elijah Sarratt visited other schools but was swayed by his visit with Cignetti at Indiana.
“He was like, this is the place for you,” Sarratt said. “You know I'm gonna take care of you, you know I'm gonna get you the ball, and you're cool, you know the strength staff and everybody, and that's kind of all I needed to hear.”
Sarratt came out of high school a zero-star recruit. But this year, he led the nation in receiving touchdowns with 15.
Linebacker Aiden Fisher said people at James Madison were tracking Cignetti’s plane when they knew he was being looked at for coaching vacancies.
“Once we saw was Bloomington, we all looked up, you know, what’s in Bloomington?” Fisher said. “And then I was with all my buddies at JMU, and they all looked at me, and they're like, well, you're going to Indiana.”
He did. And he’s anchored the defense the past two seasons, being named first team All-Big Ten each year.
Second-team All-American cornerback D’Angelo Ponds, defensive tackle Mikail Kamara, and running back Kaelon Black also followed Cignetti from James Madison.
They not only brought talent, but a familiarity with Cignetti’s blueprint they were able to share with the rest of the team.
“They were probably able to answer some questions for the new guys, the returners, too, in terms of how we do things, and about me and the other coaches,” Cignetti said.
In their two seasons at I-U, they’ve helped turn the Hoosiers into arguably one of the best college teams ever.
But they still have one big test remaining Monday night in Miami.
“We know it will mean nothing if we don't walk away with a win in this game,” Fisher said.
The national championship game between Indiana and the University of Miami kicks off at 7:40 p.m. on ESPN.
