Before Curt Cignetti was a national champion, he was the big-mouthed newcomer who told the nation that Indiana football was not to be underestimated.

Today, he reminded Big Ten Media Day attendees that he is as confident as ever, just with less room in his trophy case.

The Hoosier head coach opened with his usual praise for Pamela Whitten and Scott Dolson.

“Nothing great happens without commitment from the top,” Cignetti said.

He stressed that he was forced into a quick decision two years ago regarding whether to accept the head coaching job at Indiana. Cignetti said that he felt that commitment from Whitten and Dolson and knew he could succeed in Bloomington.

Coming off a CFP title run where IU fans outnumbered opposing fans in every stadium, Cignetti gave the Hoosier faithful a special shoutout.

“I’d also like to thank our fans who have grown, multiplied and turned out in record numbers for the College Football Playoff,” Cignetti said. “We probably had 75% of the people out there for the Rose Bowl, about 95% for the Peach Bowl, and for the national championship on the opponent's home field, we probably had about 60% there.”

In thanking the fans, Cignetti recognized another fan desire.

“So, we probably can't expand the stadium soon enough, but those kind of things take time,” he said.

Having lost 13 of his 18 All Big-Ten players from last season, Cignetti had to answer questions about his incoming players.

When asked about similarities between Fernando Mendoza and TCU transfer quarterback Josh Hoover, Cignetti kept it short.

“They both play quarterback,” Cignetti said.

He went on to highlight their common work ethic and talent, saying Hoover came into the program more polished than his predecessor, but acknowledged Mendoza’s work ethic as what propelled him.

Cignetti was also asked about incoming Michigan State wide receiver, Nick Marsh.

Marsh made headlines early in the off-season when it was reported that Cignetti called him out at practice for wearing gold cleats. Cignetti downplayed the incident and praised Marsh for his commitment to the program.

“He got the message, and he's been great,” Cignetti said. “He's had a great summer, and I'm expecting big things from him.”

When talking about the team as a whole, Cignetti was his usual self.

He expressed confidence in his team, while making clear that last year’s title has no bearing on this season.

“I’ll be stalking complacency,” he said. “What separated last year’s team… was their day in and day out consistency.”

A regular social media topic when discussing the Hoosier football program is the era of NIL. Some suggest that Indiana was successful because of its deep pockets.

Even Washington head coach Jedd Fisch took some subtle jabs at coaches who recruit mainly from the portal. Fisch said in his opening presser that he wants to coach a roster with 0 portal additions.

When asked about NIL and the transfer portal, Cignetti said that money is not just handed out.

“They've earned it based on their production, and if they're highly productive, that means they probably want to be a great player,” Cignetti said. “Well, I've never known a great player that didn't want [to be] coached, right?”

Even dealing with severe roster turnover, Cignetti said some truths remain about all the teams he coaches and the Big Ten as a whole.

“We don’t run a hype machine… we don’t cry a river, whine and complain,” Cignetti said. “All we do is win.”