Curt Cignetti’s name has been circulating around every major coaching vacancy this season, and for good reason. The 63-year-old has turned Indiana into a legitimate College Football Playoff contender in less than two years. He led the Hoosiers to a #3 ranking in the AP Poll, the highest in program history, after starting 6-0 and knocking off #3 Oregon on the road. Penn State’s opening after firing James Franklin has put Cignetti squarely on the shortest of short lists, alongside names like Matt Rhule and others. 

But when Joel Klatt sat down with Cignetti recently, the Fox Sports analyst made it clear he wasn’t going to ask about those rumors out of respect for the Indiana coach and his players. Instead, Klatt pivoted to something more important: whether Cignetti believed Indiana could become a perennial power in the Big Ten.​ That’s when Cignetti dropped the line that should quiet all the speculation, at least for now. “And our team knows that I have 100% commitment to developing this football team to its fullest potential,” Cignetti said, making it crystal clear where his priorities lie. 

It wasn’t a wishy-washy non-answer. It was a direct statement of loyalty to the program he’s building in Bloomington. Cignetti elaborated on Indiana’s financial commitment to football, praising university president Pam Whitten and athletic director Scott Dolson for backing the program in a way it’s never been backed before. “Pam Whitten and Scott Paulsen, Pam being the president, have really committed to football financially. And obviously, it takes a strong financial commitment; being in the Big Ten obviously brings a few more dollars,” he explained.​

But Curt Cignetti wasn’t just talking about where Indiana is today. He was talking about where it needs to go. Klatt brought up the idea of Indiana becoming a perennial power, especially with the Big Ten’s massive revenue share. And Curt Cignetti’s response was classic, “Well, sounds good. I’ll take it. How much it cost?” 

He acknowledged there’s still work to be done, particularly on the facilities front. “We’ve come a long way, but facility-wise, there’s things we want to do. And obviously with Revshare and NIL, you want to be in the top third league in resources to be able to compete and get to where you want to get to,” Cignetti said. The man already makes $8.3 million annually, so money is not the reason he’ll bolt for Penn State if he does.

Indiana has already extended him an eight-year deal that includes commitments to stadium enhancements and increased athlete compensation. And the school is positioned to benefit from massive Big Ten revenue sharing and a potential private equity infusion. Now, with Indiana finally investing like a football program that wants to compete for championships, why would he leave for a Penn State job where the expectations would be immediate national titles rather than the patient program-building he’s always thrived on?​

Ripping off the rearview mirror

So remember how Cignetti just told the world he has “100% commitment to developing this football team to its fullest potential”? Well, he’s proving it by doing exactly what a committed coach does. He immediately moved on from the biggest win in program history like it had never happened. Indiana just knocked off No. 2 Oregon 30-20 at Autzen Stadium on Saturday, and by Monday afternoon, Cignetti was already preaching a new gospel to his team: “rip off the rearview mirror.”

He told reporters at his weekly presser that he only referenced Oregon by name once during the entire session, because dwelling on past success is exactly how you lose to a 3-3 Michigan State team that’s dropped three straight by double digits. That’s the focus you get from a coach who’s not planning his exit strategy. 

Cignetti’s message to his 6-0 squad was a reflection of what got them here in the first place. “This team has met every challenge up to this point because they’ve been hungry and humble, prepared properly, and put it on the field, which requires commitment, discipline, sacrifice, you know, eliminating the noise and clutter,” he said during Monday’s presser. 

If Cignetti were secretly planning to bolt for Happy Valley or anywhere else, he wouldn’t be obsessing over Michigan State film on a Monday. That, too, after the biggest win in Indiana football history. He’d be taking victory laps and letting his agent work the phones. Instead, he’s ripping off the rearview mirror and getting back to work.