Curt Cignetti’s path to Indiana’s national championship began years earlier, as an assistant under Nick Saban. Despite success at Alabama, the Indiana head coach’s ambition always pointed toward a head-coaching job. With coaching running in his family’s blood, his ultimate goal was to become a head coach and build a program of his own.

The Indiana head coach didn’t do a media tour after his national championship. But ESPN finally got hold of him, where Cignetti opened up about his journey and the reason for leaving the legendary Nick Saban.

“I was done being an assistant coach. I was done. I learned from Coach Saban. I was with him for four years, and in the first year, I felt like I was ready. Then I just made the decision that this isn’t what I want to do anymore. I don’t want to be an assistant coach anymore. It’s time to bet on myself and take a chance,” Cignetti told Rich Eisen on June 17. 

Saban hired Cignetti as his defensive coach in 2007. Their partnership lasted for 4 seasons. Together, they compiled a 29-game regular-season winning streak and won the 2009 BCS National Championship.

However, just like any assistant coach, Cignetti had bigger dreams. He left Tuscaloosa, but unlike other Saban assistants, such as Kirby Smart, Lane Kiffin, and Steve Sarkisian, Cignetti’s first head-coaching opportunity didn’t come at the top level.

Instead, he joined Division II IUP, the same program his father, Frank Cignetti Sr., coached for 20 years. Over his six seasons at the program, Cignetti amassed a 53-17 record and made the playoffs thrice. Following a short stint at Elon, Cignetti’s next major opportunity came at James Madison, a program where winning became a habit for the current Hoosiers’ head coach.

The 52-9 overall record at JMU doesn’t justify how great a job Cignetti did for the program amid its transition from FCS to FBS. And then came the Indiana opportunity, and the rest is history.

Curt Cignetti after winning the national championship

In 2023, when Curt Cignetti arrived at Indiana, he knew how to win, and the confidence clearly reflected through his “I win, Google me” catchphrase. In his second year, he proved that with the Hoosiers’ national title win. But unlike many HCs, Cignetti took a breezy approach after winning the natty and did not show off the shiny big trophy. Instead, he demanded utmost privacy

There was no victory lap or fan events from Cignetti, who went straight back to work. He even instructed the authorities at Indiana University to cancel all planned interviews and to get him out of any obligations. So basically, he demanded that they serve as his shield from public view.

“I’ve got to be able to do my job,” Cignetti said. “These things pull you out of the office, and they take up your time. I mean, I have a job to do. Believe it or not, I’m busy,” Curt Cignetti said. That’s a bold thing to say to the people who sign your checks. But then again, when you’ve turned a program with little history into the best team in the country in just two years, you earn the right to set your own rules.”

For Cignetti, it was never about becoming a celebrity. He took the time to develop another game plan for the upcoming season. The only time fans saw Cignetti was when the Indy 500 reached its 110th year. He appeared as the guest of honor and drove a pace car, kicking off the ‘Greatest Spectacle in Racing.’