Indiana went through one of the program’s greatest turnarounds under Curt Cignetti in just two years. They registered a perfect 16-0 record, two playoff appearances, and their first-ever national title trophy after a 27-21 win over Miami. However, Indiana’s former legendary coach couldn’t witness this moment of triumph. Yet Kirk Herbstreit made sure his words reached all.

“I talked with him earlier today. He was completely dialed in and excited about what Indiana was doing. He was picking Indiana. He knew that they could pull this off and finish their season,” ESPN analyst Herbstreit said on College GameDay. “And he said, ‘Hey, don’t forget 1979—their first bowl season, our first bowl victory as a school in 1979, beating BYU.’ I said, ‘Coach, we’ll never forget that.’ So, Coach, if you’re out there, buddy, we love you. Congratulations to you and all the Hoosiers and all your former teammates and players.”

He talked to Herbstreit and revealed how he feels about Indiana’s surge before the kickoff. Lee Corso made sure he backed his favorite team even though he wasn’t there at the venue. The veteran even laid out his plan to witness the moment in real time, with his son Steve Corso sharing their plans on ESPN Radio that he might FaceTime him at halftime.

Lee Corso, who retired from ESPN College GameDay ahead of this season, holds a special connection with Indiana. He coached the Hoosiers from 1973 to 1982. He led them to their first-ever bowl win in 1979 and also entered their Hall of Fame in 2010 as their third-winningest head coach in the program.

One of the most unforgettable moments he had with the team was in 1979. Corso called a time-out against Ohio State just to take a picture of his team with the scoreboard that was showing Indiana ahead of them. Though they lost with a 47-7 scoreline, the timeout was a memorable stunt for the Hoosiers.

Corso already saw Indiana’s championship win coming. After converting fourth and 5 with a 19-yard catch by wide receiver Charlie Becker, Cignetti pulled his kicker at fourth and 4 from the 12-yard line and called a QB draw. A move that no one will think of pulling.

Then Fernando Mendoza came in, breaking tackles and going to the end zone, giving a 10-point lead to Indiana with nine minutes remaining. This win makes him the first head coach since Gene Chizik in 2010 to win a national title in his first or second season. He gathered a strong team in no time using the portal and NIL opportunities. Cignetti changed the face of the entire program.

He helped Indiana rise in its own history, as before Curt Cignetti, the Hoosiers never won more than nine games in a season and became the first FBS team to reach 700 losses in 2022. That team went undefeated with championship glory. Now you know why Lee Corso is not just happy but also proud of Cignetti.

Taking Indiana to championship success may not be the only victory for Curt Cignetti. He might want to brace for another one because his new contract could shatter records.

Is Curt Cignetti getting a massive financial gain after Indiana’s win?

Curt Cignetti is probably en route to becoming college football’s highest-paid coach after leading Indiana all the way to glory. In just two seasons, he took a team and engineered them into one of the most dynamic squads in football history. Now, this success will also be good for his bank balance.

Before coming to Indiana, Cignetti’s earnings had been estimated to have been quite low. But after this championship run for next year, he is projected to reach at least $14 million, surpassing Georgia’s coach. Kirby Smart’s salary, which is around $13 million.

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Indiana already gave him an extension in October that pays $11.15 million in the first year of an eight-year deal running till Nov 30, 2033. Now, as per the clause, Indiana has to pay him an amount that makes him one of the top 3 highest-earning coaches after the team reached the semifinals.

Curt Cignetti already surpassed that with a title win, so he will not just be the first-ever coach in Indiana to give them a title win, but also a coach who is among the top three highest-paid coaches.