‘Success is a Alternative’: How Curt Cignetti Reworked Indiana Soccer

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti isn’t just winning football games in Bloomington. He’s redefining what’s possible there.

In just his second season at Indiana, Cignetti has turned the Hoosiers into one of the biggest stories in college football. Sitting at a perfect 9-0 heading into Saturday’s matchup against Penn State, Indiana’s rise has made Cignetti one of the hottest names in the sport.

That speculation didn’t last long. Last month, Indiana locked up its coach with an eight-year, $93 million contract extension, ensuring Cignetti will remain in Bloomington for the foreseeable future. The deal, which averages about $11.6 million per year, makes him one of the highest-paid coaches in the FBS.

Cignetti told FOX Sports’ Tom Rinaldi that the decision to stay was an easy one.

“It was probably pretty quick, but I knew what I wanted,” Cignetti said. “I have a special feeling about what we’ve accomplished. I prefer to be here.”

When asked by Rinaldi about a piece of criticism that still motivates him, Cignetti didn’t hesitate to bring up last year’s finish. 

“We were a feel-good story in college football last season until the playoff rankings came out,” he said. “We didn’t play well against Ohio State. We certainly didn’t play well against Notre Dame, so that stung.”

Indiana’s only two losses of 2024 came to those two powerhouse programs — a 38-15 defeat to Ohio State and a 27-17 loss to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff. The lessons from those games, Cignetti said, have shaped everything about the way his team has approached this season.

Now, as the Hoosiers chase a return to the CFP, Cignetti is preaching the same message that has guided his turnaround from Day 1:

Success is a choice,” Cignetti told Rinaldi. “Nothing good in life comes easy. You gotta be willing to pay the price. You gotta commit and understand there are certain things you have to give up. You’ve got to be disciplined and have consistency.”

That philosophy, he added, doesn’t just apply to the players. It’s the same standard he and his staff live by. And judging by the results, it’s working.

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