Curt Cignetti

 

Indiana University Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Dolson named Curt Cignetti the 30th head football coach in program history.

Cignetti posted an 11-1 record in 2023, his fifth season as James Madison head coach. He had an overall mark of 52-9 (.853), including a 19-4 run over 2022 and 2023, JMU's first two years as an FBS program.

Prior to his stint at James Madison, Cignetti amassed a 14-9 record in two years at Elon, a program that went 12-45 in the previous five campaigns. The Phoenix qualified for the FCS Playoffs in both seasons, just the second and third playoff berths in program history (2009).

Cignetti led Elon to a six-win improvement in 2017, going 8-4 and finishing second in the CAA at 6-2. He was named Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year as the Phoenix reached the postseason and finished 20th in the national rankings.

Cignetti's inaugural head-coaching opportunity came at IUP, where his father, Frank Cignetti Sr., patrolled the sidelines for 20 years. He went 53-17 with three playoff appearances and four Top 25s in six campaigns.

COACHING EXPERIENCE
James Madison University
2019-23: Head Coach
Elon University
2017-18: Head Coach
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
2011-16: Head Coach

University of Alabama
2007-10: Recruiting Coordinator/Wide Receivers

North Carolina State University
2000-06: Recruiting Coordinator/Quarterbacks/Tight Ends

University of Pittsburgh
1993-99: Quarterbacks/Tight Ends

Temple University
1989-92: Quarterbacks

Rice University
1986-88: Quarterbacks

Davidson College
1985: Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers

University of Pittsburgh
1983-84: Graduate Assistant

Source:

Indiana University Athletics 

Tome Allen gone after seven seasons

 

The inevasible happen. Tom Allen was relieved of his contract with close to $20 million as part of the University’s obligation to buy him out before his contract came due. 

Allen had a 33-49 overall record (18-43 in the Big Ten) with two bowl appearances in seven seasons. 

The athletic department will have to pay a $20.8 million buyout to Allen, among the highest ever recorded for a college football coach, but the growing concern behind the scenes was that it was hard to see a scenario where Allen regained the momentum he had coming off two straight bowl appearances in 2019 and 2020. 

Indiana is one of only four Power Five programs with fewer than 10 wins since 2021 (Vanderbilt, Colorado and Stanford). 

The Hoosiers had a 3-25 record in the Big Ten the last three seasons, the worst among member schools. Vanderbilt is the only Power Five school with fewer conference wins (two) and wins against Power Five opponents (two) than the Hoosiers during that stretch. 

Former Indiana coach Kevin Wilson originally hired Allen to be his defensive coordinator in 2016. Allen spearheaded a remarkable turnaround for a group that gave up 509.5 yards (ranked No. 121 out of 128 FBS teams) and 37.6 points per game (No. 117) the year before he arrived. 

The Hoosiers allowed 380.1 yards and 27.2 points in Allen’s lone season as coordinator.

Update

In early January Allen was  hired by Penn State University signing a three year contract as their Defensive Coordinator. 

Sources
Bloomington Herald Times
Getty Images

IU @ Purdue

The Boilermakers won the Old Oaken Bucket 35-31 for the third straight season.  Hudson Card threw for 275 yards and rushed for 85, including a 10-yard touchdown with 2:39 left to bring home the Old Oaken Bucket. 

IU was 1-11 on third down. Despite major positives on offense, they were unable to sustain drives consistently. 

The Hoosiers had three turnovers plus a turnover on downs, making them minus-four in the turnover margin department.

Indiana had 13 tackles for loss but also exhibited awful tTJ Inmanackling on several occasions. 

This game was a perfect summation of the season and of the past few seasons under Tom Allen. IU found a way to lose.

Aaron Casey was a warrior all season and deserved more than a 3-9 record. He had 11 tackles including four TFLs. 

Purdue outgained IU 453 to 369 but the Hoosiers were slightly better in yards per play (5.7 to 5.6).

The IU defense did a great job against Purdue’s running backs but allowed Hudson Card to run for 85 yards plus the game-winning touchdown.

The season ends at 3-9 with a 1-8 Big Ten record and the Hoosiers are again in the absolute basement in the conference. Where does the Indiana administration go from here and has Tom Allen coached his last game in Bloomington? Hoosier Huddle will have continuing coverage as IU turns to the offseason.

Sources:

The Helmet Project found here:
http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm
Photo © The B1G Network
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

TJ Inman Hoosierhuddle.com

2023 Bucket Game

The 2023 Bucket Game
The #125 meeting
Indiana v Purdue 
The battle for the Old Oaken Bucket for the #98 time
Bring it!

IU v Michigan State

Katin Houser hooked up with Maliq Carr on a 36-yard touchdown pass with 1:19 left Saturday to rally Michigan State for a 24-21 victory.

The Spartans  reclaimed the Old Brass Spittoon by winning their first road game of the season and their second under interim coach Harlon Barnett. It took an eight-play, 75-yard drive and Carr's tackle-breaking catch-and-run to win it.

Indiana  had a chance to force overtime but Brendan Sorsby drew an intentional grounding call when he had a miscommunication with his receiver. The penalty moved the ball back 6 yards and Chris Freeman missed a 49-yard kick that would have tied it with 2 seconds to play.

The Hoosiers have at least been competitive each of the past four weeks, but they've come away with three losses. And this one really hurts because the Hoosiers blew chances to win it and force overtime in the final five minutes.

Sources:
The Helmet Project found here:
http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm
Photo © The B1G Network
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

IU @ Illinois

 

John Paddock a Ball State transfer, making his first start with Illinois, tore apart the IU defense. Indiana got no pressure on Paddock and the secondary looked completely lost  and unable to track the Illini receivers. 

Paddock threw for 507 yards, the most for any Big Ten quarterback this season.

Illinois gained 662 yards to IU’s 451. 

The two teams combined for 21 penalties with Illinois accounting for 14 of them.  

Donaven McCulley was terrific. He had 11 catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns. His transition from quarterback to wide receiver has been a booming success and he is unquestionably IU’s top wideout.

With the season on the line and facing a backup quarterback, IU’s secondary failed to show up. 

Receivers were wide open all afternoon and Indiana had no answers or adjustments that made any difference.

Brendan Sorsby continues to show that he can be a quarterback IU can win with. Sorsby was 22-33 for 289 yards along with two rushing touchdowns.

Final Score: Illinois 48-45 in Overtime

Sources:

The Helmet Project found here:

http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm

Photo © The B1G Network

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

Hoosier Nation Fan page

IU vWisconsin

Second-year quarterback Brendan Sorsby ran for one score, threw for another and led the Hoosiers to a long field goal on their final possession  to snap a six-game conference losing streak with a 20-14 victory.

Indiana won this offensive quagmire despite gaining only 36 yards and scoring just three points in the second half, courtesy of Chris Freeman's 50-yard field goal with 70 seconds to go.

Sorsby was 19 of 31 with 186 yards and squirted free for an 8-yard TD run for the game's first points. Former quarterback Donaven McCulley had five receptions for 67 yards including a spectacular one-handed, 7-yard TD grab late in the first half to give Indiana a 17-7 lead. Those were all the points the Hoosiers needed.

Aaron Casey had nine tackles, seven solos, four for loss with two sacks and a forced fumble. He also received a game ball. ... Indiana had nine pass breakups.

The Hoosiers honored three-time national championship coach Bob Knight with a moment of silence about 20 minutes before kickoff. Football players also wore an “RMK” helmet decal with three stars, one for each of Robert Montgomery Knight's national titles. Knight died Wednesday at age 83.

 

Sources:
The Helmet Project found here:
http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm
Photo © The B1G Network
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

https://apnews.com/hub/college-football