The Indiana Hoosiers are giving head football coach Curt Cignetti an 8 year extension worth $72M the school announced Saturday.
Cignetti’s new deal will keep him tied to the school through 2032, and will feature an $8M AAV plus a $1M retention bonus each season. The contract essentially replaces the previous 6 year, $27M pact which Cignetti signed in December.
Indiana is off to an historic start, rolling off 10 straight wins to begin the year. The team currently sports a number 5 ranking in the country, and is comfortably inside the College Football Playoff picture after years of residing near the bottom of the Big 10 standings.
“I am beyond appreciative for the tremendous commitment, confidence, and support from President Pam Whitten and Athletic Director Scott Dolson,” Cignetti said in a statement. “Manette and I love Bloomington and are grateful for how the IU community has embraced us. I look forward to leading this outstanding program and doing my part to continue the momentum for Hoosier football.”
The Hoosiers have trailed only twice in any of their 10 contests this season, representing one of the most significant single season turnarounds in College Football history.
“We were confident IU could become a winning program and we love what he’s building here,” Dolson said in a statement. “We love the student-athletes that he’s bringing here. We love how our fanbase has rallied around this team and made Memorial Stadium the place to be on Saturday afternoons. And now, we love the fact that he’s going to be doing all those things right here in Bloomington for a long, long time.”
Currently on a bye week, the Hoosiers are preparing to play one of the biggest games in school history as they ready themselves to take on 2nd ranked Ohio State next week. A win against the Buckeyes would all but guarantee the team a spot in the College Football Playoff, and put them in the drivers seat to win the Big 10 championship as well.