Whatever it is, the formula is working. With one game left before his second season at the helm of the Indiana Hoosiers comes to an end, Curt Cignetti has his Indiana Hoosiers staff incredibly active in the transfer portal. While they have been able to land players of note out of the Power Four and Group of Five, we cannot forget for a second where Curt Cignetti comes from. He is all about those FCS guys...
On Sunday, Indiana was able to secure the commitment of cornerback Carson Williams in the portal.
BREAKING: Montana State transfer CB Carson Williams has Committed to Indiana, he tells @On3sports
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 11, 2026
The 5’11 180 CB totaled 46 tackles, 9 PBUs, and 1 FF this season
Earned Freshman All-American honorshttps://t.co/RlUbB6Fk7q pic.twitter.com/BgNEMAC918
Although Williams is only the No. 90 cornerback prospect who entered the portal, as well as only being the No. 788 overall prospect, he is giving off the vibes of the type of player Cignetti loves to bring to IU. He wants players who buy into the team concept, as well as being fully aware they once resided on the island of misfit toys... Williams was a freshman All-American and a national champion.
With Montana State coming off a championship season, Cignetti hopes Williams can win another one.
Curt Cignetti continues to recruit the FCS level like nobody's business
When it comes to Indiana asserting itself among the very best programs in college football today, Cignetti has brought with him what made him so great at James Madison, Elon, and IUP previously. He may be in his mid-60s, but he is still young at heart. Indiana was thought to be a thankless job prior to him coming to Bloomington. Cignetti saw an opportunity and has taken full advantage of it right away.
Yes, he does have a fantastic boss in athletic director Scott Dolson, as well as a few big-pocketed boosters such as Mark Cuban backing him up. However, Cignetti is the straw that stirs the drink. He goes after players who will buy into what he is selling. Having the right team leaders and assistants is crucial as well. In landing Williams out of the portal, he has seen first-hand what winning is like at FCS.
Overall, as long as the disease of me does not infect the football program at IU, the Hoosiers should still remain near the top of the new college football world. They have created a new secret sauce that has everyone's intrigue. While they should be among the favorites to win the national championship next year, it all starts by getting their first next Monday night over a Miami program looking for No. 6.
For now, Williams stands as the latest example of how Indiana extracts value to just beat you anyway.