Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti was named The Sporting News coach of the year for the 2024-25 season on Thursday.
The Sporting News Coach of the Year. pic.twitter.com/ylUTqgYCop
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) December 19, 2024
Cignetti was also named the Home Depot National Coach of the Year, AP coach of the year, Eddie Robinson coach of the year, Walter Camp Foundation coach of the year and Big Ten coach of the year by the media and coaches.
The 11 wins that Indiana won this season in 2024 is a program record, and it's an eight-game improvement from the Hoosiers’ 3-8 season in 2023 under Tom Allen.
IU's 2024 season is the best season in the history of the football program and they aren't done as they take on Notre Dame tomorrow night. The winner advances to play Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.
Even Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman googled Cignetti
"I didn't know much about him, so I took a minute and Googled him and looked at some of the things he's done in the past at his other places," Freeman said "He's won everywhere he's been. He's done a great job."
His players have all bought in and would run through a brick wall for Curt Cignetti becuase of his style of coaching and belief in the team, here's what inside linebacker Aiden Fisher said about his head coach.
He’s just a football guy. You can tell that just by shaking his hand,” All-American linebacker Aiden Fisher, who followed Cignetti from James Madison, told TSN. “He talks about his family, and his dad and how he inspired him. I think coming from a football family really means a lot to him.
“Everything is always about winning football games, being the best player or person you could be. To me, that’s something I didn’t want to get away from.”
The first-round matchup against the Irish is set to kickoff inside Notre Dame Stadium at 8 p.m. EST. The game will air on ABC/ESPN.