Cignetti hoping for smooth transition to Indiana after hiring seven assistants from James Madison

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Indiana coach Curt Cignetti has a plan to make a smooth transition into his new job — hiring seven assistant coaches and all of his coordinators from his previous staff at James Madison.

Cignetti announced his staff hirings on Wednesday.

The group following Cignetti includes defensive coordinator-linebackers coach Bryant Haines, offensive coordinator-receivers coach Mike Shanahan, special teams coordinator-tight ends coach Grant Cain, and co-offensive coordinator-quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri.

Cain served in the same role each of the last five seasons at James Madison, while Shanahan held the same titles each of the past three seasons. Haines is starting his third year as Cignetti’s defensive coordinator and Sunseri now adds the co-coordinator title to his previous role as quarterbacks coach.

The other former James Madison coaches are defensive tackles coach Pat Kuntz, running backs coach John Miller, defensive ends coach Buddha Williams and strength and conditioning coach Derek Owings. Cignetti also kept one of Tom Allen’s former assistants, run game coordinator and offensive line coach Bob Bostad.

New safeties-defensive backs coach Ola Adams last worked for the Denver Broncos in 2022, and new cornerbacks coach Rod Ojong spent last season at Charlotte after serving as quality control coach at Georgia in 2020.

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