Curt Cignetti agrees to contract extension at IU
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — The Indiana University football team is having a historic season.
The Hoosiers (10-0, 7-0) are off to their best start in program history. As a result, IU has jumped all the way up to No. 5 in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings.
The success they are having has been noticed by not only the fans, but also leaders at the school.
In fact, on Saturday morning, IU announced a contract extension with football head coach Curt Cignetti, who has found all this success in just his first season in Bloomington.
“Since arriving on campus, Coach Cignetti has been the architect of one of college football’s greatest turnarounds and has shown the world that IU is also a football school,” IU President Pamela Whitten said in a news release. “Coach Cignetti exemplifies IU’s goal to win in all that we do. The success he has brought to Indiana football is shining a light on all that is amazing about Indiana University. We are excited that Coach Cignetti and his wonderful family will be a part of the Hoosier Nation for many years to come.”
Cignetti has agreed on a new eight-year contract at IU. The average annual compensation of the deal is $8 million, as well as an additional annual $1 million retention bonus, according to the school.
Cignetti’s new contract runs through Nov. 30, 2032.
“I am beyond appreciative for the tremendous commitment, confidence, and support from President Pam Whitten and Athletic Director Scott Dolson,” Cignetti said in the news release. “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 10 wins so far this season are also the most in a single season in program history, and IU still has two more regular season games to play this year.
“After first meeting Coach Cignetti, we were very confident that he was the perfect fit for what we were trying to build with our football program,” IU Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Scott Dolson said in the release. “We were confident IU could become a winning program and we love what he’s building here. 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.”
No. 5 IU is back in action in a week, when it faces No. 2 Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio. Kickoff on Nov. 23 is set for 12 p.m. EDT at Ohio Stadium.