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Curt Cignetti believes Indiana's history of football struggles is 'only because of neglect'

IMG_6598by: Nick Kosko05/12/25nickkosko59
USATSI_25876485 (1)
Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Curt Cignetti unlocked something in Indiana football last season, leading the team to the College Football Playoff. The Hoosiers set a program record for wins in a season with 11 and earned the No. 10 seed in the CFP.

But it wasn’t always this good for Indiana. In fact, Cignetti was well aware of the basketball school’s track record in football.

He changed it in an instant and plans on keeping it that way. Football is ultimately the bread winner of major universities, right or wrong. Now, Cignetti and IU will no longer ignore the now-biggest program on campus.

“You got to be good in football nowadays, because that’s where the money is,” Cignetti said on Always College Football. “And you know, maybe Indiana was a little late to the game realizing that. I think getting a new president, Pam Whitten, who loves football, who’s from Alabama, really helped. 

“And you know what happened here in the past is only because of neglect. That’s all. We got a great campus, great university, great resources, like you said, second largest alumni base in America. So, you know, pretty nice start for year one.”

Cignetti is a perfectionist and he let it be known during spring practice in April. The strive for perfection is admirable as he wants to maintain consistency across the board.

“It was too much inconsistency across the board at all positions; whether it was a lack of detail, focus, or preparation, which leads to a breakdown in execution,” Cignetti said after a practice April 10. “Good players want to be coached. Great players, you can’t coach them enough, you can’t give them enough, they want more [coaching]. Inconsistent players want coached on their terms. And today we had too many inconsistent players. We didn’t come out prepared, ready to improve and live up to the standard that we’ve set for each individual, the team, offense, defense, special teams.

“I am sure I will go in and look at the tape and it is never as good and never as bad, but that is where we are today. I am really not worried about what it looks like four months from now. My focus is on what were we today, right. What were we today and what did we put on tape.”