Indiana coach Curt Cignetti is cashing in on his first nationwide championship run — much more than initially anticipated.
Athletic division officers introduced Monday that the two-time nationwide coach of the 12 months has signed a memorandum of understanding on an eight-year contract extension, paying him an annual common of $13.2 million — or a rise of about $1.6 million per 12 months from what college officers stated Cignetti would earn when he first agreed to the extension in October.
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Faculty officers launched the doc Cignetti signed Feb. 4.
He joins Georgia coach Kirby Good and LSU coach Lane Kiffin as the one lively Soccer Bowl Subdivision coaches to obtain paychecks of $13 million or extra. The payouts might be even greater if Cignetti earns bonuses for successful Massive Ten or nationwide coach of the 12 months honors along with playoff appearances and convention titles. The 64-year-old Cignetti already has stated he hopes to retire at Indiana.
The brand new deal requires a base wage of $500,000 per 12 months via the 2033 season and a $1 million retention bonus on Nov. 30 of every 12 months, beginning this fall. The remaining portion of the $105.6 million will likely be collected from exterior, promotional and advertising earnings.
Cignetti initially agreed to an eight-year extension value $92.8 million — an annual common of $11.6 million — however college officers agreed to change the deal because the Hoosiers remained undefeated and pursued the primary soccer nationwide championship at school historical past.
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It’s the third time Cignetti has acquired a elevate since he took over the losingest program in FBS historical past in November 2024. All he’s achieved since arriving is produce the 2 greatest seasons at school historical past whereas turning into one in all faculty soccer’s fan favorites for his fast quips and distinctive facial expressions. Gamers have embraced him, too, telling a lot of their favourite Cignetti tales.
Simply ask tight finish Riley Nowakowski, who recounted his favourite Cignetti story through the current NFL scouting mix in Indianapolis.
“I feel (Alberto Mendoza) was within the recreation, and he pulled like 4 runs in a row,” Nowakowski stated, referring to final season’s victory over Illinois. “He stored pulling it, stored pulling it, stored pulling it, after which after the fourth time, it was a horrible learn. So in the midst of the sport, (Cignetti) tells our coach, ‘Get (Alberto) over right here.’ Bert’s like, ‘What, it’s the center of a recreation, what are you doing?’ And (Cignetti) goes, ‘We’re not paying you to run the ball, hand the ball off, proper? We’re up like 70 factors, however he’s pissed off, yelling at Bert, and (Cignetti) simply turned again at me and gave me one in all his little smiles, and he was similar to, ’You want that now?’”
Cignetti wasted no time delivering on his promise to win after main James Madison to probably the most profitable transition from the Soccer Championship Subdivision to the FBS.
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The son of Corridor of Fame coach Frank Cignetti and a former Alabama assistant led Indiana to a faculty document 11 wins and its first School Soccer Playoff look in his first season with the Hoosiers.
Final season, he outdid that mark by producing the primary 16-0 mark in main faculty soccer because the Nineties. The Hoosiers additionally received their first outright Massive Ten crown since 1945, beat Miami on its house subject to assert the nationwide title and shed the label of getting probably the most all-time losses in FBS historical past.
Mendoza’s older brother, Fernando, additionally grew to become the primary Indiana participant to win the Heisman Trophy and is anticipated to be the No. 1 total decide in April’s NFL draft.
The reward: A document 9 gamers, together with Mendoza and Nowakowski, attended the current mix in Indianapolis whereas Cignetti received one other pay elevate and college officers continued to speculate closely in holding the coach’s employees collectively.
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Offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines every agreed to three-year contract extensions value about $3 million per 12 months in December, making them two of the highest-paid assistants within the FBS. Haines received this 12 months’s Broyles Award, which matches to the nation’s prime assistant coach.
Indiana will start subsequent season with the longest successful streak (16) and longest house successful streak (15) within the FBS. Cignetti has by no means misplaced a house recreation with the Hoosiers, who open protection of their league and nationwide titles at house in opposition to North Texas on Sept. 5.
