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Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti was in Borden this week to speak with fans and donors about the upcoming season. The Hoosiers are hoping to continue success following an unexpected 11-1 campaign.
Cignetti hit the ground running in the offseason, signing a Top 25 class in the transfer portal to go along with his high school haul. He wishes he could’ve done a little bit more.
The coach signed 23 transfers this offseason. Players hail from past schools like Michigan, Tennessee, Notre Dame, and Ohio State.
Cignetti kicked off a media session by addressing a question on that ’25 recruiting class. He joked that money dried up after Indiana prioritized basketball.
“I’d liked to have signed a few more [transfers],” he said. “But when we hired Darian [DeVries] and he lost his whole roster, money got a little tight.”
DeVries was hired by the Hoosiers in March after a season at West Virginia. He shook off some initial tampering accusations following his abrupt departure and quickly signed a Top 10 transfer class of his own.
The Hoosiers signed 10 transfer hoopers, including the coach’s son, Tucker. NIL played a large role.
Indiana basketball is reported to have one of the best financial situations in the sport. Matt Norlander of CBS Sports puts the program in the prestigious “$10 million club.” Money is not an object for Darian DeVries.
It is for Curt Cignetti.
While his opening quip about the NIL well going dry was made in jest, he did take the opportunity to ask for more support from donors on Wednesday.
“If you want to elevate your school, be great in football. If you want to be great in football, elevate your NIL… It’s not time to relax. It’s time to take the next step. How good do you want to be?”
-Curt Cignetti
Indiana had unprecedented success on the football field in 2024. The 11 wins were a program best. The trip to the College Football Playoff was its first in history. Now, the goal is to continue building.
Cignetti doesn’t want his supporters to get complacent. He’s fighting against some of the richest football programs in America within the Big Ten. Staying put means falling behind.
As it turns out, he’s battling the Hoosiers basketball team in the NIL race, too!