“After 1 year with Coach Saban I felt like I had learned more about how to run a program than the previous 27 years as an assistant”
Curt Cignetti explaining how working for Nick Saban changed everything
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Head coach Curt Cignetti of the Indiana Hoosiers walks across the field before the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on November 23, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
The Indiana Hoosiers and Curt Cignetti made the run of a lifetime last season.
Just a few short years ago, Indiana was an afterthought on the college football landscape. Last season, the Hoosiers won it all.
Cignetti has turned the entire program around in just two years. Now, he has Indiana football looking like a potential contender to repeat as champions. There is no denying that his arrival in Bloomington is what has brought the program success.
In his first two seasons with the Hoosiers, Cignetti has compiled a 27-2 record to go along with his National Championship win. Heading into the 2026 college football season, he has Indiana stacked with talent once again.
Recently, Cignetti spoke out about one of his greatest mentors. That mentor was none other than the legendary Nick Saban.
During a recent interview with college football analyst Josh Pate, Cignetti spoke out strongly about Saban. He revealed how much he learned from arguably the best college head coach of all-time.
“I just learned so much,” Cignetti said.
“He had a philosophy. He had been a head coach for 13 or 14 years by then. And he could lay it out there where it just made so much sense. After one year with Coach Saban, I felt like I had learned more about how to run a program than the previous 28 years as an assistant… My experience with coach Saban was invaluable.”
Here is the video of Pate’s interview with Cignetti for those who would prefer to watch it.
“After 1 year with Coach Saban I felt like I had learned more about how to run a program than the previous 27 years as an assistant”
Curt Cignetti explaining how working for Nick Saban changed everything
To begin his coaching career at the college level, Cignetti spent six years with the IUP Crimson Hawks. From there, he went to Elon, where he coached two season.
After those two stints, Cignetti got the head coaching gig at James Madison. He led that program to major success, compiling a 52-9 record with the Dukes. That period of time put Cignetti on the map for bigger schools to take notice.
Indiana came calling and hired him to be the team’s head coach in 2024. The rest is history.
Cignetti has become one of the most recognizable names and faces in the sports world. He has also forced his way into the conversation of being the best head coach in college football. Another season like the last two with the Hoosiers and he could take over the top spot for most people.
All of that being said, add Cignetti to the list of elite head coaches who came from the Saban coaching tree.
Evan Massey Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst located in Indianapolis, Indiana who covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and college sports. He has been featured on many publications, including Newsweek, Athlon Sports, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Sporting News, and many others. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son. More about Evan Massey
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