Not as simple of an answer as some may think.
Indiana football is 10-0, ranked No. 5 in the country and has favorable odds to make the first 12-team College Football Playoff.
Locally, it’s created a buzz around the program and city that’s unrivalled over the course of the past few years. The impact of 2020 was limited with the COVID-19 pandemic keeping swaths of fans indoors, out of bars and certainly out of the stadium.
Now you can’t go anywhere in the city without reminders of the football program’s historic season. It’s drawn national praise and features as well.
But then there’s the less fun side of it: the grind of the coaching carousel.
For every national look into the world of Bloomington and Indiana football there’s another piece saying Cignetti’s bags are basically already packed for Gainesville. And for that I have two points to share:
- That has to be the most tiresome way to consume sports. Indiana is a great story, tell it or read it.
- Not necessarily!
Indiana was very particular in its process during last offseason’s coaching search. Cignetti being this good at the job was not something the athletic department fell into on accident. A detail-oriented and thorough process brought Cignetti to Bloomington and Indiana to 10-0, make no mistake.
The athletic department isn’t about to let that be a one-year blip. Indiana is a Big Ten program with Big Ten money. If last year’s very public NIL investment to help build this roster didn’t tell you it’s willing to spend I’m not sure what would.
If Indiana’s willing to spend that much for a roster, imagine what it’s willing to do for a coach for multiple years.
Also, frankly, thinking this just means a raise for Cignetti is rather short-sighted. Anyone with that point of view is missing the forest for the trees. It was not easy to pry him away from James Madison, where he was making less per year as the head coach than his defensive coordinator, Bryant Haines, is making in Bloomington right now.
No, what Indiana can do is invest fully in the program and show its willing to hold up its end of building the program. That means a robust, healthy NIL operation, stadium upgrades to improve the gameday environment, improved facilities and, probably above all but one thing on that list, a flexible and bountiful pool for assistant coaching salaries.
Cignetti has had to hire new coordinators and assistants before and he’s done an exemplary job, But you’d also rather not do that and try to keep the ones you have from leaving. Instead of some massive raise for Cignetti, Indiana’s offer could include a big boost to that budget for assistant coaches.
Now, onto competition.
There’s no way to know right now which programs Indiana will be competing with for Cignetti’s services. You can get a sense based on hot seat and situations, but schools make surprise firings and retain coaches who probably should be fired all the time.
One potential suitor, Florida, announced that Billy Napier will remain as the program’s head coach. Will that hold true? Who knows.
Baylor looks less likely to move on from Dave Aranda after a decent record thus far with Arkansas in a similar situation with Sam Pittman. But again, you have to consider surprises.
If Ohio State disappoints, does new athletic director Ross Bjork put an end to the Ryan Day Era? Does the possibility of legal and or exit fees with the ACC keep Florida State tied to Mike Norvell? What of Sherrone Moore at Michigan? Does LSU regret the Brian Kelly hire and pull the plug after his performance in big games?
Again, there’s no way of knowing.
But what is worth knowing is this: Indiana has the ability to negotiate and form a case right now, probably a stronger one than it’ll be given credit for in these discussions. Rest assured that it’s doing so.