When college football analysts talk about winning the offseason, Texas Longhorns HC Steve Sarkisian’s name usually comes up first. Not this time.
One expert believes an unlikely coach from Bloomington, Indiana, deserves that honor, and his reasoning centers on something every championship team needs: unwavering confidence.
Why Did Curt Cignetti Win the 2025 Offseason Over Steve Sarkisian?
When Cignetti took the reins in Bloomington, skeptics wondered if he would enjoy the same success he experienced at James Madison. With the Dukes, the coach boasted a 52-9 record as he helped JMU transition from FCS to FBS.
The Indiana job looked like a massive challenge with a historically underachieving program. The Hoosiers had never won double-digit games and claimed only one 9-win season in their 138-year program history. Cignetti’s offense ranked 11th in points per game with 41.3 during the 2024-25 campaign.
Their defense only surrendered 15.6 points, good enough for sixth in the nation.
The Hoosiers blended their passing attack with a productive rushing game. Running backs Ty Son Lawton and Justice Ellison scored 12 and 10 touchdowns, respectively.
In the Big Ten, teams that demonstrate strong balance usually find success. Most people focus on big-name coaches like Sarkisian, who certainly has the right to be proud of his work.
On the “Adapt and Respond with RJ Young” podcast, host R.J. Young discusses both coaches and explains his reasoning.
“Steve Sarkisian can make this list because he kept his staff intact and the core part of his team intact,” Young explained.
With his assistants making more money, Sarkisian showed the ability to maintain continuity.
“And there’s one simple reason why Curt Cignetti won the offseason. We’re talking about Indiana as a really, really good football team. We don’t care that he turned the roster over. We care that Curt Cignetti walked in December of 2023, told people at a cellar-dweller in the Big Ten, and told them, ‘All I do is win.’”
Before Cignetti’s arrival, the Indiana football program could claim only three winning seasons this century in 2020, 2019, and 2007. Cignetti needed to change the culture completely. With 11 wins in his pocket, the aura surrounding the team shifted dramatically.
How Does Cignetti’s Confidence Transform the Indiana Program?
“Your program takes on the persona of your head coach. Curt Cignetti’s persona is confidence,” Young noted.
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That confidence translated into results both on the field and in recruiting. Cignetti signed 38 recruits who enrolled and joined his program. Additionally, he added transfers who look ready to play immediately and contribute.
Indiana’s schedule looks favorable, as they miss Ohio State and Michigan. Their three biggest obstacles are road games at Iowa, Oregon, and Penn State. With an upward-trending team and program, Cignetti’s Hoosiers will look to build upon their strong offseason and remain a threat in the Big Ten.
The transformation speaks to something deeper than just wins and losses. Programs that ride positive momentum through the offseason typically translate that energy into on-field success.
While Sarkisian deserves credit for maintaining his program’s stability, Cignetti accomplished something arguably more impressive: he turned a historically struggling program into a confident, competitive team that expects to win.
