How Covid restrictions turned Curt Cignetti into a star coach...

[Cornicator]

I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out why Curt Cignetti is absolutely bucking every historical trend associated with College Football. Is he really just that much smarter than everyone else? And the one thing I kept falling back on is talent. My first inclination is that Cignetti is winning with inferior talent. Bottom line is that's not true at all. Cignetti is winning a bunch of games with superior talent. His whole roster is not superior, but he has some front line stars.

Jimmy and Joes not X's and O's. Its the most honest constant in college football.

Cignetti basically signed 4 All-Americans at James Madison from the East Coast who couldn't play High School football for almost 2 years due to Covid. They were ignored by recruiters. All 4 of those dudes are potential top 100 NFL draft picks:

WR Elijah Sarrat - from the Baltimore area elite program St. Frances Academy. Didn't get to play as Junior in high school. No coaches could visit him his senior season. Injured first half of his senior season. Signed with FCS St. Francis out of high school. Cignetti scouted him against Maryland HS Covid rules in 2021 and grabbed him as a transfer to James Madison. He then brought him to Indiana. Legit high 4-star in normal circumstances.

CB - Denanglo Pounds - arguably the top CB in college football. Was 5'10 145 at age 17. Unable to go to a weight room. Every big program ignored him despite winning the Florida Class 1A state title in the 100 at 10.4. Cignetti signed him at James Madison, then brought him to Indiana.

LB - Aiden Fisher - Superstar small town Virginia LB who wasnt allowed to play as a Senior. Only 205 lbs at age 17, wasnt allowed to lift for last 18 months of high school. Va Tech was interested, but state rules halted them from visiting. Cignetti broke state rules and signed him to James Madison. Then brought him to Indiana.

DE - Mikail Kamara - Loudon County, VA kid who had 4.4 speed at 240lbs, but wasn;t able to practice or play football for almost 2 years. Cignetti broke another Virginia rule by watching this kid work out privately.


Cignetti basically told VA governement officials to **** off.

 

[Kaladin]

Cignetti being a ruthless cheater could explain some of his success

 

[Mavsker]

Cignetti basically told VA governement officials to **** off.

Based

But if your theory is true we can expect a swift drop off next year since all of these folks will be gone

Also their team is powered by one of the most explosive offenses in the country, but we've named just one offensive player here, who doesn't even lead his position group

 

[That SOB Van Owen]

So should I expect him to suck once these guys leave or…?

 

[Cornicator]

Based

But if your theory is true we can expect a swift drop off next year since all of these folks will be gone

Also their team is powered by one of the most explosive offenses in the country, but we've named just one offensive player here, who doesn't even lead his position group

So should I expect him to suck once these guys leave or…?

If they don't sign at least 8 difference makers in the portal, they will absolutely suffer a major drop off next season.

 

[ThomOsborneMD]

Wonder if mark cuban likes football enough to keep them afloat

 

[V-Doub]

Based

But if your theory is true we can expect a swift drop off next year since all of these folks will be gone

Also their team is powered by one of the most explosive offenses in the country, but we've named just one offensive player here, who doesn't even lead his position group

Curious to see if he can keep finding FCS/G5 talent that can play at a B1G level. That being said he has a positive reputation now, if Indiana boosters all willing to spend, he could retool with FBS transfers aka Texas Tech.

 

[doublewing]

I just hope that he gets his bigger offer and leaves.

We can rationalize why he's good, but the results are there.

 

[Pipe Line]

I just hope that he gets his bigger offer and leaves.

We can rationalize why he's good, but the results are there.

My money is on Florida when they come calling anytime between now and mid-October.

 

[Alcaus]

Cignetti being a ruthless cheater could explain some of his success

Not cheating if the rules are gay

 

[ZJSARENOTFREE]

The dude is obviously a stud coach. 4 players are not going to make that team look the way it does. He obviously is a great motivator and X's and O's guy as well. I like Rhule's message, but he needs a little more Cig to him. Quit saying every game is going to be close and go into the game with the mentality to blow people's doors off. When you listen to Cig, he says it is going to be a challenge, but you can feel that he thinks they are going to win even against good teams.

The dude is just a winner and has won everywhere he has been. You may hate him, but the SOB is a good coach.

 

[Samkellers_69]

Everyone said the same thing last year. "As soon as this years class is done he's gonna suck" we'll it's the next year and he's a good coach it seems

 

[DrinkItIn]

I think he can coach, no doubt, but IU’s schedule is dogshit again. Outside of Oregon, Penn State, and what might be a clearly preseason-overrated Illinois, they don’t play anyone. Last year they faced only two ranked teams and lost both. I’ll give them the Illinois win, but I’m curious to see how they hold up against Oregon and PSU. Even if they lose both, it still might be good enough to make the playoff though.

 

[Kaladin]

I want to see cignetti bounce to a school that has expectations and pressure to win

Maybe he’s another Urban Meyer

Maybe he’s an older version of Scott frost

 

[TheXHerb]

side observation: Other than Saban and Saban/(Day, but with Sabans guys), why are the top successful coaches always so often the goofiest motherfuckers personality wise...(Harbaugh, Cignetti, Sweeny, Orgeron). Cignetti can coach, but God is he weird.

 

[doublewing]

side observation: Other than Saban and Saban/(Day, but with Sabans guys), why are the top successful coaches always so often the goofiest motherfuckers personality wise...(Harbaugh, Cignetti, Sweeny, Orgeron). Cignetti can coach, but God is he weird.

They are like the tech geniuses that are on the spectrum. They are inclined to detail oriented things that others neglect. Bill Snyder was that way.

 

[SoCal_Corn]

Who does he coach?