Indiana HC Curt Cignetti shows appreciation for time spent at Alabama

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Over the last six years, college football fans have had the opportunity to witness the swift uprising of Curt Cignetti, currently the head coach of the No. 1-ranked Indiana Hoosiers.

Cignetti’s coaching career has been interesting to watch, but many may not know that the man who earned his first head coaching job in 2011 spent time with former Alabama head coach Nick Saban from 2007 to 2011 as a wide receiver coach and recruiting coordinator.

During those years, Cignetti learned valuable lessons, ones that he would use to land his first head coaching job at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and see five successful years there.

After another two successful seasons at Elon, Cignetti earned the job at James Madison, which he led to a national championship appearance at the FCS level before the program moved up to the FBS level for the final two years of his successful four-year tenure before he took the head coaching job at Indiana, a team which went 7-17 in the two years before his arrival.

With his record at Indiana sitting at 24-2 ahead of the Hoosiers’ second College Football Playoff appearance, Cignetti credited Saban for the success he’s seen in his career.

“We had a great experience at Alabama,” Cignetti said. “It was a real important part of my journey. Learned a lot from coach Saban, in terms of organization, standards, stalking complacency. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my time under Nick. My family really enjoyed Tuscaloosa; we had great years there. Of course, we took over a team. We were 7-6 our first year and 12-0 the next year in regular season, fell short in the SEC game to [former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow] and Florida, and [former Florida head coach Urban Meyer]. Then had a rematch the next year and beat them, and won the national championship out of the Rose Bowl. So, we had four really good years there and then began another part of our life.”

Cignetti has created a trend of success and quick turn-arounds at every school he’s been to, which has been eerily reminiscent of his and Saban’s start in Tuscaloosa.

He’ll look to keep up this trend of success as he looks to turn Indiana into a consistent national title contender, but this year, he’ll have to go through the man who replaced his legendary mentor.

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer also has a history of starting small and working his way up. From national championships at the NAIA level to a national title appearance with Washington two years ago, DeBoer is looking to create success of his own.

This year’s Rose Bowl will be a matchup between two coaches with a history of success. It will be a fight to the end, one where the winner could easily end up as the national champion.