James Madison is now looking for a new head coach after an 11-1 regular season that saw the team placed in the Associated Press Top 25 for several weeks.
Curt Cignetti, who guided JMU to consecutive first-place finishes in the Sun Belt East in the program’s first two FBS seasons, was hired by Indiana on Thursday as head coach of the Dukes. Pete Thamel of ESPN broke the story first.
The Daily News-Record was informed by a source that Indiana had recruited Cignetti.At 2:32 p.m., Indiana formally announced Cignetti’s employment on X. JMU athletic director Jeff Bourne revealed that Cignetti had left the team after the post.
In a press statement, Bourne stated, “I want to thank Curt Cignetti for his dedication and commitment to excellence as head football coach at James Madison.” “He led JMU football through a pivotal moment in our history with victory. Now that the reclassification process is over, James Madison is unquestionably among the best Group of Five programs in the nation and a great place to attend as we approach the 12-team playoff era.Cignetti claimed that he thought carefully before deciding to leave JMU. His time in the program, he claimed, was “the best five years of my professional life.”
Bourne claimed that last week was when he first began to suspect Cignetti’s departure. He said that in an effort to keep him at the university, the athletic department had extended him a new contract.
“It was before he ever left to go out to talk to Indiana,” stated Bourne. “That offer would have put him as the highest-paid coach within the Sun Belt Conference, and it also included a large additional stipend for salary increases for his support staff.”Son of College Football Hall of Famer Frank Cignetti Sr., Cignetti is a Pittsburgh native who arrived at JMU prior to the 2019 season. Mike Houston, who departed JMU for East Carolina, was replaced by him.
In his debut season, Cignetti guided JMU to a 14-2 record and an appearance in the FCS national championship game.
Three different Duke quarterbacks have won league player of the year awards during his time at JMU. Jordan McCloud of JMU is a strong contender to take home that honor in the Sun Belt this year.
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