Curt Cignetti is the hottest coach in college football and has Indiana on the verge of its first national title Monday night. He was asked at media day on Saturday if he would have any interest in coaching the NFL. He immediately shot it down, saying ''I am not an NFL guy.'' There are nine openings.
MIAMI, Fla. — Curt Cignetti is 64 years old, and had been coaching college football at various levels for four decades. He's the hottest name in the sport right now for what he's done in his two years at Indiana. He's got an undefeated team on the verge of winning the school's first national championship on Monday night when they take on Miami at Hard Rock Stadium
While this amazing college run is going on, the NFL teams have been firing head coaches left and right. There are eight openings right now, including one in Pittsburgh — and Cignetti is a western Pennsylvania guy.
Saturday was media day at the College Football Playoff national title game and Cignetti was asked about what interest he had — if any — in coaching in the NFL some day.
"I mean, I'm not an NFL guy. I made that decision a long time ago when I went with Chuck Amato to NC State in 2000,''' Cignetti said. "I had a chance to go with the (Green Bay) Packers, Tom Rossley, Mike Sherman, (Brett) Favre was in his heyday. I think Darrell Bevell got the job, ended up taking the job. I declined the opportunity. I almost took it.
"That's when I made the final decision, and I've always been more of a college football guy.
Here are the current NFL coaching openings, with their former coach:
Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Gannon
Atlanta Falcons: Raheem Morris
Baltimore Ravens: John Harbaugh
Cleveland Browns: Kevin Stefanski
Las Vegas Raiders: Pete Carroll
Miami Dolphins: Mike McDaniel
New York Giants: Brian Daboll
Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Tomlin
Tennessee Titans: Brian Callahan
Cignetti has done incredible things since taking over at Indiana two years ago. Last year he set a school record with 11 wins — the previous had been nine — and only lost two games, at Ohio State in the regular season and at Notre Dame in the first round of the CFP. Those two team won a combined seven playoff games and met for the national title.
Indiana was picked to finish seventh in the Big Ten and struggled to win nine games this season. All they did was go 12-0, and then beat then No. 1-ranked Ohio State to win their first undisputed Big Ten title in 80 years.
The in the playoffs, the pounded No. 9 Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl and knocked out Oregon 56-22 in the Peach Bowl.
Now they'll play Miami on Monday night at 7:30 p.m. ET, and they are big favorites. The Hoosiers are 8.5-point favorites according to Fanduel.com.
When Cignetti was hired at Indiana, he echoed that famous quip, ''Google me. I win.'' But could he have possibly considered all of this?
"I don't think I ever thought that far away, honestly,'' Cignetti said. "It was such a quick hiring process, and then when I got here, I found out so many things I didn't know, like 10 offensive starters in the transfer portal and some other things that, well, it was like two universes colliding.
"We had pretty much won championships year in and year out (at James Madison), and there was doom and gloom on the Indiana side, and that's kind of why I got out there a little bit the way I did. I knew I was out on a limb. I had to find out if the fan base was dead or on life support. The basketball game was the first thing, and then 'Google me' was our press conference, signing day press conference when I was asked the same question for about the 14th time. I had a lot of confidence in myself and the staff because we had had success. That's why I took the job. But I can't say I ever thought this far ahead.''