IUFB Offseason Updates

Dave from Dayton · May 29, 2025

9 minutes ago, Lebowski said:

Folks, I understand what everyone is saying here. IUFB is indeed competitive with NIL and coaching salaries. I know this. He didn't say anything about not being competitive.

What he said was he would have liked to add more to the roster but couldn't because of the roster overhaul to the basketball team. He answered the question he was asked. Most of you are thinking he was joking. I simply don't think he was joking.

I agree with both sides of this discussion to a degree. Coach Cig has said that he is extremely happy with IU and the support. And he did say, somewhat taken by me ... tongue in cheek with a smile and a guffaw ...that he could have used more money.

Well, no kidding, right?

But to say that he might jump ship because someone pulled the money rug out from under him is quite unsubstantiated.

IU has taken quite a leap forward, recently, in football. That is due to Dolson finally getting a coach and donors and facilities in the pipeline.

Unfortunately, and unnecessarily, IU basketball has taken significant broadside hits during the last 25+ years. That is unacceptable.

Great to see that football has more than a pulse...it can be and should be in the top 20 every. single. year.

And basketball, too.

It does not have to be either/or.

Lebowski · May 29, 2025

4 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

I think he was joking with a slight tinge of resentment. He's not good at hiding that.

That having been said, a successful guy like Cig gets to be that way by always striving for moremoreMORE.

It's Dolson's job to reward Cig greatly, but also keep his eyes on other programs, especially the one that has been the University's marquee program for about 98 of the last 100 years.

Filing this under 'happy problem'.

He has 100% always said what he means during his tenure here. The rest of country thinks he's too arrogant or a prick. And for us IUFB faithful, we love it and he's our arrogant prick.

The climate has changed the focus on what is or should be the marquee program. Unfortunately, for all you IUBB first faithful that are reading this statement that's just the current situation. Sink or swim. Dolson understands this, sorta. And if we lose this coach because of a toxic fanbase/donors I'm probably going to absolutely lose my poop.

cthomas · May 29, 2025

I've always been a basketball guy first, but last football season was a joy beyond anything I had ever seen in football. I get it now. Good football drives the financial bus. It should always be priority one. Don't just give Cig what he needs, give him what he wants. The only time I've been more excited about an coming season than I am for IU football was the summer of 1976 anticipating that basketball team.

Home Jersey · May 29, 2025

Cig is a smart guy with a dry sense of humor. I always expect coaches to push for more resources/investment, especially in this era, and with football even more so. Seems like the right venue for a lighthearted joke about that sort of thing. While it doesn’t give me the warm and fuzzies, I don’t think it amounts to cause for concern yet. That said, Cig will obviously advocate for his program and use whatever leverage necessary to do so - up to and including going elsewhere. Though, we’re nowhere near that IMO and think he simply seized an opportunity to be funny while raising a real point he’s trying to make (and that you’d expect any coach to make) in a room full of donors, media, etc.

Dolson will definitely have his work cut out for him to keep the money flowing between football and basketball. But IU is one of the few schools with the potential / capability to do that for both sports. Like Stu said, good problem category.

Lebowski · May 29, 2025

22 minutes ago, Pagoda said:

I’m not sure the roster overhaul materially changed our bball player payroll amount. If it’s an overhaul we spend $10M on 10 portal guys plus Sisley. If it’s not an overhaul we pay $10M to retain 5-6 guys and get 5 more from high school and the portal.

The general view is our bball spend is borderline top-10, maybe in the 10-15 range nationally. It’s not an excessively huge amount that is top-3 or something and really sucking money from football.

Just some thoughts on the FB vs MBB dynamic. Not arguing, more thinking out loud. I don’t exactly know how money gets allocated between the two.

It's one of those by-products of NIL/boosters not being discussed. Yeah, this is going to be a problem for a lot more schools other than IU.

Stuhoo · May 29, 2025

23 minutes ago, Lebowski said:

He has 100% always said what he means during his tenure here. The rest of country thinks he's too arrogant or a prick. And for us IUFB faithful, we love it and he's our arrogant prick.

The climate has changed the focus on what is or should be the marquee program. Unfortunately, for all you IUBB first faithful that are reading this statement that's just the current situation. Sink or swim. Dolson understands this, sorta. And if we lose this coach because of a toxic fanbase/donors I'm probably going to absolutely lose my poop.

He truly meant “Ohi-ah State sucks too!”?

And if I remember correctly, in the week leading up to the Purdue game, he gave that Purdue team some upside play in stating that he thought they would be ready to battle us. He knew damn well better! Lol.

He can be a snarky guy at times.

Lebowski · May 29, 2025

27 minutes ago, Dave from Dayton said:

But to say that he might jump ship because someone pulled the money rug out from under him is quite unsubstantiated.

If he was told by his boss something and then his boss did something else. He'll leave if it's a pattern. I would do the same at my current place of employment. As anyone should that is trying to earn a living. He's got a resume to find work elsewhere that will meet his demands. It's that simple.

Lebowski · May 29, 2025

4 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

He truly meant “Ohi-ah State sucks too!”?

And if I remember correctly, in the week leading up to the Purdue game, he gave that Purdue team some upside play in stating that he thought they would be ready to battle us. He knew damn well better! Lol.

He can be a snarky guy at times.

Are we splitting hairs here?

Was he lyin? ;-) Eff O$U!!!! That fanbase can pound sand.

Pagoda · May 29, 2025

38 minutes ago, cthomas said:

I've always been a basketball guy first, but last football season was a joy beyond anything I had ever seen in football. I get it now. Good football drives the financial bus. It should always be priority one. Don't just give Cig what he needs, give him what he wants. The only time I've been more excited about an coming season than I am for IU football was the summer of 1976 anticipating that basketball team.

I really think IU is trying to give him what he wants:

- Cig and staff got big raises -- well deserved. But after that first round of huge raises, Haines got two more raises after PSU started sniffing around. Owings got another raise when USC tried to get him. We retained the whole staff minus Tino who got a legit promotion to play call that he had to take. Tino's replacement is absolutely top notch -- we didn't go cheap there either.

- We retained basically all our key players. I am positive every school and their mothers were tampering with them, and many of those schools have a lot of money.

- Portal class ranked around #20. Got Fernando, potential mega stud.

- Now we're signing higher grade high school kids

We can always be better, but I'm just outlining some positives.

Anyways, I think about the Illinois game a few times every week. Huge game. Big Noon Kickoff likely in town, outside shot for GameDay. Massive chance to set the tone and avoid trying to bounce back with two hard road games @Iowa and @Oregon. It's fun having such big games to play, but nerve-racking.

Dave from Dayton · May 29, 2025

1 hour ago, Lebowski said:

If he was told by his boss something and then his boss did something else. He'll leave if it's a pattern. I would do the same at my current place of employment. As anyone should that is trying to earn a living. He's got a resume to find work elsewhere that will meet his demands. It's that simple.

If...like I said...unsubstantiated.

Lebowski · May 29, 2025

18 minutes ago, Dave from Dayton said:

If...like I said...unsubstantiated.

Maybe. But he said what he said. Might be a subtle warning shot to his boss. Who knows.

CSP · May 30, 2025

The bottom line is Cignetti sounded like a fool for the first time. No one bats a 1.000.

That or he was completely kidding

CSP · May 30, 2025

15 hours ago, cthomas said:

I've always been a basketball guy first, but last football season was a joy beyond anything I had ever seen in football. I get it now. Good football drives the financial bus. It should always be priority one. Don't just give Cig what he needs, give him what he wants. The only time I've been more excited about an coming season than I am for IU football was the summer of 1976 anticipating that basketball team.

I hope we have very little "basketball first" mindset from anyone moving forward.

Dave from Dayton · May 30, 2025

4 hours ago, Certified Sunshine Pumper said:

I hope we have very little "basketball first" mindset from anyone moving forward.

Basketball first!!!

I've got a basketball Jones. Oh, baby! Oooh...ooh...oooooh!

Hoosier the Bison!? Probably diversion since IU football cannot win as many as last year.

Yeah, Money Makes The World Go Round! Screw those other minor sports.

All hail the almighty dollar.

I also think that higher education really sucks $$$$ away from the all-important football funding.

Screw tradition.

What banners?

Let's toss all those alums that love basketball under the Bison.

(The above is snark, if you can't tell...mostly.)

I loved football and basketball in Indiana in High School. Went to IU and went to every stinkin' IU football game. At home saw them win 4 games total in 4 years if I remember correctly. i attended a class with Jade Butcher. Sure glad football is being upgraded and we get lots of wins and a program that is successful.

But do not forget basketball. And soccer. And swimming. And other sports for all genders.

Demo · June 5, 2025

https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/is-iu-football-coach-curt-cignetti-comfortable-with-his-backup-qb-situation/

The fact that in basically 18 months we’ve gone from, “God, we’re the losingest program in history and it’s never gonna end” to “God, is our backup QB good enough” is so funny I can’t even believe it.

DChoosier · June 6, 2025

Reading a “pundits” take on our upcoming season. He was largely positive but then made the statement that we were basically lucky because we don’t have OSU or UM on the schedule.

HELLO - we have road games at two of the top 5-7 teams in the country, which he didn’t mention. Pissed me off.

Lebowski · June 6, 2025

8 hours ago, DChoosier said:

Reading a “pundits” take on our upcoming season. He was largely positive but then made the statement that we were basically lucky because we don’t have OSU or UM on the schedule.

HELLO - we have road games at two of the top 5-7 teams in the country, which he didn’t mention. Pissed me off.

Wait until we compete with them and god forbid, possibly win those games. LOL!!! These guys' head will explode.