Indiana AD Scott Dolson saw the Hoosiers go from their lowest of the lows to the pinnacle of college football. Considering what life was like before Cignetti came to Bloomington, Dolson understands that enjoying the glory is important. However, that enjoyment can't come at the risk of lowering the standards.
"On the airplane flying back from Miami, I remember having a long conversation with Curt about next season and really turning the page, and because that's the way you have to do that," Scott Dolson said on the July 1 Big Ten Network
interview. "At the same time, we have had moments where, particularly, just enjoying it with our players and our fans.
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"In a way, sometimes I catch myself not enjoying it too much. Because I don't want to get complacent. I don't want our department to get complacent. I don't want anyone to feel like we're the smartest people in the room."
Cignetti, one of college football's highest-paid coaches with a new deal worth about $13.2 million, has been using the same talking point as his AD. Fortunately for the fan base, Indiana has plenty of reasons to feel comfortable entering 2026.
The program returns its experienced offensive linemen. Leaders like Isaiah Jones and Jamari Sharpe return on almost every level of the defense. Coordinator continuity also matters. DC Bryant Haines stayed in Bloomington despite outside interest, along with OC Mike Shanahan. The machine that produced a national title is largely still there. Combined with Cignetti's philosophy, IU may overcome that complacency risk.
Cignetti has spent years building defenses against human nature. His philosophy is blunt and repetitive. He keeps meetings short and direct, avoiding long speeches. He believes messages lose power when they become noise. Cignetti once explained that he prefers to get his point across in as few words as possible, with maximum impact. He also described the approach as delivering the message "right between the eyes." As a result, that style leaves little room for players or coaches to drift mentally.
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Dolson's decision to hire Curt Cignetti now looks like a genius move. It did not feel that way in December 2023. Indiana had won only three Big Ten games across the previous three seasons. Dolson moved quickly after parting ways with former head coach Tom Allen. The search lasted only five days. The AD spoke with dozens of candidates and believed Cignetti separated himself almost immediately. The expectation was not instant championships. The goal was to build a sustainable winner capable of competing nationally over the long term.
Now, having achieved the pinnacle against expectations, 2026 will present a different challenge. Indiana no longer has the emotional fuel that comes with proving doubters wrong. The Hoosiers are now the hunted team instead of the surprise package
. Every opponent circles the game on the calendar. Considering historical precedents, IU will still have to work hard to maintain its players' focus on the ultimate goal.
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