Curt Cignetti leaving JMU Dukes for Big Ten football
HARRISONBURG — James Madison football coach Curt Cignetti is resigning his position to take the head coaching job at Indiana University, per a press release from the Harrisonburg school.
Rumors had been circulating for days that Cignetti would leave for the Big Ten program.
“I want to thank Curt Cignetti for his dedication and commitment to excellence as head football coach at James Madison,” JMU's Director of Athletics Jeff Bourne said. “He successfully steered JMU football through a critical period in our history. With our reclassification period now complete, James Madison is firmly established as one of the top Group of Five programs in the country and an ideal destination as we head into a 12-team playoff era.”
Cignetti came to JMU from Elon in 2019, becoming the school's eighth head coach. In five seasons he led the Dukes to a 52-9 overall record, including going 19-4 in JMU's first two seasons an FBS school and a member of the Sun Belt Conference. The Sun Belt coach of the year, Cignettie replaces Tom Allen, who was fired by Indiana.
"I am excited to lead this program forward and change the culture, mindset, and expectation level of Hoosier football," Cignetti said in a release by Indiana University. "I want to thank Director of Athletics Scott Dolson and President Pam Whitten, and I look forward to working with both in building something special at IU. Both share my vision and belief that big things are ahead for the IU program."
He said leaving JMU was a difficult decision and he "wrestled with it hard.”
"We are grateful to Coach Curt Cignetti and acknowledge the tremendous transformation he led with the JMU football program," said JMU President Jonathan Alger. "Through his leadership and in partnership with AD Jeff Bourne and all of us in leadership at JMU, our university and JMU Athletics have made history with a seamless transition to the Sun Belt Conference and FBS level, and we will soon make history again by playing in our first FBS bowl game. We congratulate Curt and his family on the next steps in his coaching career, as he has built a tremendous legacy at JMU.”
JMU ranked as high at No. 18 in the AP Top 25 poll this year and has been ranked for six straight weeks, concluding the regular season at No. 24.
JMU said a search firm will be retained for an immediate national search for JMU’s next head football coach.
"This is really hard to leave, but sometimes you have to make hard decisions and get uncomfortable again to grow, and I’m too young to stop growing," Cignetti said. "This is a challenge, a big challenge, but I’m confident like all the other challenges I’ve had in my career as a head coach that we’re going to open some eyes nationally and in the Big Ten Conference."
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— Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and follow him on Twitter @Patrick_Hite. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Curt Cignetti leaving JMU Dukes for Big Ten football
