Indiana Coach Curt Cignetti Quickly Moves Past National Championship

Cignetti wants to keep his team hungry and focused on the next season after winning the title.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti won the National Championship in January 2026, but he's already moved on and is focused on the upcoming 2026-27 season. In a recent podcast interview, Cignetti said the championship trophy is sitting in his office, but he'll "make sure they get 'em out of here as quick as possible" because he doesn't "want to look at them too long and get soft." Cignetti is known for preaching to his team to never be satisfied and always try to improve, and he's maintained that mindset even after winning the title.

Why it matters

Cignetti's approach of quickly moving past the championship win and keeping his team hungry and focused on the future is seen as crucial to maintaining the program's success. Indiana had never won a national title before, so Cignetti's ability to avoid complacency and continue driving his players to improve will be key to the Hoosiers building on their historic achievement.

The details

After Indiana defeated Miami 27-21 on January 19 to win the National Championship, Cignetti was asked in a podcast interview where he put the trophy. He said it's sitting in his office, but he wants to get it out of there quickly so he doesn't "get soft" and dwell on the accomplishment. Cignetti has preached to his team throughout his two seasons at Indiana to never be satisfied and always strive to get better. This mindset helped the Hoosiers, who had 13 transfers from Cignetti's former school James Madison, win the national title, the Big Ten championship, and other trophies over the last two years.

  • Indiana defeated Miami 27-21 on January 19, 2026 to win the National Championship.
  • Cignetti was interviewed about the championship trophy in his office in early February 2026.

The players

Curt Cignetti

The head football coach of Indiana University, who led the Hoosiers to their first-ever National Championship in 2025-26 after previously coaching at James Madison University.

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What they’re saying

“It's sitting about five feet in front of me here. … I'll make sure they get 'em out of here as quick as possible. I don't want to look at them too long and get soft.”

— Curt Cignetti, Head Football Coach, Indiana University (The Triple Option Podcast with Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram and Rob Stone)

What’s next

Cignetti and the Indiana football team will begin preparing for the 2026-27 season, looking to build on their national championship success.

The takeaway

Curt Cignetti's relentless drive to improve and refusal to be satisfied, even after winning a national title, exemplifies the culture he has instilled in the Indiana football program. His ability to keep his team hungry and focused on the future will be crucial to the Hoosiers sustaining their newfound dominance.