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What does Cignetti/IUs run say about impact of elite recruiting class vs coaching
Posted on 12/8/25 at 1:15 pm
Posted on 12/8/25 at 1:15 pm
Siap. With all the hype around player star ratings, NIL, portal etc here are Indiana’s recruiting class rankings the last few yrs:
2026: 29th
2025: 39th
2024: 65th
2023: 69th
And yet, they just beat Ohio state and are ranked #1 in the country. Insane. Is this proof that coaching and development of players supersedes talent in CFB?
2026: 29th
2025: 39th
2024: 65th
2023: 69th
And yet, they just beat Ohio state and are ranked #1 in the country. Insane. Is this proof that coaching and development of players supersedes talent in CFB?
Posted on 12/8/25 at 1:29 pm to TigerFan244
quote:
With all the hype around player star ratings, NIL, portal
Who gives a frick about their recruiting rankings. They got some great players out of the portal.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 1:33 pm to TigerFan244
quote:
Is this proof that coaching and development of players supersedes talent in CFB?
As crazy as Cignetti has been I almost feel like it's the opposite.
Recruit well and build a program vs. literally one guy in history with these kinds of results. Development has always mattered but this is on another level obviously
This post was edited on 12/8/25 at 1:35 pm
Posted on 12/8/25 at 1:35 pm to Porter Osborne Jr
His Heisman candidate QB is from California and he’s got studs on the D line. Coaching in the current age of CFB means a lot more than it used to.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 1:44 pm to TigerFan244
It says that truly elite teams with staying power do both
Posted on 12/8/25 at 1:54 pm to TigerFan244
Don’t forget the main ingredient. If Play two tough games per year. Be sure to space them well apart. Play absolute patsies before and in between.
Very high chance of doing well if you’re as good as they appear to be.
Very high chance of doing well if you’re as good as they appear to be.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 1:57 pm to TroyTider
quote:
Don’t forget the main ingredient. If Play two tough games per year. Be sure to space them well apart. Play absolute patsies before and in between.
Not to take anything away from the coaches or players who looked great against OSU and have played well all year, but that schedule is absolute dogshit. No clue how they would have fared against an SEC slate, but they damn sure would not be undefeated right now.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 1:59 pm to TigerFan244
quote:
Is this proof that coaching and development of players supersedes talent in CFB?
Just my opinion, not necessarily.
They are BOTH important. But there's more in the case of Indiana.
1) They seem to have quite a few transfers.
2) They seems to have an older, more experienced roster.
A few additional points:
Unless the recruiting rankings from previous years are being updated on an ongoing basis to account for transfers, attrition, etc., they are in many cases meaningless.
In Indiana's specific case, unless they are consistently bringing highly-rated / ranked specific players, whether right out of HS or via the portal a year or two later, they most likely will not be able to sustain this current level of performance / success.
I don't care how the players end up on your roster, you'd better be bringing in the best, for the most part, if you want sustained success.
As always, I reserve the right to be wrong.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 1:59 pm to Slums_Alum
Yeah, that WR from Harvard, lol
Posted on 12/8/25 at 2:01 pm to TigerFan244
Nothing, it's an outlier.... People love to cling to the rare anomalies. Like Michigan using their towel boy because of the waterboys success at linebacker
Posted on 12/8/25 at 2:04 pm to DE4D
quote:
Yeah, that WR from Harvard, lol
Or what about Charlie B from Nashville, Tennessee? If I heard Gus Johnson spout it one more time I would have destroyed a nice new tv
Posted on 12/8/25 at 2:36 pm to TigerFan244
I think it's a combination of several things.
First, Cignetti is a great coach and has instilled a great culture.
They have a lot of super seniors, like 20 I believe.
They have a great quarterback.
They play a dogshit schedule.
I think this is more of a lightning in a bottle scenario than some massive change. I wouldn't be shocked if they went 8-4 next year.
First, Cignetti is a great coach and has instilled a great culture.
They have a lot of super seniors, like 20 I believe.
They have a great quarterback.
They play a dogshit schedule.
I think this is more of a lightning in a bottle scenario than some massive change. I wouldn't be shocked if they went 8-4 next year.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 2:57 pm to SidewalkTiger
Cignetti did great job last two years. Having a Heisman contender at QB is huge. Time will tell if he can get another great QB but Ohio and that area seems to produce lots of great QB’s much like Louisiana and receivers.
I know Mendoza was born in Florida and family Cuban I believe but still lots great QB’s seem gravitate north.
I know Mendoza was born in Florida and family Cuban I believe but still lots great QB’s seem gravitate north.
This post was edited on 12/8/25 at 3:21 pm
Posted on 12/8/25 at 3:16 pm to TigerFan244
It says a heaping pile about playing Rutgers and Maryland and Michigan State….
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