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re: Curt Cignetti or Kirby Smart
Posted on 7/10/26 at 7:55 am to New Money
Posted on 7/10/26 at 7:55 am to New Money
quote:
He just won a national championship with a bunch of “JMU guys”. Again, think about that statement.
Yes, JMU is a G5 program. But they are a very solid program. They obviously have some talent. They answered the question over who would win between a bunch of 3 stars who have played together for 5 years vs. a bunch of 18-20 year old 4 and 5 star recruits. James Madison has as many or more CFP appearances as all but four SEC teams. They have as many or more than Tennessee, LSU, Florida, Auburn, Texas A&M - everyone but Alabama, Georgia, Texas and Oklahoma. JMU’s record the past 10 years.
2016: 14-1
2017: 14-1
2018: 9-4
2019: 14-2
2020: 7-1
2021: 12-2
2022: 8-3
2023: 11-2
2024: 9-4
2025: 12-2
Say what you will about the level of competition, but they won 11 or more games 6 of the past 10 seasons. And we just saw that the cream of the crop from JMU combined with some high paid transfers can beat anyone.
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Posted on 7/10/26 at 7:59 am to captdalton
People misunderstand, having a group of veterans in his system is basically NFL like and when paired with unlimited free agency is an enhancement ......
He knew what his guys could do and not do and could go out and by the plugs for his deficiency
He knew what his guys could do and not do and could go out and by the plugs for his deficiency
Posted on 7/10/26 at 8:08 am to New Money
quote:
“The talent he brought with him…”. Think about that statement.
Not so much talent as experience and leadership. Mix that with the talent acquired through the portal and there were the makings of a great team. To Cignetti's credit, he played his cards perfectly. Last year's Indiana team was one of the most disciplined and efficient I've ever seen. I thought that way before they kicked the crap out of Bama.
Posted on 7/10/26 at 8:19 am to DaBama
quote:
Not so much talent as experience and leadership. Mix that with the talent acquired through the portal and there were the makings of a great team. To Cignetti's credit, he played his cards perfectly. Last year's Indiana team was one of the most disciplined and efficient I've ever seen. I thought that way before they kicked the crap out of Bama.
LOL. He recruited and coached that talent.
Posted on 7/10/26 at 8:45 am to UKWildcats
quote:
Literally re-read my post. He doesn't have them anymore. If he doesn't have a group of guys that came up together over years of playing together, can he adapt and get a bunch of transfers and newbs to coalesce. I spelled that thought process out in my post.
I don't think they get over the top with just the JMU guys. They were a talented lot but so many of the key contributors on that team last year were one and done transfers from other schools or Indiana players he inherited.
Fernando Mendoza - Cal
Riley Noakowski -- Wiscy
Omar Cooper Jr. - Indiana player
Pat Coogan - Notre Dame
Steven Daley - Kentucky
Kahlil Benson - Colorado
Louis Moore - Ole Miss
Roman Hemby - Maryland
Carter Smith - Indiana player
His ability so far to integrate and maximize the talent he finds in the transfer portal is extremely impressive.
If he is able to do the same with guys like Josh Hoover, Nick Marsh, Joe Brunner, A.J. Harris, Turbo Richard, Chiddi Obiazor, Shazz Preston, etc. than he likely has cracked the code so many coaches struggle with.
This post was edited on 7/10/26 at 8:50 am
Posted on 7/10/26 at 8:47 am to New Money
I thought about it plenty. He scummed a bunch of elite, experienced G5 talent that had been overlooked by big programs or had been developed by small programs into something better.
That's a huge difference from scouting top talent and evaluating it based on fit while competing against other big names programs. They're about as different a skill set as it's possible to have in recruiting.
His future classes are not going to walk in the door with culture intact the way this outgoing class did.
That's a huge difference from scouting top talent and evaluating it based on fit while competing against other big names programs. They're about as different a skill set as it's possible to have in recruiting.
His future classes are not going to walk in the door with culture intact the way this outgoing class did.
This post was edited on 7/10/26 at 8:49 am
Posted on 7/10/26 at 9:00 am to Diamondawg
quote:name the Indiana players who got “tons of money” to play in 2025
No way Cignetti puts together that team last year without tons of money
0******, 7 ****, Dead Last in Big10
Posted on 7/10/26 at 9:12 am to FlyingTigerBo
If the coaches switched programs 3 years ago, who would have more success? Zero doubt Cig at GA would be more successful than Kirby at Indiana.
Cignetti has done what no coach has ever done in the modern era at a below avg to avg program.
Bill Snyder at kSU was the closest. Kirby imho is the 2nd best coach in college football.
Cignetti has done what no coach has ever done in the modern era at a below avg to avg program.
Bill Snyder at kSU was the closest. Kirby imho is the 2nd best coach in college football.
Posted on 7/10/26 at 9:43 am to BurgTiger
quote:not just a “below avg to avg” program - the 2nd worst record of any “major” school since 1946 (only Vandy has had slightly less gridiron success over that span)
Cignetti has done what no coach has ever done in the modern era at a below avg to avg program.
Posted on 7/10/26 at 10:14 am to FearlessFreep
I like Kirby as he’s from down my way and a solid coach. But Cignetti is just a better coach. Kirby is the product of the bagman system which he used to much success. But now that it’s bagmen for all he has been beaten by ND and Ole Miss. And each passing year UGA keeps coming back to the pack. Meanwhile, Cignetti wins every where and showed the entire history of the sport is joke when by proving anyone who can buy players can win - of course that was proven by Chizik at Auburn, but Cignetti doing it at Indiana is amazing.
Posted on 7/10/26 at 10:34 am to FlyingTigerBo
Cignetti for sure. The guy is a master in maximizing NIL money and was able to excel his first 2 years. Smart, while a real good coach, like Saban had a big upper hand with recruiting until NIL hit the scene. That QB Cignetti got from the Ohio Bobcats for the 2024 season was only the #22 transfer QB according to 247.
This post was edited on 7/10/26 at 10:36 am
Posted on 7/10/26 at 10:42 am to weremoose
So, he’s good enough to win with passed over talent but not elite talent…
He’s already coached in two national championship games and two semifinals, and he’s taken four teams to the playoffs.
I’d say he’s pretty good at evaluating and finding talent.
He’s already coached in two national championship games and two semifinals, and he’s taken four teams to the playoffs.
I’d say he’s pretty good at evaluating and finding talent.
Posted on 7/10/26 at 11:25 am to FlyingTigerBo
Kirby is a great coach, but if they switched jobs I think Cignetti would be elite at UGA and Kirby would be like 8-4/9-3 at Indiana (which is still really good for Indiana).
However, I reserve the right to change that based on how Cignetti performs this year with a target on his back and a bunch of his experienced vets gone.
Kirby has sustained a lot of success and that is very difficult.
However, I reserve the right to change that based on how Cignetti performs this year with a target on his back and a bunch of his experienced vets gone.
Kirby has sustained a lot of success and that is very difficult.
Posted on 7/10/26 at 11:31 am to CatfishJohn
quote:
Kirby has sustained a lot of success and that is very difficult.
I agree with you on the statement above. Kirby Smart is by far the best coach because he’s had success at the top level and in the toughest conference for years. He’s gone against some of the best coaches ever, and won big.
Posted on 7/10/26 at 12:28 pm to RunningJacket
quote:again, tell me what players he “bought”
Cignetti wins every where and showed the entire history of the sport is joke when by proving anyone who can buy players can win
his Heisman winner was the 7th best starting QB in the ACC in 2024, playing on a 6-7 team m, and was the 20th highest paid QB in the country, behind such shining lights as DJ Lagway, Drew Allar, and Beau Pribula
Posted on 7/10/26 at 12:48 pm to tBrand
quote:Compare any schedule Kirby has had at Georgia to what Indiana faced in 2025 or 2024. I'm not saying Kirby would win one, but it would be a much more favorable schedule.
Ain’t no fricking way Kirby wins a title at Indiana
But Cig - or anyone - winning at Indiana is an absolutely remarkable accomplishment. Hell, 2024 Indiana is an amazing achievement: going from 3-9 to 10-1 in the regular season was great, even if they lost to the only ranked teams they played that year.
Posted on 7/10/26 at 4:47 pm to FlyingTigerBo
quote:
Curt Cignetti or Kirby Smart
That's like asking me to choose between vanilla and chocolate ice cream bro
Posted on 7/10/26 at 5:17 pm to weremoose
quote:
based on the curated talent he brought with him
You are aware he built that team as well at James Madison, right?
Posted on 7/10/26 at 5:34 pm to FearlessFreep
quote:
again, tell me what players he “bought”
65% of Indiana’s roster were transfer players. So there are too many to list. But in terms of NIL, Indiana spent around $20 million.
quote:
Indiana’s football NIL budget for the 2025 national championship roster was estimated at just under to just over $20 million by On3’s Pete Nakos.
Key Details of the 2025 Budget:
Spending Strategy: Cignetti avoided massive bidding wars for high-profile recruits, instead utilizing support from billionaire booster Mark Cuban to target experienced, scheme-fit players through the transfer portal.
National Context: While other playoff contenders like Ohio State and Miami operated with rosters costing upwards of $30-$35 million, Indiana found success as a "value-spend" champion.
Revenue Sharing Transition: Looking beyond 2025, the athletic department committed to aggressively funding the new $20.5 million athletic revenue-sharing model stemming from the House v. NCAA settlement.
Posted on 7/10/26 at 6:04 pm to FlyingTigerBo
I’m sure Kirby would easily turn Indiana into an undefeated national champion. He’s just biding his time at Georgia…waiting for the right time and all.
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