E113 Curt Cignetti The Cignetti Way his story his coaching rise part 2

E113 Curt Cignetti The Cignetti Way his story his coaching rise part 2 The late-bloomer who is blossoming in Bloomington, and is now and currently the best college football coach bar none. Best coach in college football. He has taken the mantle from Kirby Smart who took it from Nick Saban. Cignetti spent nearly 30 years as an assistant coach, an unusually long path in modern college football. While many chase early head-coaching opportunities, he chose to learn—quarterbacks, receivers, recruiting, program management—under multiple staffs and systems. Stops at Pitt, NC State, and Alabama gave him exposure to everything from rebuilding efforts to championship standards. Then he goes into coaching as a coaching lifer. Takes a serious of positional offensive coaching jobs, but was never an offensive coordinator or defensive coordinator during his career. At NC State and at Alabama, he was the recruiting coordinator at both program. Paying his dues and honing his craft - Assistant Roles (1983–2010) Graduate Assistant – Pittsburgh (1983–1984). Davidson (QBs/WRs) — 1985. Rice (Quarterbacks) — 1986–1988. Temple (Quarterbacks) — 1989–1992. Pittsburgh – QBs/TEs — 1993–1999. NC State – QB/TE/Recruiting Coordinator — 2000–2006. Curt Cignetti describes his seven-year tenure at NC State (2000–2006) as a pivotal period of success and personal growth, highlighting it as a "better situation" compared to previous coaching stops due to the talent and resources available under head coach Chuck Amato. Alabama – Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator — 2007–2010. His success at NC State and his ties and his father’s ties to Nick Saban from the West Virginia days had to set up Cignetti to join Saban’s staff in 2007 Part of Alabama’s 2009 National Championship team under Nick Saban. During these years, Cignetti built a reputation for strong offensive coaching and recruiting expertise across multiple Division I programs. Alabama – Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator — 2007–2010. His success at NC State and his ties and his father’s ties to Nick Saban from the West Virginia days had to set up Cignetti to join Saban’s staff in 2007 Part of Alabama’s 2009 National Championship team under Nick Saban. During these years, Cignetti built a reputation for strong offensive coaching and recruiting expertise across multiple Division I programs. IUP Elon James Madison Indiana in 2024 and 2025 Reloading after players graduate or leave for the NFL Restocking through the portal and through recruiting high level talent and keeping them Losing key assistants and replacing them Managing that staff turnover that will happen Cignetti’s age – he is 64. Amazing story that came out of nowhere Cignetti has been grinding for 40 years as an assistant coach, as a D2 head coach, and as coaches at low level D1 programs. Finally, he gets a D1 power 4 job and instant success Truly a story that makes a great movie Cignetti is the best coach in college Let’s see how the story plays out Monday night and beyond.