Indiana Football Coach Shuts Down Rumors He is Pushing for Mark Byington as Next IU Basketball Coach

Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

The rumor mill surrounding the search for the next Indiana men’s basketball coach is on fire right now and the last rumor was shut down as quickly as it started. Adam Zagoria of the New York Times floated the idea in a post on X that Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti was “pushing for (Mark Byington) at Indiana & he presumably has juice now after the football season.”

Both Byington and Cignetti coached at James Madison before leaving for Power Four Jobs. Cignetti landed at IU while Byington is 17-7 at Vanderbilt.

The Indiana football coach has the juice after leading the Hoosiers to the College Football Playoff and an 11-2 record in first first season at Indiana, but Cignetti made it clear he was not pushing for anyone or making any suggestions to his boss, Athletic Director, Scott Dolson.

“Not true. Scott Dolson knows alot more about basketball than I do. I have my own team to focus on.” Cignetti posted in response to Zagoria as he shut that rumor down at the source.

Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers are closing in on spring practice and the 2025 season where they should enter the season ranked in the top 25 nationally.