2027 would likely be our 2025 year and 2028 would have likely been the earliest we would be competing for a championship under the old rules. If Cigs had accomplished a championship at IU in year 4 under the old rules, then he would still be seen as one of the best college football coaches.
New rules have greatly reduced the time it takes to flip a roster. And now it is leading to coaches having to win now or be fired faster...leading to bigger and more frequent buyouts for donors to have to deal with.
IU was able to pay Mendoza an estimated $2.6 million last season. That is THE total game changer and leveled the playing field. Nick Saban could hire Bill Walsh and Dick LeBeau in their primes as OC and DC and they wouldn't win a championship under the old rules at IU.
2027 would likely be our 2025 year and 2028 would have likely been the earliest we would be competing for a championship under the old rules. If Cigs had accomplished a championship at IU in year 4 under the old rules, then he would still be seen as one of the best college football coaches.
New rules have greatly reduced the time it takes to flip a roster. And now it is leading to coaches having to win now or be fired faster...leading to bigger and more frequent buyouts for donors to have to deal with.
IU was able to pay Mendoza an estimated $2.6 million last season. That is THE total game changer and leveled the playing field. Nick Saban could hire Bill Walsh and Dick LeBeau in their primes as OC and DC and they wouldn't win a championship under the old rules at IU.
Yea, we wouldn't have been able to get that level of recruit without NIL. Without a portal, Mendoza would have finished his career at Cal anyway.
There's no doubt a turnaround (if possible) would have taken longer under the old rules. Cigs is a master at identifying talent so if we had to rely solely on his hs recruiting, we would be looking at a 4-5 time-frame vs the 1-2 year time-frame that happened with the new rules.
What the F is wrong with you!!!
🙉
You’ve forced me agree with both Hickory AND Zeke!!! 😵💫🤮
You’re lucky I’m not a Mod ‘cuse you’d be banned for 2 lifetimes for that!
🤬Grrrrr!
I've read that when Cignetti was first contacted he immediately looked at the 25 schedule and told his wife there were 8 wins to be had. That's without having the first clue about who would be playing for him.
@snarlcakes You sure?
Yeah, I think he would have won 70+% of his games and at least one Big Ten Title. He's that good of a coach.
There's no doubt a turnaround (if possible) would have taken longer under the old rules. Cigs is a master at identifying talent so if we had to rely solely on his hs recruiting, we would be looking at a 4-5 time-frame vs the 1-2 year time-frame that happened with the new rules.
Without the money on the table, no four and five star recruits would have ever considered IU football. I've always had a soft spot for IU football, but facts are facts. Cignetti could identify all the best talent all day long, getting them here without paying them would have been near impossible.
My guess is that under the old rules, Cignetti would have had a run with wins/losses similar to what @bar-down said above. Then he'd leave a be an OC/coach in waiting at a place like Alabama. Cignetti is the best NIL era coach hands down, but I don't see how he could have turned around IU without the transfer rules and NIL money. I don't see how anyone could.
@snarlcakes no chance without paying. Would not be top tier with Michigan PSU osu etc
Football is probably the sport where coaching can make the biggest difference. Cig is the best coach in the country. Half of IUs games each year are against terrible teams. He would have won at least one Big Ten title. Write it down in ink.
@snarlcakes can't coach up enough to overcome that much of a talent deficit. and without money kids ain't coming to iu over bama osu georgia michigan on and on
Football is probably the sport where coaching can make the biggest difference. Cig is the best coach in the country. Half of IUs games each year are against terrible teams. He would have won at least one Big Ten title. Write it down in ink.
I just don't see it. If they're not scheduling - and beating - at least one top team from another power 4 conference before Big Ten play and running through their conference schedule with zero to one loss, getting to the Big Ten championship game isn't happening. And forget about competing with the Michigans, PSUs and OSUs of the world. Wisconsin, Michigan State, Nebraska and Iowa all had solid years pre-NIL and transfer rules. Add on the fact regardless of the rules teams like Washington, Oregon, USC and UCLA were eventually going to join the Big Ten and you have to have fortunate scheduling and a couple games break your way just to squeak out a bowl eligible season.
Adding NIL and free transfers was THE game changer for IU football. That's not taking anything away from anything Cignetti or IU did. Cignetti is the best coach in the modern, new rules era hands down. He would have been coaching at IU with one hand tied behind his back under the old rules.
@snarlcakes can't coach up enough to overcome that much of a talent deficit. and without money kids ain't coming to iu over bama osu georgia michigan on and on
From 2000 to 2024 Purdue, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and MSU all won Big Ten titles.
@snarlcakes can't coach up enough to overcome that much of a talent deficit. and without money kids ain't coming to iu over bama osu georgia michigan on and on
There's no shame in admitting that. I honestly don't know why that isn't just widely accepted. It doesn't take away the fact that IU is really freaking good at football now and will be for the foreseeable future.
It's almost like a track star coming back from an injury and winning all his races and people arguing that he's probably still come in second in all his events even if his broken leg hadn't healed.
Football is probably the sport where coaching can make the biggest difference. Cig is the best coach in the country. Half of IUs games each year are against terrible teams. He would have won at least one Big Ten title. Write it down in ink.
I just don't see it. If they're not scheduling - and beating - at least one top team from another power 4 conference before Big Ten play and running through their conference schedule with zero to one loss, getting to the Big Ten championship game isn't happening. And forget about competing with the Michigans, PSUs and OSUs of the world. Wisconsin, Michigan State, Nebraska and Iowa all had solid years pre-NIL and transfer rules. Add on the fact regardless of the rules teams like Washington, Oregon, USC and UCLA were eventually going to join the Big Ten and you have to have fortunate scheduling and a couple games break your way just to squeak out a bowl eligible season.
Adding NIL and free transfers was THE game changer for IU football. That's not taking anything away from anything Cignetti or IU did. Cignetti is the best coach in the modern, new rules era hands down. He would have been coaching at IU with one hand tied behind his back under the old rules.
You and Murt are out in left field. Brett Belima won back to back titles at Wisconsin less than 15 years ago. The trucker Joe Tiller won one at Purdue. Cig would have won at least one and most likely multiple. The talent level would have increased as Cig won more games. Good players want to play for great coaches.
@carramrod Cignetti is not a prick. He has a persona that may be a prick, but behind the scenes he's not a prick at all
Eh. Seems like a prick to me. You may have a personal acquaintance with him. I don’t.
Chris Beard seems like a good guy. Always liked him. Like Cignetti, he wins a ton of games and has no criminal record.
@snarlcakes wisconsin has a 80k stadium and history. iu was THE bottom of the barrel
@snarlcakes wisconsin has a 80k stadium and history. iu was THE bottom of the barrel
I want to forward this sh#t to Cig. He would be laughing in your face when you told him he couldn't be as good as Joe f#cking Tiller.
https://twitter.com/bussinwtb/status/2006889036955398310?s=46