Game Thread: Friday, Jan. 9, 2025 - 7:30 p.m. ET| No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 5 Oregon | Peach Bowl (CFP Semifinal) (Atlanta, Ga.) | ESPN

[CajunCrimson]

His 1st season he lost by 23 on the road to the NC and lost by 10 on the road to the other team that played in the NCG

CKD in his 2nd season lost by 2 TD’s to a 7 loss ACC team and lost by 3 TD’s at a neutral site and by 5 TD’s at a neutral site.

Cignetti is 26-2 and has won a Major P4 Conference Championship, Been Ranked #1, Seeded #1, Is the ONLY Top Seed to not lose in the expanded CFBP and is in the NCG

CKD is 20-8 and has not won not one single thing except for Rivalry Games.

For a Two Year Period Cignetti’s Win % is .928

CKD is .714

11-2 (2024) is .846 for Cignetti

11-4 (2025) is .734 for CKD

No matter how we try to frame this or manipulate a comparison it’s pretty clear that Cignetti is > CKD in this new NIL/Portal era and has done a much better job.

That is the reasonable and objective conclusion.

Only if he maintains it. Otherwise he’s just a flash in the pan. Too early to crown him the best. Which is happening far too common. Plus he’s not won anything. Yet.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

View attachment 55124

Thats the new landscape and we have to adjust. Older prepared players are better than younger more talented players. Its now been proven. We just need to adjust.

 

[Bazza]

Can't wait for SEC Shorts on Monday......

 

[mlh]

"The Process" is strong in this one.

 

[Bazza]

View attachment 55122
Cig beat the arrogance out of Lanning. Turned him into Butch Jones.

Thought it was a good post game presser, in this regard. I mean what could he do at that point? Support his players - should always be like that!

 

[Bazza]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2009850790614376532

 

[Bazza]

I need a hat like that!

https://twitter.com/x/status/2009873359824208236

 

[CajunCrimson]

I need a hat like that!

https://twitter.com/x/status/2009873359824208236

He may have kids his age or older

 

[M Squires]

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Interesting that of the guys in that picture mocking IU as a bunch of 24 year olds, one is a true sophomore, three are true juniors, and one is a senior. So only one of the five can buy a legal beer.

 

[81usaf92]

I get it, Byrne couldnt have known Cig was that good and would have been fried by the media and fanbase if he did. But knowing now what we know it is painfully obvious Cignetti is light years a better coach than DeBoer and its not even close. We got it wrong but its understandable why we got it wrong. No biggie. No one is blaming Byrne. We all would have hired DeBoer over Cig if in his situation. It just sucks that Saban 2.0 was there to be had and we missed him.

Yeah but here is the thing… everyone making this comparison is assuming that Cignetti would be allowed to run his program like he currently runs it at Indiana. Or he would be able to get away with recruiting the players that he is allowed to recruit at Indiana. Indiana doesn’t even look like any SEC team in the last 20+ years other than the results. I guarantee you he would have far less control of what he can do here than what he currently does at Indiana.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Yeah but here is the thing… everyone making this comparison is assuming that Cignetti would be allowed to run his program like he currently runs it at Indiana. Or he would be able to get away with recruiting the players that he is allowed to recruit at Indiana. Indiana doesn’t even look like any SEC team in the last 20+ years other than the results. I guarantee you he would have far less control of what he can do here than what he currently does at Indiana.

I dont think that would be the case. This isn't Auburn where boosters tell the coaches what they can and cant do. Who around the program wouldnt let him run hus program?

 

[M Squires]

He may have kids his age or older

Ajani from that picture is a 19 year old redshirt freshman; likely he doesn’t have elementary school age kids. Under-recruited kid from Indianapolis who will start in the National Championship game.

IU has some fifth year players in their lineup, but they also start four true sophomores on defense, and a sophomore, a redshirt freshman, and a bunch of juniors on offense.

 

[81usaf92]

I dont think that would be the case. This isn't Auburn where boosters tell the coaches what they can and cant do. Who around the program wouldnt let him run hus program?

The fact that DeBoer has 3 coaches and numerous staffers from the previous administration, and was forced to deal with the Ty and Milroe show suggests there are some concessions that a new coach here is going to have to make.

But my point is that Cignetti is basically running a Tom Brady team. You think with the wealth of talent the south and specifically this state that he would be able to just recruit 2-3 star misfit toys? No. He would be expected to deal with all the contract nonsense that everyone down here does. He would be forced to deal with mercenaries and be forced to deal with boosters that have a lot of sayso who have been waiting nearly two decades to have a sayso.

Cignetti really benefited from low expectations, an easy year 1 schedule, and a staff and roster that knew expectations. Year 2 he upgraded in key positions and moved forward after a proven year 1 concept. At Alabama year 1 we could’ve really lost 6 games and Cignetti could be out the door with fans right now too.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

The fact that DeBoer has 3 coaches and numerous staffers from the previous administration, and was forced to deal with the Ty and Milroe show suggests there are some concessions that a new coach here is going to have to make.

But my point is that Cignetti is basically running a Tom Brady team. You think with the wealth of talent the south and specifically this state that he would be able to just recruit 2-3 star misfit toys? No. He would be expected to deal with all the contract nonsense that everyone down here does. He would be forced to deal with mercenaries and be forced to deal with boosters that have a lot of sayso who have been waiting nearly two decades to have a sayso.

Cignetti really benefited from low expectations, an easy year 1 schedule, and a staff and roster that knew expectations. Year 2 he upgraded in key positions and moved forward after a proven year 1 concept. At Alabama year 1 we could’ve really lost 6 games and Cignetti could be out the door with fans right now too.

I really think youre underselling how good Cignetti is at player evaluation, motivation and development. The guy literally has won big everywhere he's gone. Then went to a conference thats now better than ours and not only won it but did it in undefeated fashion. And did it with ZERO five star players and has them playing on the same level as Bama of 2011-2012. Then dog stopped us in front of god and everybody. I have zero doubt he would have done the same thing at Alabama.

 

[81usaf92]

I really think youre underselling how good Cignetti is at player evaluation, motivation and development. The guy literally has won big everywhere he's gone. Then went to a conference thats now better than ours and not only won it but did it in undefeated fashion. And did it with ZERO five star players and has them playing on the same level as Bama of 2011-2012. Then dog stopped us in front of god and everybody. I have zero doubt he would have done the same thing at Alabama.

I don’t think you are really getting what I’m saying… Indiana right now isn’t even a Nick Saban team is what I’m saying. They are a Tom Brady 2012-2018 team and a Dabo team. At Alabama and in the SEC teams would NEVER allow those teams to exist with how much money is being thrown into programs.

The critique on “evaluating players” is solid but it’s not reality of how things work. Boosters control who you can get and who you can potentially get. At Alabama the boosters that matter are very selective of how they want their money to go. So they aren’t going to be thrilled if DeBoer goes after some random TE from UNA or UNI. Cignetti in year 1 would definitely not have Saban power to say “go kick sand”.

I think people are too quick to assume Cignetti’s model is a sustainable model. He may win it this year but like every underdog story…. The Empire eventually strikes back and blows the underdog off the pages of history.

 

[CajunCrimson]

Ajani from that picture is a 19 year old redshirt freshman; likely he doesn’t have elementary school age kids. Under-recruited kid from Indianapolis who will start in the National Championship game.

IU has some fifth year players in their lineup, but they also start four true sophomores on defense, and a sophomore, a redshirt freshman, and a bunch of juniors on offense.

 

[JDCrimson]

As I have said earlier, I do not think for a minute that CCC has this new era figured out just because he is having success right now.

If this era continues as is, there literally are only 8-10 teams that can play/pay at the top level every year, and we ain't one of those teams, and we are probably in the bottom half of SEC teams that can and are willing to spend significant booster NIL funds.

We need to develop a plan with these realities in mind...

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I don’t think you are really getting what I’m saying… Indiana right now isn’t even a Nick Saban team is what I’m saying. They are a Tom Brady 2012-2018 team and a Dabo team. At Alabama and in the SEC teams would NEVER allow those teams to exist with how much money is being thrown into programs.

The critique on “evaluating players” is solid but it’s not reality of how things work. Boosters control who you can get and who you can potentially get. At Alabama the boosters that matter are very selective of how they want their money to go. So they aren’t going to be thrilled if DeBoer goes after some random TE from UNA or UNI. Cignetti in year 1 would definitely not have Saban power to say “go kick sand”.

I think people are too quick to assume Cignetti’s model is a sustainable model. He may win it this year but like every underdog story…. The Empire eventually strikes back and blows the underdog off the pages of history.

So youre saying that boosters have a say so in who the staff gets? This is the first Ive heard of this. Is this something you know as fact and if this is true did it happen under Saban?

Are you also suggesting Cignetti stepped into a better or "easier" situation to turn around than DeBoer where he inherited significantly less talent than DeBoer and had a lot less resources?

I watched those 2011-2012 Bama teams and the last three games Ive watched Indiana play they looked just like those teams..

It just seems like we're really reaching to minimize what Cignetti has done to make our own situation seem better. What he's done is historic, plain and simple.

 

[81usaf92]

So youre saying that boosters have a say so in who the staff gets? This is the first Ive heard of this. Is this something you know as fact and if this is true did it happen under Saban?

Are you also suggesting Cignetti stepped into a better or "easier" situation to turn around than DeBoer where he inherited significantly less talent than DeBoer and had a lot less resources?

I watched those 2011-2012 Bama teams and the last three games Ive watched Indiana play they looked just like those teams..

It just seems like we're really reaching to minimize what Cignetti has done to make our own situation seem better. What he's done is historic, plain and simple.

I’m not saying any of that.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I’m not saying any of that.

You literally said boosters influence which players the staff can get. Did you not basically say that?