Curt Cignetti’s coaching staff has numerous attractive candidates for other programs with openings across the country.

That’s one of the many reasons why Cignetti’s new contract, signed a few weeks ago, included terms that ensure his assistants will be among the highest paid in college football.

However, these measures will only go so far as several aspiring IU assistants look to capitalize on the staff’s recent successes and earn well-deserved promotions.

One, and most likely only one, is leaving Indiana after its historic 11-1 season.

IU quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri is expected to be the next offensive coordinator at UCLA.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel was first to report that agreements have already been reached for Sunseri to coach at Indiana during the College Football Playoff.

“Indiana quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri has emerged as a target to replace Bieniemy,” Thamel wrote Thursday. “Sunseri will remain with the Hoosiers through the College Football Playoff,” he said via sources.

The Daily Hoosier can confirm both that Sunseri is leaving Indiana and that he will coach IU through the CFP.

Sunseri holds the title of co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Indiana. But he’s clearly a step below Mike Shanahan, who calls plays from the press box and was making about $260,000 more than Sunseri when The Daily Hoosier obtained contract information in January.

With the increased salary pool in Cignetti’s new contract, Sunseri would likely get significantly more than the $540,000 salary from IU that we quoted when he was hired. Meanwhile, according to the LA Times, UCLA only paid outgoing OC Eric Bieniemy around $550,000 per year.

Therefore, UCLA likely made significant improvements to its own assistant coaching salary pool in order to attract someone like Sunseri.

But a move like this is about more than just salary for Sunseri, as it gives him a chance to be a play-caller at a Big Ten program.

A Thursday report from IndyStar’s Zach Osterman said, “IU’s nine remaining assistants, as well as head strength coach Derek Owings, have signed new multi-year deals to remain in Indiana.” The Daily Hoosier can also confirm this.

The new contracts signed by coordinators Shanahan and Bryant Haines and the rest of the staff should help make Sunseri the only loss this offseason.

Indiana does not have a clear successor for the quarterback job. Shanahan coaches wide receivers and the Hoosiers will likely look to bring in someone from the outside. Cignetti was a college quarterback and was always heavily involved in quarterback matters throughout his coaching career.

Sunseri’s success with IU quarterback Kurtis Rourke this season was just the latest in several impressive campaigns from the former Pitt quarterback.

Sunseri came to Indiana from James Madison, where he worked under Cignetti.

Under his leadership, Jordan McCloud was named Sun Belt Player of the Year for the 2023 season after ranking 5th in passing touchdowns (32), 6th in points responsible for (242) and 9th in pass efficiency (167 ,3) proved. and No. 10 in total offense per game (309.2) in the FBS.

In 2022, Todd Centeio was named the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player and Newcomer of the Year after throwing for 2,697 yards and 25 touchdowns with just five interceptions.

In 2021, Cole Johnson set the JMU single-season records for passing yards (3,779), passing touchdowns (41) and completions (287) in 2021 and finished No. 4 in voting for the FCS Walter Payton Award.

Sunseri came to Harrisonburg after spending two and a half years on Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama, where he was an assistant and worked primarily with the quarterbacks.

For complete coverage of IU football, click HERE.

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