Shortly before he and his team took the field for the first game of the first 12 college football playoffs in Indiana. Coach Curt Cignetti joined in College game day set and reunited with legendary mentor Nick Saban. Cignetti, who played quarterback for West Virginia when Saban was the Mountaineers’ defensive line coach, was on Saban’s first coaching staff at Alabama in 2007.

Cignetti worked under Saban as wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator from 2007 to 2010. He coached future All-Pro receiver Julio Jones and helped the Crimson Tide win a BCS national championship in 2009. Cignetti then coached Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Elon and James Madison before taking over Indiana’s program in 2024.

Before Indiana’s playoff game against Notre Dame, Cignetti revealed how he’s incorporating Saban’s values ​​into his own football program.

“The things I learned from Coach Saban, the things we did at Alabama and then incorporated into my thoughts and words,” Cignetti continued College game day. “I would say it’s very similar, now maybe some of our methods are a little different, but I would say the overall program philosophy in terms of process orientation, high standards, expectations, people accountability, consistency, performance and how you do it everything the same.”

Saban appreciated Cignetti’s compliment, but joked in response, “One thing you didn’t learn from me is to talk all the shit you talk.”

Saban’s joke came after Cignetti boldly declared during his appearance earlier: “We don’t just beat top 25 teams, we beat the shit out of them.”

Cignetti and the Hoosiers have not beaten a team currently ranked in the AP Top 25 poll this season. Indiana beat Nebraska and Michigan, who were ranked at one point in the year, but the Hoosiers lost to the best opponent they faced all year: Ohio State.

While he hasn’t picked up multiple wins against ranked opponents this season, Cignetti has demonstrated the success of Saban’s philosophy and methods at Indiana. After leading every program he coached to winning records, this time Cignetti turned around a Power 4 opponent. He led a team that finished just 3-9 in 2023 to an 11-1 record and their first-ever CFP appearance in 2024. Indiana will now compete for its first national title, starting with the game against Notre Dame on Friday.