Curt Cignetti will have $11 million per year to allocate to on-field coaching and support staff beginning this offseason.
Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti’s new contract extension includes an $11 million per year salary pool for on-field assistant coaches and support staff, according to the Memorandum of Understanding obtained Monday by Peegs.com.
Indiana’s increased coaching salary pool is nearly doubled from Cignetti’s first contract, which was previously set at $5.86 million for on-field coaches and support staff. Cignetti will have full discretion over how the $11 million will be allocated among his staff.
Sources tell Peegs.com’s Jeff Rabjohns that the $11 million salary pool includes all on-field personnel — strength coaches etc. — not only the position coaches and coordinators. In all, Indiana is expected to be among at least the top-half, potentially top-third, of the Big Ten in coaching staff budget.
IU’s significant commitment to sustaining the football program’s success is on par with other upper-tier Big Ten teams. According to a report from the Columbus Dispatch in April, the Ohio State football program increased its assistant coaching salary pool to nearly $11.43 million, which is the highest in the nation.
The Hoosiers this season are paying their assistant coaches $5.86 million. Defensive coordinator Bryant Haines is the highest-paid assistant in program history at $1.025 million in guaranteed compensation. Offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan this season is making $800,000 in guaranteed compensation. Offensive line coach Bob Bostad is third among IU’s top paid assistants at $700,000 in guaranteed compensation.
The entire coaching staff under Cignetti received two-year contracts prior to the 2024 season. Many of those contracts could change this offseason given the significantly increased salary pool now at Cignetti’s dispposal.
Cignetti and IU last week agreed to an eight-year contract extension worth $72 million in total compensation. That equates to $9 million per year, plus additional incentives and bonuses if certain benchmarks are met.
If any of the assistants are terminated without cause before the end of their contract length, IU will owe them their full remaining compensation. In addition to the base compensation, all IU assistants will have a chance to earn performance-based bonuses if certain benchmarks are met.
Indiana’s assistants could be hot commodities this offseason following a historic season in Bloomington. The Hoosiers are 10-1 overall and are on track to make the College Football Playoff with one regular season game remaining.
Led by offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan, IU’s offense is second in the nation in touchdowns scored (59) and fourth in red zone offense efficiency (94.8% success rate). Led by defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, IU’s defense is third nationally in yards per game allowed (261.0), ninth in scoring defense (16.0 points allowed per game) and first in rushing defense (76.1 rush yards allowed per game).