Indiana handed out new deals to a slew of football staff members this past offseason.
Indiana has always, literally always, been a stranger to football investment throughout its long, storied history as an athletic department.
Any period of success was short-lived, nothing was sustained. Coaches came and went, either getting a new job or faltering as their tenure in Bloomington went on and grew stale. The department thought it had something after a historic 2020 and invested accordingly only to get hit by a 2-10 season that was the beginning of the end for Tom Allen.
But Indiana is determined to not let the successes of the 2024 season, which saw the Hoosiers set the program’s regular season wins record and head to the College Football Playoff, be just another blip.
“Last year was an incredible start,” athletic director Scott Dolson told ESPN and Pete Thamel. “We are paranoid. We don’t want to be a one-hit wonder.”
Indiana got started before the season was even over, locking down Curt Cignetti with a new eight year deal in November. The real meat of the contract was in its $11 million salary pool for assistants, one of the best pools around the country.
Indiana. Having one of the most expensive staffs in the country. In football.
Offseason overtures were made to defensive coordinator Bryant Haines and strength and conditioning coach Derek Owings, with both signing new deals to remain with the Hoosiers for more pay.
The lone loss was quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri, a rising star around the sport. His was a specific case, however. Both Haines and Owings were candidates for the same positions at other universities while Sunseri’s was a clear promotion, earning him the title of offensive coordinator and role as play caller at UCLA.
Indiana has opened up its checkbook, putting its money where its mouth is when it comes to the gridiron. Dolson got the football success he’d been looking for in 2024 when he made a different expensive decision in paying Allen’s sizable buyout. He’s not letting it slip away.
“We want to strategically invest,” Dolson said. “We felt all the things we’ve done since we brought Coach Cig here have been strategic. Not off the cuff.”