Curt Cignetti's "Method to the Madness" at Indiana confirms nothing will change without Fernando Mendoza
Cignetti isn't changing anything about the Indiana Hoosiers football program despite losing the Heisman Trophy winner.
To be fair to the preseason rankings, it has become quite rare for a college football team to win back-to-back national championships. The last to do it was Georgia in 2021-2022, preceded by Alabama (2011-2012) and USC (2003-2004).
But in today's college football landscape, with players able to switch teams every year and roster turnover year-over-year at an all-time high, it's no surprise that the Indiana Hoosiers aren't considered the top team in the nation heading into the 2026 season. It doesn't help that they lost Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza to the NFL .
Indiana still has head coach Curt Cignetti , though, and that might be all they need. In fact, Cignetti has done such a good job with recruiting players that the Hoosiers came into the season ranked sixth on the AP Top 25 even without Mendoza. While the Hoosiers will certainly look different without the star quarterback, Cignetti's plan won't change in the slightest .
Curt Cignetti's secret to success is doing things the right way without budging
Sports Illustrated college football senior writer Pat Forde recently penned a very detailed profile on Cignetti. In it, Forde helps explain the method to Cignetti's madness, which has worked insanely well to this point in his coaching career. There's one Cignetti mantra that stands out more than all the other ones.
SOFTNESS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED HERE! FIND THE EDGE-DAILY/HOURLY COMMIT ALL AROUND
That's the same attitude Cignetti has instilled with every team he's coached. And that isn't changing after a national title: " By approaching this year’s blank page like all the previous years. The routines remain. Put nose to grindstone. Put focus on every detail. Put plan into action. Put complacency firmly to rest. Put wins on the board. Put the world on notice. Put pen to paper. So let it be written, so let it be done. "
Forde also notes that there are three pillars, in essence, on every Cignetti team in order to be successful: Turnover Margin, Penalties, Efficient Quarterback Play . If all three are done correctly, Cignetti's teams will win. So far, so great.
