where did curt cignetti coach before indiana

February 23, 2026

Curt Cignetti coached at several programs before becoming the head coach at Indiana, most notably as head coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), Elon, and James Madison.

Head coaching stops before Indiana

Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) – Cignetti became a head coach for the first time at Division II IUP, where he led the program from 2011 to 2016.

Elon University – After IUP, he moved to FCS-level Elon, serving as head coach there from 2017 to 2018.

James Madison University (JMU) – He then took over at James Madison, coaching the Dukes from 2019 through 2023 and guiding them through their jump into the FBS ranks.

Earlier assistant coaching background

Before those head coaching roles, Cignetti spent years as an assistant, including working under Nick Saban at Alabama as wide receivers coach and run game coordinator from 2007 to 2010.

Earlier in his career he held quarterback-coach roles at schools such as Rice, Temple, Pittsburgh, and NC State across the late 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.