Contract Details for Curt Cignetti, New Indiana Football Staff
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Curt Cignetti has taken over as Indiana’s head football coach after agreeing to a six-year contract. Cignetti replaces Tom Allen – now Penn State’s defensive coordinator – after a 52-9 run across five seasons coaching James Madison.
According to the memorandum of understanding obtained by HoosiersNow.com through public records requests, Cignetti will receive an annual base salary of $500,000 for six years through the end of his contract on Nov. 30, 2029. He will also earn $3,500,000 in annual outside, marketing and promotional income during the first year of his contract. That figure will increase annually by $100,000 and peak at $4,000,000 in the sixth year of the contract. Cignetti will receive an annual retention bonus of $250,000 on Nov. 30 of every year he remains head coach. Indiana University will also cover the existing buyout to James Madison.
The memorandum of understanding states “if you would accept this letter, we would work together in good faith promptly to come to formalize these terms into a comprehensive employment agreement reflecting these and other relevant terms. This offer is contingent on your execution of a full employment agreement and your successful completion of the University’s background checks.”
Cignetti’s contract includes various incentives that can increase his pay based on wins. Each bowl appearance triggers a one-year extension; a $250,000 increase to the remaining outside, marketing and promotional income payments; and a $500,000 increase to the budget for football staff personnel, which will be allocated at Cignetti’s discretion. Should Cignetti qualify for a bowl game, the extension year salary shall be no less favorable than the year preceding the extension year. Former Indiana head coach Tom Allen’s contract had a similar extension rule based on bowl game appearances.
Regarding Indiana’s Big Ten schedule, Cignetti would receive a $100,000 bonus for Indiana’s fifth Big Ten win and $150,000 for the sixth. Those bonuses are not cumulative, and the highest win total will apply. A top-six conference finish in the new 18-team Big Ten means a $250,000 bonus for Cignetti. He’d receive a $500,000 bonus for a second-place finish and $1,000,000 for a Big Ten championship. Like the win-total bonus, the conference finish bonus is not cumulative.
If Indiana reaches a bowl game that is not part of the College Football Playoff, Cignetti would receive an annual bonus of $200,000, plus an additional $50,000 if Indiana wins. Should Indiana make it all the way to the College Football Playoff, which will follow a new 12-team format in 2024, a first-round appearance triggers a $500,000 bonus. Cignetti would earn a $600,000 bonus for a quarterfinal appearance; a $700,000 bonus for a semifinal appearance; $1,000,000 if Indiana is the national runner-up; and $2,000,000 for winning the national championship. Again, these CFP-related bonuses are not cumulative.
The potential bonuses continue with conference and national awards. Cignetti would receive an annual bonus of $50,000 for winning Big Ten Coach of the Year, as voted either by the coaches or the media voting panel, with a maximum of $50,000 per season. An additional $100,000 bonus kicks in if Cignetti wins one of the National Coach of the Year awards given by the Associated Press, Paul “Bear” Bryant, Sports News, Walter Camp, Maxwell Football Club or ABC/ESPN.
According to USA Today, former Indiana head coach Tom Allen was set to earn $4.51 million during the 2023 season, making him the 39th-highest paid coach in the country. In 2024, Cignetti would have to qualify for incentives to pass Allen’s 2023 salary.
Indiana's newly announced head coach of football Curt Cignetti speaks to the media on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023.
© Rich Janzaruk - USA TODAY NETWORK
Around the Big Ten in 2023, Ohio State’s Ryan Day led the conference at $10,271,250, followed by former Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker ($10,015,350); Penn State’s James Franklin ($8,500,000); former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh ($8254,600); Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell ($7,625,000); Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz ($7,000,000); Illinois’ Bret Bielema ($6,500,000); Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck ($6,000,000); Nebraska’s Matt Rhule ($5,500,000); Maryland’s Mike Locksley ($5,500,000); Purdue’s Ryan Walters ($4,000,000); Rutgers’ Greg Schiano ($4,000,000). Northwestern does not have to report David Braun’s salary because it is a private school.
Other perks in Cignetti’s contract include an annual allowance of $10,000 for adidas products, health, dental, life and retirement benefits, a courtesy car, football and basketball season tickets, unlimited family use of the Pfau Golf Course, meals, retention of all net proceeds generated by youth camps, and a moving allowance of $25,000.
If Cignetti chooses to resign or if his employment is terminated for cause, Indiana University is not liable for compensation or benefits thereafter.
If the university terminates Cignetti’s employment without cause, it would pay him a buyout as follows:
- Between Dec. 1, 2023 – Nov. 30, 2024: $20,000,000
- Between Dec. 1, 2024 – Nov. 30, 2025: $17,000,000
- Between Dec. 1, 2025 – Nov. 30, 2026: $14,000,000
- Between Dec. 1, 2026 – Nov. 30, 2027: $9,000,000
- Between Dec. 1, 2027 – Nov. 30, 2028: $6,000,000
- Between Dec. 1, 2028 – Nov. 30, 2029: $3,000,000
If Cignetti resigns prior to the end of his contract, he would pay the university the following as liquidated damages:
- Between Dec. 1, 2023 – Nov. 30, 2024: $8,000,000
- Between Dec. 1, 2024 – Nov. 30, 2025: $6,000,000
- Between Dec. 1, 2025 – Nov. 30, 2026: $4,000,000
- Between Dec. 1, 2026 – Nov. 30, 2027: $2,000,000
- Between Dec. 1, 2027 – Nov. 30, 2028: $1,000,000
- Between Dec. 1, 2028 – Nov. 30, 2029: $1,000,000
HoosiersNow.com also obtained documents through public records requests for new Indiana football assistant coaches Bryant Haines, Mike Shanahan, Santino ‘Tino’ Sunseri, Grant Cain, Roderick Ojong, Pat Kuntz, John Miller, LeDominique ‘Buddha’ Williams, Azeez ‘Ola’ Adams, Derek Owings and Bob Bostad, who Cignetti retained from Allen’s staff as Indiana’s offensive line coach.
All aforementioned assistant coaches received two-year contracts, which state that the term shall be extended for an additional year on Jan. 15, 2025, unless either party declines to extend the term. Indiana’s assistants are “eligible for a competitive performance bonus structure that will be outlined in a forthcoming full employment agreement.”
They will also receive standard university benefits, including, but not limited to health, dental, life insurance and retirement benefits, along with a courtesy car, meals, an annual allowance of $2,000 for orders of adidas products and a $10,000 moving allowance. Indiana University will take responsibility for the buyout obligations to James Madison University, as applicable.
Here’s the breakdown of base salary and other financial terms for each assistant.
Bryant Haines, defensive coordinator
- Base salary per year: $400,000
- Outside marketing and promotional income: $550,000
- Signing bonus: $75,000, one-time payment
- Retention bonus: $75,000 paid on June 1 and Dec. 1 during each year of contract beginning June 1, 2024.
Mike Shananan, offensive coordinator
- Base salary per year: $400,000
- Outside marketing and promotional income: $400,000
Bob Bostad, offensive line
- Base salary per year: $400,000
- Outside marketing and promotional income: $300,000
Tino Sunseri, co-offensive coordinator, quarterbacks
- Base salary per year: $400,000
- Outside marketing and promotional income: $140,000
Derek Owings, strength and conditioning
- Base salary per year: $400,000
- Outside marketing and promotional income: $135,00
Ola Adams, defensive backs, safeties
- Base salary per year: $400,000
- Outside marketing and promotional income: $123,000
Buddha Williams, defensive ends
- Base salary per year: $400,000
- Outside marketing and promotional income: $122,000
Grant Cain, special teams coordinator, tight ends
- Base salary per year: $400,000
- Outside marketing and promotional income: $100,000
Pat Kuntz, defensive tackles
- Base salary per year: $400,000
- Outside marketing and promotional income: $25,000
Rod Ojong, cornerbacks
- Base salary per year: $400,000
John Miller, running backs
- Base salary per year: $350,000
If Indiana fires the assistants without cause, the university will pay 100% of their total compensation as if they had not been terminated. If Cignetti leaves Indiana for any reason, the university can fire the assistants without cause and pay them six months of total income.
If a coach terminated their contract without cause in the first year for an out-of-conference coordinator or assistant position, they would pay Indiana 20% of year one’s total income. That figure increases to 30% if they take a Big Ten coordinator or assistant position. If this happens in year two, the coach owes Indiana 10% of year one’s total income for an out-of-conference position and 30% for an in-conference position.
Defensive coordinator Bryant Haines is now the highest-paid coordinator in Indiana program history.
photo via jmusports.com
This makes Haines the highest-paid coordinator in program history, passing former offensive coordinator Rod Carey, who carried that title for roughly three months during the 2023 season. Haines will make a total of $1.1 million his first year at Indiana, including base salary, outside marketing and promotional incoming, a signing bonus and a retention bonus.
Led by Haines, James Madison’s defense ranked second in the Sun Belt and 18th nationally in points allowed per game (18.5) and led the nation in run defense (61.5).
Shanahan, Indiana’s new offensive coordinator, will make $800,000 in total next season, just short of Carey’s figure at $815,000. Under Shanahan’s direction, James Madison was second in the Sun Belt and 23rd nationally in scoring (34.1) and 20th in the nation in passing yards per game (284.8).
Cignetti and his staff begin their first season on Aug. 31 against Florida International at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind.
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