$93 million head coach sounds off on tampering college football

A head coach at a major college football program has addressed tampering across the sport.

Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti looks on before the game against the Purdue Boilermakers | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

The 2026 NCAA transfer portal cycle in college football has come to a halt after unprecedented amounts of movement.

The two-week window for college football players to enter the NCAA transfer portal ran from Jan. 2 to Jan. 16, although most of the thousands of entrants made their decision to transfer before the window opened. Most players committed during the two-week window, but some were weighing options after its closure.

A subject that has become prominent in the era of the NCAA transfer portal is the issue of tampering from other programs as a means to lure players into the portal. Miami found itself in a legal battle when it landed defensive back Xavier Lucas out of the portal after he had signed NIL extensions with Wisconsin.

Lucas is not the only player Miami is believed to have tampered with in the past two years. Though it was not sued, Miami was the school Darian Mensah transferred to after reaching a settlement with Duke when he unexpectedly entered the transfer portal on Jan. 16, the day it closed.

The issue of tampering is not something that is exclusive to Miami. Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. also had the idea of entering the NCAA transfer portal after signing NIL agreements with Washington, but he ultimately stayed put. LSU was the school suspected of having tampered with Williams.

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti recently addressed the subject of tampering in college football. He was asked about tampering by Urban Meyer on The Triple Option podcast, featuring Meyer and fellow FOX Sports college football panelists Rob Stone and Mark Ingram II.

Indiana had a player offered $1M last year, according to @CCignettiIU #CollegeFootball pic.twitter.com/0GdRPi2SQK

— The Triple Option (@3xOptionShow) February 4, 2026

"We had a guy last year offered $1 million, and you'd be shocked at the school," Cignetti said. "(It's) gone on this year. Guys walk in my office and talk to me, and it's tough man, it's hard. You got these agents calling everybody across the board. How are you supposed to pay those guys? We try to do it the right way, but it's tough."

Indiana has not been accused of tampering, although its rise during Cignetti's previous two years at the helm can be traced back to strategic acquisitions from the portal. In three portal cycles as the Hoosiers' head coach, Cignetti has reeled in a total of 71 transfers for Indiana.

The portal class following Indiana's national championship victory is its smallest under Cignetti, but it does not lack potency.

Among the 17 players are the Hoosiers' 2026 starters at quarterback, running back and wide receiver in Josh Hoover, Turbo Richard and Nick Marsh. On3 and 247Sports both agree Indiana has assembled a top 10 class, the former of which ranked the Hoosiers' class at No. 1 in the cycle.

Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti walks on the field prior to the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images