Greg McElroy names one of the best coaches in college football after Week 7

Greg McElroy calls Curt Cignetti one of college football’s best coaches after Indiana’s win at Oregon.

ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy spoke highly of Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti after his team's win against Oregon. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Curt Cignetti has never been much for convention. He left Alabama’s staff at age 50, trading the security of working alongside Nick Saban for a Division II job in his hometown of Indiana, Pennsylvania. He took that leap with one promise to himself: to prove he could win anywhere. Fourteen years later, that bet has transformed into a truth visible to the entire sport.

The evidence is now evident in Bloomington, where Indiana football has become a national force under his direction. The Hoosiers’ stunning 30-20 road win over Oregon last weekend wasn’t just another upset; it was a validation of process, precision and belief. In a stadium where few visitors survive, Indiana didn’t flinch. They dictated tempo, controlled the line of scrimmage, and closed out one of the most complete performances of the season. For a program once synonymous with irrelevance, this was more than a victory. It was a declaration that the Hoosiers now belong among college football’s elite.

That kind of transformation demands attention, and Greg McElroy gave it on Sunday’s episode of his Always College Football podcast. The ESPN analyst didn’t hesitate to place Curt Cignetti in rare air, calling him one of the best coaches in America after Indiana’s latest statement win.

Greg McElroy Praises the “Cignetti Effect” After Oregon Win

McElroy used the Hoosiers’ performance as an example of what he called “the Cignetti effect,” a formula that’s redefining what’s possible in modern roster building. “Everyone’s going to be calling him,” McElroy said.

“Every single athletic director in the country and head coach in the country will be studying his process. The quote 'Cignetti effect.' How can we do more as a team, maybe with less-than-stellar five-star potential players? You don’t necessarily need to have 22 draft picks on your team to have a really good college football team. That’s what Indiana is. They are elite. They are absolutely a national championship contender. And Curt Cignetti is one of the best coaches in America.”

Indiana Hoosiers linebacker Aiden Fisher (4) is one of the key players Curt Cignetti retained in his move from James Madison to Indiana football. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It’s hard to argue. Indiana has won 17 of its last 19 games under Cignetti and reached the first 12-team College Football Playoff last season. He’s taken the Hoosiers from a 9-27 stretch before his arrival to the doorstep of back-to-back playoff appearances. What makes the rise so remarkable isn’t just the turnaround, but the manner in which it’s happened.

Indiana’s success is built on talent identification and development — the hallmarks of Cignetti’s approach since his days at James Madison. Players like quarterback Fernando Mendoza, running back Roman Hemby, and linebacker Aiden Fisher embody that blueprint: overlooked elsewhere, thriving in Bloomington. As McElroy noted, the Hoosiers aren’t relying on star ratings but on cohesion and belief.

Cignetti’s Rise and What It Means for Indiana

Cignetti’s path to this point has been as unconventional as his program’s identity. After leaving Alabama, he rebuilt Indiana University of Pennsylvania into a Division II powerhouse, lifted Elon from the bottom of the FCS, and turned James Madison into an FBS contender almost overnight. By the time Indiana called, his resume already proved he could turn any program into a winner.

Now, he’s done it again, and this time on the sport’s biggest stage. From his viral “I win, Google me” line at his first Big Ten Media Day to back-to-back seasons of national relevance, Cignetti’s confidence has become the program’s culture. Indiana’s dominance of Oregon underscored that shift. The Hoosiers held the Ducks to just 213 total yards and outscored them 13-0 after the pick-six that momentarily tied the game.

Indiana football head coach Curt Cignetti has the Hoosiers off to a 6-0 start after the program's big road win against the Oregon Ducks on Saturday. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Even with speculation swirling about potential suitors in a crowded coaching carousel, Cignetti has kept the focus inward. His players, many of whom followed him from James Madison, have embraced his mantra of “fast, physical and relentless.” That bond has become the defining edge for a team now viewed as a legitimate championship contender.

Indiana has gone from a Big Ten afterthought to one of the nation’s most complete programs. McElroy’s praise only reinforces what the scoreboard already shows: Curt Cignetti’s system and philosophy belong among the best in the country.

The Hoosiers will host the Michigan State Spartans on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.