New Indiana HC Curt Cignetti takes a dig at Big Ten schools in his latest fan interaction - "Purdue sucks, but so does Michigan and Ohio State"

Curt Cignetti, the new head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers, is already making bold statements even before making an official debut with the team on the field. The Hoosiers decided to fire seven-year head coach Tom Allen after a disappointing 3-9 campaign this season and failing to be eligible for bowl games.

Now, it looks like Curt Cignetti is looking to work the same magic he had during his five-year stint with James Madison and in their transition from the FCS to the FBS. The 62-year-old was present during a recent basketball game between Indiana and the Maryland Terrapins.

During half-time, Cignetti was introduced to the Indiana fanbase. Amidst loud cheers and roars, the new Hoosiers head coach was quick to take a jab at other Big Ten programs including top-dogs Michigan and Ohio State.

"I'm super fired up about this opportunity. I've never taken a back seat to anybody and don't plan on starting now. Purdue sucks. But so does Michigan and Ohio State!", Cignetti said.

It looks like Curt Cignetti might get a chance to prove his point next season. The Hoosiers are lined up to face Purdue, Michigan and Ohio State in the fall of 2024. And it will be interesting to see if the new head coach can live up to the hype he has created with his arrival.

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Look at Cignetti's head coaching career

Cignetti began his head coaching career with the Division II team the IUP Crimson Hawks back in 2011. His arrival transformed the team from going 4-10 a year before Cignetti's arrival to 7-3 in his debut season. He spent six seasons with the Crimson Hawks and led them to a PSAC conference championship and a Division II playoff in 2012.

After that, Cignetti was hired as the head coach of the FCS team Elon Phoenix in 2017. He spent two seasons with them and compiled a 14-9 overall record. He was then named the HC of James Madison in December 2018.

During his five-season stint with the Dukes, he led them to three consecutive CAA Championships in the FCS division (2019-2021) before the program transitioned into the FBS and joined the Sun Belt Conference last season. Cignetti saw the same success during his stint in the Sun Belt, with the Dukes finishing first in the East Divison in both 2022 and 2023.

But because of NCAA rules that do not permit teams that transitioned into the FBS to play in bowl games for the first two seasons, James Madison did not emerge as division champions and was not allowed to participate in post-season bowl games.