62-Year-Old Coach Wins Indiana's First National Title

A 62-year-old coach who spent nearly 30 years as an assistant just proved it's never too late to achieve your dreams.

Curt Cignetti took over Indiana University's football program two years ago with zero major college head coaching experience. The Hoosiers had the worst all-time record in major college football, with a winning percentage of just .419 across 136 years.

Cignetti didn't become a head coach until he was 50. He started at Division II Indiana University of Pennsylvania after taking a pay cut from his assistant coaching job at Alabama.

He worked his way up through smaller programs at Elon College and James Madison University, compiling a 119-35 record over 13 years. Every school reached the playoffs under his leadership, but major programs kept overlooking him.

When Indiana finally hired him at 62, he made waves by telling skeptics to "Google me. I win!" He wasn't exaggerating.

In just two seasons, Cignetti has won 27 games at Indiana. That's the most by any coach in their first two years at a school since 1936.

Indiana had never won 10 games in a season in 136 years of playing football. Cignetti has done it twice.

This year, he led them to their first undefeated regular season ever, their first Big Ten title in 58 years, and their first national championship. Under his leadership, Indiana's winning percentage jumped to .931.

Why This Inspires

Cignetti's journey shows that preparation and persistence matter more than timing. He spent decades learning from great coaches like Nick Saban, building systems at smaller schools, and proving his philosophy works at every level.

His success isn't luck. It's the result of 30 years of preparation meeting the right opportunity.

Ray Kroc founded McDonald's at 52. Vera Wang entered fashion design at 40. Colonel Sanders started KFC at 62.

Age doesn't determine your destiny. Cignetti built his winning culture through relentless preparation, clear standards, and unwavering belief in his systems.

His favorite saying captures his philosophy perfectly: "You get freedom of choice, but not freedom of consequence." Every decision matters, and consistency compounds over time.

For anyone wondering if they've missed their moment, Cignetti's story offers hope: your time hasn't passed, and the work you're doing now is preparing you for something bigger than you can imagine.