Sports

Indiana Coach Curt Cignetti Finally Answered The One Thing Fans Have Been Dying To Know After National Championship Win

#College Football
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Indiana coach Curt Cignetti

Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images


Is Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti ever actually happy?

It’s a reasonable question given the fact that Cignetti has never really shown any public signs of happiness. He didn’t show them when Indiana went an impressive 11-2 in his debut season in Bloomington.

Nor did he seemingly show any signs of happiness at any point during the Hoosiers’ improbable run to a national championship this season.

Heck, even Cignetti’s daughter Natalie questioned whether or not her father actually enjoys any of this coaching business.

But now we, and you, finally have an answer to the question.

After Cignetti and the Hoosiers’ victory over Miami on Monday night, he revealed to his daughter that, yes, he was finally happy. And excessively so, if the emoji exclamation points are any indication.

Why Doesn’t Curt Cignetti Ever Smile Or Celebrate?

So, what’s up with the stoicism that has become Cignetti’s trademark in recent weeks?

There’s a lot of times I am happy,” Cignetti said at media availability before his team’s blowout victory over Oregon in the Peach Bowl. “I just don’t show I’m happy, and if I’m going to ask my players, to play the first game, the first play to play 150 the same regardless of the competitive circumstances, then I can’t be seen on the sideline high fiving people and celebrating. Or what’s gonna happen? What’s the effect going to be?”

Okay, that’s fair. But still, he could celebrate after the final whistle, right?

“You gotta be dialed in and thinking ahead,” Cignetti continued. “I’ll smile and celebrate in the coaches’ room with the coaches. Maybe have a beer. Of course, in the playoffs you’ve got to do nine or 10 different press conferences after the game so that’s about an hour and a half later.”

But now the season is over. The press conferences are done. And Cignetti, at the top of the college football world, is finally happy … at least until preparation starts for next season.