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The original was posted on /r/cfb by /u/Honestly_ on 2026-01-13 00:39:43+00:00.
With the incredible turnaround at Indiana over the past two seasons under Curt Cignetti, it’s interesting to hear his thoughts on roster balance after he used the portal skillfully to flip his roster into something that could take off and compete immediately at a high level.
These are questions and answers from the initial pregame press conference, earlier today, ahead of the CFP National Championship:
Q. How much do you think has helped your success here in the early goings there in the first two years, that a lot of the guys, some of the guys are a little bit older that can bring along, like, second- and third-year guys?
CURT CIGNETTI: No, I think it helps us a ton, but that’s what we look for, too. When I came, you know, it was a quick process, a three-day hiring process. When I got here, we had 10 offensive starters in the transfer portal, and we had one returner on defense. So we were down to 40 scholarships by day three.
So we needed to hit the portal hard. And we signed 22 guys that all have been two- or three-year starters with consistent production. I knew we had flipped the roster.
And then every year, as your high school recruiting builds up, you kind of start to wean down a bit from the portal. You’ll never be at a point where you don’t engage with the portal. And this year we’ll take a few less than we took last year and we took a few less last year than we took the year before.
But I think getting older, mature guys that played a lot of football, if they’ve got the right stuff, which I’m not bringing them in if they don’t, it’s an asset
Q. Building off the last question, what to you is that perfect balance of guys in the transfer portal and then guys you’ve recruited, and how you’ve been able to develop all of that talent as you get into the next couple of years with your program?
CURT CIGNETTI: I don’t look at it that way. I think in college football, nowadays, you’ve got to win every year. With social media the way it is, the pressure to be successful, you’ve got to put together a team that’s ready to compete for championships every single year.
Now, the more success you have, the better you’re going to recruit from the high school ranks. And those guys will develop, and most of them will redshirt, but some of them will play as a freshman.
We’re always going to bring in 20, give or take one or two, high school guys. I think we brought in 23 this year. Some of those guys are ready to help us right away in some capacity. But the portal guys, you’re bringing them in because you have a critical need, where have you to fill a hole on your football team.
So we’ve been successful doing it. College football’s changed a lot, obviously, still changing. You’ve got to adapt, improvise, be light on your feet if you’re going to survive. And that’s where I think all that recruiting coordinator experience I had in the past, too, as well as coaching probably benefited me.