Completed Event: Football versus Weber State on August 30, 2025 , Win , 45, to, 10
FB
Final
James Madison
45
vs Weber State
10
James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
Football
Cignetti, Curt
Curt Cignetti
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Phone:
- 540-568-6517
- Physical Address:
- Plecker APC 224 (220 Champions Dr.) / MSC 2201
James Madison Director of Athletics Jeff Bourne named Curt Cignetti the eighth head coach in the history of the JMU football program on December 14, 2018.
Cignetti, who led JMU into its transition into the Football Bowl Subdivision and the Sun Belt Conference, has climbed the ladder throughout a 40-year football coaching career.
His resume includes multiple FBS stops as an assistant coach and a 108-34 record (.761) in 12 seasons as a head coach, with six at NCAA Division II Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2011-16), two at Elon (2017-18) and four at JMU (2019-present).
In four seasons with the Dukes, he’s compiled a 41-8 record with a 24-3 mark in conference play between the Sun Belt and Colonial Athletic Association. Prior to JMU’s jump to the FBS level, Cignetti guided JMU to three straight CAA championships and FCS playoff berths, reaching the 2019 national championship and FCS semifinals in both 2020 and 2021.
Cignetti is a two-time Virginia Sports Information Directors State Coach of the Year and 2019 Eddie Robinson Award finalist. While at JMU, he’s mentored 27 total players to All-America status, with 25 at the FCS level between 2019 and 2021 and two in JMU’s inaugural FBS season in 2022. Additionally, three players have been recipients of major national awards in Ron’Dell Carter (2019 Phil Steele FCS National Defensive Player of the Year), Cole Johnson (2021 CFPA FCS National Performer of the Year) and Ethan Ratke (2021 Fred Mitchell Outstanding Place Kicker Award).
At the conference level, Cignetti’s Dukes have earned three Offensive Player of the Year honors, in addition to one Defensive and one Special Teams Player of the Year awards. JMU has totaled 55 all-conference laurels in his four years at the helm. That includes Todd Centeio being voted 2022 Sun Belt Offensive Player and Newcomer of the Year, as 12 Dukes earned spots on the All-Sun Belt Team.
In JMU’s first FBS campaign, the Dukes made an immediate impact in their new league, going 8-3 overall with a 6-2 mark in conference play to finish tied for first in the Sun Belt East Division. JMU opened the season with a 5-0 record, earning its spot in the AP Top 25 Poll for the first time.
JMU’s first Sun Belt season was highlighted by wins against Middle Tennessee in its first home FBS game, a thrilling comeback at App State in which it trailed 28-3 in the second quarter, and a dominant 47-7 victory in the regular-season finale versus #23 Coastal Carolina to become Kings of the East. Two Dukes were named Honorable Mention FBS All-Americans in wide receiver Kris Thornton and defensive lineman Isaac Ukwu.
The Dukes ranked top 15 nationally in 12 statistical categories, which included second in rushing defense (79.5), tackles for loss per game (8.6) and first downs allowed per contest (13.82). JMU also ranked fourth in sacks per game (3.45), fifth in total defense (289.5), sixth in both third-down defense (.284) and time of possession (33:44), seventh in both yards per completion (14.54) and fumble recoveries (13), 13th in scoring offense (37.0) and 14th in both takeaways (24) and pick-sixes (2).
Prior to JMU’s move up to FBS, the Dukes concluded their time in the FCS as one of the best squads each season.
In his first season at the helm in 2019, Cignetti guided the Dukes to a 14-2 record and earned a trip to the NCAA Division I Championship game. The Dukes reeled off 14 consecutive wins after a narrow 20-13 defeat in the season opener at Big 12 foe West Virginia. JMU went 8-0 in league play to obtain the outright CAA title and notched eight nationally-ranked wins, with there in the top 10.
The Dukes led the country in total defense (270.2) while ranking third in scoring offense (40.0), scoring defense (15.7) and rushing defense (74.8) and 10th in both total offense (465.8) and rushing offense (242.9). A total of 10 players earned All-America status, including Carter who was runner-up for the Buck Buchanan Award.
In year two, which JMU would play in its only spring season ever, the Dukes went 7-1 and reached the FCS semifinals, falling just short to eventual national champion Sam Houston.
Nationally, JMU was second on fourth-down conversions (.857), third in rushing defense (72.4), fifth in total defense (243.4), sixth in rushing offense (232.6), yards per completion (14.82), time of possession (34:20) and pass efficiency defense (100.74), seventh in pass efficiency offense (156.28), eighth in scoring defense (16.5) and 10th in third-down conversions (.484). Five players earned All-America status in Buchanan Award finalist Mike Greene, Ethan Ratke, Percy Agyei-Obese, Raymond Gillespie and Kyle Davis.
In his third season and JMU’s last in the FCS, it finished 12-2 and once again reached the national semifinals, falling to eventual champion North Dakota State by a single score. The Dukes capped off the season with another CAA title, which was the program’s sixth in seven years.
Special teams earned the spotlight as kicker Ethan Ratke broke NCAA all-division records for career field goals (101) and scoring by a kicker (542) after making a JMU-record 29 kicks in 2021. Cole Johnson also turned in the program’s best passing season in the 50-year history, as he took fourth on the Walter Payton Award voting after throwing for JMU records in passing yards (3,779) and passing touchdowns (41).
JMU produced 10 All-Americans for the second time in three seasons and 14 Dukes were all-conference honorees. In the FCS ranks, JMU led the country in turnover margin (+1.36), takeaways (31) and field goals per game (2.07) while ranking top 10 in 18 statistical categories. Some included being second in tackles for loss (8.2), third in completion percentage (.676), fourth in interceptions made (18), fifth in scoring offense (38.3) and third-down defense (.272), seventh in scoring defense (15.4) and eighth in total defense (275.2), rushing defense (89.0) and fewest interceptions (5).
Prior to his hiring at JMU, Cignetti paced the sidelines as head coach at Elon, amassing a 14-9 record in two seasons after inheriting a program that went 12-45 in the previous five campaigns. The Phoenix qualified for the FCS Playoffs in both 2017 (8-4) and 2018 (6-5) to attain just the second and third Division I playoff appearances in program history (2009).
The Phoenix achieved a six-win turnaround in Cignetti’s first season, going 8-4 after a 2-9 ledger the year prior. Cignetti was named Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year as Elon finished second in the CAA, at 6-2, dropped a tough 28-27 decision to Furman in the First Round of the FCS Playoffs and finished 20th in the national rankings.
In 2018, Elon went 6-4 in the regular season before dropping a 19-7 decision at #12 Wofford in the playoffs to finish 6-5. Elon’s other losses came to FBS South Florida and against three CAA teams that qualified for the playoffs. All three losses also came after injuries impacted key performers at quarterback and running back. Elon’s season was highlighted by the ninth-ranked Phoenix winning at No. 2 JMU 27-24 in October to achieve the program’s first-ever win over an FCS top-five opponent and becoming the first CAA team to beat the Dukes following a streak of 22 straight JMU wins over league foes.
Walking in the footsteps where his father coached for 20 years, Cignetti earned his first head coaching job at IUP and went 53-17 in six seasons with three appearances in the Division II playoffs and four top-25 finishes in the national rankings. The Crimson Hawks went 33-11 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference after going 4-10 in the two seasons prior to Cignetti’s arrival. IUP was 4-3 in its three NCAA appearances during his tenure and finished as high as 12th in the 2016 final rankings.
An offensive-minded assistant coach at the FBS level for 27 seasons, Cignetti was an original member of Nick Saban’s first coaching staff at Alabama, filling the role of recruiting coordinator and wide receivers coach for 2007 through 2010. He was part of a staff that returned the Crimson Tide to national prominence, going 12-2 in their second season in 2008 while Cignetti concurrently compiled the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class. Alabama went undefeated as national champions the following season in 2009, the only undefeated final record during Saban’s run in Tuscaloosa, pending the conclusion of the 2018 campaign. Alabama went 10-3 in Cignetti’s final season before he earned his first head coaching job at IUP.
Cignetti joined the staff at Alabama after spending seven seasons (2000-06) as the recruiting coordinator at North Carolina State while also coaching tight ends from 2000-02 and 2005-06 and quarterbacks during the 2003 and 2004 campaigns. NC State qualified for five bowl games during that time, including the 2002 Gator Bowl, when the team set a school record with 11 victories. One of his last recruits before moving to Alabama was quarterback Russell Wilson, who played at NC State before moving on to Wisconsin as a senior.
The first recruiting coordinator role for Cignetti came during a seven-year stint (1993-99) at Pittsburgh. He also coached the Panthers’ tight ends and quarterbacks at various times under College Football Hall of Fame head coach Johnny Majors. Cignetti began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Pitt during the 1983 and 1984 seasons and was part of the team’s Fiesta Bowl participant his first year. He coached quarterbacks and receivers at Davidson in 1985 and was the quarterbacks coach at Rice (1986-88) and Temple (1989-92).
A quarterback letter winner at West Virginia, Cignetti is a 1982 graduate of WVU with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He is married to the former Manette Lawer. Curt and Manette have three children: Curtis John, Carly Ann and Natalie Elise, who was an honorable mention All-American in volleyball at IUP.
The sport of football runs deep in the Cignetti family. His father, Frank Cignetti, is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame after playing at IUP and compiling a coaching record of 199-77-1 at West Virginia (1976-79) and IUP (1986-2005). The field at IUP is named in his honor (Frank Cignetti Field @ George P. Miller Stadium).
Nick Saban coached under Frank Cignetti before later employing Curt Cignetti at Alabama. Curt’s younger brother, Frank, Jr., is offensive coordinator at Pitt and worked in the NFL with the Packers, Giants, Rams, 49ers, Saints and Chiefs.
Cignetti, who led JMU into its transition into the Football Bowl Subdivision and the Sun Belt Conference, has climbed the ladder throughout a 40-year football coaching career.
His resume includes multiple FBS stops as an assistant coach and a 108-34 record (.761) in 12 seasons as a head coach, with six at NCAA Division II Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2011-16), two at Elon (2017-18) and four at JMU (2019-present).
In four seasons with the Dukes, he’s compiled a 41-8 record with a 24-3 mark in conference play between the Sun Belt and Colonial Athletic Association. Prior to JMU’s jump to the FBS level, Cignetti guided JMU to three straight CAA championships and FCS playoff berths, reaching the 2019 national championship and FCS semifinals in both 2020 and 2021.
Cignetti is a two-time Virginia Sports Information Directors State Coach of the Year and 2019 Eddie Robinson Award finalist. While at JMU, he’s mentored 27 total players to All-America status, with 25 at the FCS level between 2019 and 2021 and two in JMU’s inaugural FBS season in 2022. Additionally, three players have been recipients of major national awards in Ron’Dell Carter (2019 Phil Steele FCS National Defensive Player of the Year), Cole Johnson (2021 CFPA FCS National Performer of the Year) and Ethan Ratke (2021 Fred Mitchell Outstanding Place Kicker Award).
At the conference level, Cignetti’s Dukes have earned three Offensive Player of the Year honors, in addition to one Defensive and one Special Teams Player of the Year awards. JMU has totaled 55 all-conference laurels in his four years at the helm. That includes Todd Centeio being voted 2022 Sun Belt Offensive Player and Newcomer of the Year, as 12 Dukes earned spots on the All-Sun Belt Team.
In JMU’s first FBS campaign, the Dukes made an immediate impact in their new league, going 8-3 overall with a 6-2 mark in conference play to finish tied for first in the Sun Belt East Division. JMU opened the season with a 5-0 record, earning its spot in the AP Top 25 Poll for the first time.
JMU’s first Sun Belt season was highlighted by wins against Middle Tennessee in its first home FBS game, a thrilling comeback at App State in which it trailed 28-3 in the second quarter, and a dominant 47-7 victory in the regular-season finale versus #23 Coastal Carolina to become Kings of the East. Two Dukes were named Honorable Mention FBS All-Americans in wide receiver Kris Thornton and defensive lineman Isaac Ukwu.
The Dukes ranked top 15 nationally in 12 statistical categories, which included second in rushing defense (79.5), tackles for loss per game (8.6) and first downs allowed per contest (13.82). JMU also ranked fourth in sacks per game (3.45), fifth in total defense (289.5), sixth in both third-down defense (.284) and time of possession (33:44), seventh in both yards per completion (14.54) and fumble recoveries (13), 13th in scoring offense (37.0) and 14th in both takeaways (24) and pick-sixes (2).
Prior to JMU’s move up to FBS, the Dukes concluded their time in the FCS as one of the best squads each season.
In his first season at the helm in 2019, Cignetti guided the Dukes to a 14-2 record and earned a trip to the NCAA Division I Championship game. The Dukes reeled off 14 consecutive wins after a narrow 20-13 defeat in the season opener at Big 12 foe West Virginia. JMU went 8-0 in league play to obtain the outright CAA title and notched eight nationally-ranked wins, with there in the top 10.
The Dukes led the country in total defense (270.2) while ranking third in scoring offense (40.0), scoring defense (15.7) and rushing defense (74.8) and 10th in both total offense (465.8) and rushing offense (242.9). A total of 10 players earned All-America status, including Carter who was runner-up for the Buck Buchanan Award.
In year two, which JMU would play in its only spring season ever, the Dukes went 7-1 and reached the FCS semifinals, falling just short to eventual national champion Sam Houston.
Nationally, JMU was second on fourth-down conversions (.857), third in rushing defense (72.4), fifth in total defense (243.4), sixth in rushing offense (232.6), yards per completion (14.82), time of possession (34:20) and pass efficiency defense (100.74), seventh in pass efficiency offense (156.28), eighth in scoring defense (16.5) and 10th in third-down conversions (.484). Five players earned All-America status in Buchanan Award finalist Mike Greene, Ethan Ratke, Percy Agyei-Obese, Raymond Gillespie and Kyle Davis.
In his third season and JMU’s last in the FCS, it finished 12-2 and once again reached the national semifinals, falling to eventual champion North Dakota State by a single score. The Dukes capped off the season with another CAA title, which was the program’s sixth in seven years.
Special teams earned the spotlight as kicker Ethan Ratke broke NCAA all-division records for career field goals (101) and scoring by a kicker (542) after making a JMU-record 29 kicks in 2021. Cole Johnson also turned in the program’s best passing season in the 50-year history, as he took fourth on the Walter Payton Award voting after throwing for JMU records in passing yards (3,779) and passing touchdowns (41).
JMU produced 10 All-Americans for the second time in three seasons and 14 Dukes were all-conference honorees. In the FCS ranks, JMU led the country in turnover margin (+1.36), takeaways (31) and field goals per game (2.07) while ranking top 10 in 18 statistical categories. Some included being second in tackles for loss (8.2), third in completion percentage (.676), fourth in interceptions made (18), fifth in scoring offense (38.3) and third-down defense (.272), seventh in scoring defense (15.4) and eighth in total defense (275.2), rushing defense (89.0) and fewest interceptions (5).
Prior to his hiring at JMU, Cignetti paced the sidelines as head coach at Elon, amassing a 14-9 record in two seasons after inheriting a program that went 12-45 in the previous five campaigns. The Phoenix qualified for the FCS Playoffs in both 2017 (8-4) and 2018 (6-5) to attain just the second and third Division I playoff appearances in program history (2009).
The Phoenix achieved a six-win turnaround in Cignetti’s first season, going 8-4 after a 2-9 ledger the year prior. Cignetti was named Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year as Elon finished second in the CAA, at 6-2, dropped a tough 28-27 decision to Furman in the First Round of the FCS Playoffs and finished 20th in the national rankings.
In 2018, Elon went 6-4 in the regular season before dropping a 19-7 decision at #12 Wofford in the playoffs to finish 6-5. Elon’s other losses came to FBS South Florida and against three CAA teams that qualified for the playoffs. All three losses also came after injuries impacted key performers at quarterback and running back. Elon’s season was highlighted by the ninth-ranked Phoenix winning at No. 2 JMU 27-24 in October to achieve the program’s first-ever win over an FCS top-five opponent and becoming the first CAA team to beat the Dukes following a streak of 22 straight JMU wins over league foes.
Walking in the footsteps where his father coached for 20 years, Cignetti earned his first head coaching job at IUP and went 53-17 in six seasons with three appearances in the Division II playoffs and four top-25 finishes in the national rankings. The Crimson Hawks went 33-11 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference after going 4-10 in the two seasons prior to Cignetti’s arrival. IUP was 4-3 in its three NCAA appearances during his tenure and finished as high as 12th in the 2016 final rankings.
An offensive-minded assistant coach at the FBS level for 27 seasons, Cignetti was an original member of Nick Saban’s first coaching staff at Alabama, filling the role of recruiting coordinator and wide receivers coach for 2007 through 2010. He was part of a staff that returned the Crimson Tide to national prominence, going 12-2 in their second season in 2008 while Cignetti concurrently compiled the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class. Alabama went undefeated as national champions the following season in 2009, the only undefeated final record during Saban’s run in Tuscaloosa, pending the conclusion of the 2018 campaign. Alabama went 10-3 in Cignetti’s final season before he earned his first head coaching job at IUP.
Cignetti joined the staff at Alabama after spending seven seasons (2000-06) as the recruiting coordinator at North Carolina State while also coaching tight ends from 2000-02 and 2005-06 and quarterbacks during the 2003 and 2004 campaigns. NC State qualified for five bowl games during that time, including the 2002 Gator Bowl, when the team set a school record with 11 victories. One of his last recruits before moving to Alabama was quarterback Russell Wilson, who played at NC State before moving on to Wisconsin as a senior.
The first recruiting coordinator role for Cignetti came during a seven-year stint (1993-99) at Pittsburgh. He also coached the Panthers’ tight ends and quarterbacks at various times under College Football Hall of Fame head coach Johnny Majors. Cignetti began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Pitt during the 1983 and 1984 seasons and was part of the team’s Fiesta Bowl participant his first year. He coached quarterbacks and receivers at Davidson in 1985 and was the quarterbacks coach at Rice (1986-88) and Temple (1989-92).
A quarterback letter winner at West Virginia, Cignetti is a 1982 graduate of WVU with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He is married to the former Manette Lawer. Curt and Manette have three children: Curtis John, Carly Ann and Natalie Elise, who was an honorable mention All-American in volleyball at IUP.
The sport of football runs deep in the Cignetti family. His father, Frank Cignetti, is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame after playing at IUP and compiling a coaching record of 199-77-1 at West Virginia (1976-79) and IUP (1986-2005). The field at IUP is named in his honor (Frank Cignetti Field @ George P. Miller Stadium).
Nick Saban coached under Frank Cignetti before later employing Curt Cignetti at Alabama. Curt’s younger brother, Frank, Jr., is offensive coordinator at Pitt and worked in the NFL with the Packers, Giants, Rams, 49ers, Saints and Chiefs.
| The Curt Cignetti File |
|---|
| Birthdate | June 2, 1961 |
| Alma Mater | West Virginia '82 |
| Wife | Manette Cignetti |
| Children | Curtis John, Carly Ann and Natalie Elise |
| Coaching Experience |
|---|
| 1983-1984 | Graduate Assistant, Pitt |
| 1985 | Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers, Davidson |
| 1986-1988 | Quarterbacks, Rice |
| 1989-1992 | Quarterbacks, Temple |
| 1993-1999 | Quarterbacks/Tight Ends, Pitt |
| 2000-2006 | Recruiting Coordinator/Quarterbacks/Tight Ends, NC State |
| 2007-2010 | Recruiting Coordinator/Wide Receivers, Alabama |
| 2011-2016 | Head Coach, Indiana University of Pennsylvania |
| 2017-2018 | Head Coach, Elon |
| 2019-present | Head Coach, James Madison |
| Playing Experience |
|---|
| 1979-1982 | Letterwinner Quarterback at West Virginia |
| Coaching Awards |
|---|
| 2017 | CAA Coach of the Year Eddie Robinson Award Finalist (4th) |
| 2019 | Eddie Robinson Award Finalist (6th) VaSID State Coach of the Year |
| 2021 | Touchdown Club of Richmond Bobby Ross Coach of the Year VaSID State Coach of the Year |
| Cignetti Year-by-Year |
|---|
| All-Time Record | 108-34 (.761) - 12 seasons |
| 2011 | 7-3 (5-2, 3rd PSAC West) |
| 2012 | 12-2 (6-1, t-1st PSAC West) | PSAC Champions | DII Quarterfinals | Final Ranking: 7 |
| 2013 | 9-2 (5-2, 2nd PSAC West) | Final Ranking: 24 |
| 2014 | 6-5 (5-4, 5th PSAC West) |
| 2015 | 9-3 (6-1, t-1st PSAC West) | DII Second Round | Final Ranking: 19 |
| 2016 | 10-2 (6-1, 2nd PSAC West) | DII Second Round | Final Ranking: 12 |
| IUP Record | 53-17 (.757) - 6 seasons |
| 2017 | 8-4 (6-2, 3rd CAA) | FCS First Round | Final Ranking: 20 |
| 2018 | 6-5 (4-3, 6th CAA) | FCS First Round |
| Elon Record | 14-9 (.609) - 2 seasons |
| 2019 | 14-2 (8-0, 1st CAA) | CAA Champions, FCS National Championship Game | Final Ranking: 2 |
| 2020-21 | 7-1 (3-0, 1st CAA South) | CAA Co-Champions, FCS Semifinals | Final Ranking: 3 |
| 2021 | 12-2 (7-1, t-1st CAA) | CAA Co-Champions, FCS Semifinals | Final Ranking: 3 |
| 2022 | 8-3 (6-2, t-1st Sun Belt East) |
| JMU Record | 41-8 (.837) - 4 seasons |
| Cignetti Postseason, Team and Player Awards as a Head Coach |
|---|
| CAA Championships | 3 (2019, 2020-21, 2021) |
| National Runner-Up Finishes | 1 (2019) |
| PSAC Championships | 1 (2012) |
| NCAA Berths | 8 (2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020-21, 2021) |
| Top-25 National Ranking Finishes | 8 (4 at IUP, 1 at Elon, 3 at JMU) |
| Walter Payton Award Finalists | 1 (1 at JMU) |
| Buck Buchanan Award Finalists | 4 (3 at JMU, 1 at Elon) |
| Jerry Rice Award Finalists | 1 (1 at Elon) |
| CFPA FCS National Performer of the Year | 1 (1 at JMU) |
| Phil Steele FCS National Defensive Player of the Year | 1 (1 at JMU) |
| FBS All-Americans | 2 |
| Consensus FCS All-Americans | 3 (3 at JMU) |
| FCS All-Americans | 30 (25 at JMU, 5 at Elon) |
| Sun Belt Offensive Players of the Year | 1 |
| Sun Belt Newcomers of the Year | 1 |
| Sun Belt All-Conference Selections | 12 |
| CAA Offensive Players of the Year | 2 (2 at JMU) |
| CAA Defensive Players of the Year | 2 (2 at JMU) |
| CAA Special Teams Players of the Year | 2 (2 at JMU) |
| CAA Offensive Rookies of the Year | 2 (2 at Elon) |
| CAA All-Conference Selections | 58 (43 at JMU, 15 at Elon) |
| VaSID State Players of the Year | 1 |
| VaSID State Special Teams Players of the Year | 2 |
| VaSID State Offensive Rookies of the Year | 1 |
| VaSID State Defensive Rookies of the Year | 1 |
| VaSID All-State Selections | 44 |
| Reese's Senior Bowl Invitee | 1 |
| East-West Shrine Game Invitee | 1 |
| NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Invitees | 2 |
| Hula Bowl Invitees | 2 |
| Tropical Bowl Invitee | 1 |
| CoSIDA Academic All-District | 8 |
| NFF Chapter Scholar-Athlete Award Finalist | 1 |
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