Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti is reuniting with a familiar face - and a trusted one at that. Tino Sunseri is returning to Bloomington as the Hoosiers’ quarterbacks coach, according to multiple reports Tuesday evening. It’s a move that brings back a coach with a proven track record of developing talent under center, and one who knows exactly what Cignetti wants from the position.
This hire comes on the heels of Chandler Whitmer’s departure for the NFL, leaving a vacancy in Indiana’s offensive staff. Sunseri, who had previously left IU after the 2024 season to take on the offensive coordinator role at UCLA, finds himself back in a more familiar setting. His time in Westwood was short-lived - just four games into the 2025 season, Sunseri and UCLA mutually agreed to part ways.
But don’t let that brief stint cloud the bigger picture. Sunseri has consistently gotten results from his quarterbacks, and his resume speaks for itself.
In 2024, he worked with Kurtis Rourke at Indiana, helping guide the offense during Cignetti’s first year at the helm. Before that, Sunseri was instrumental in the quarterback success story at James Madison, where he and Cignetti built one of the most efficient and explosive offenses in the Sun Belt.
At JMU, Sunseri helped Jordan McCloud earn Sun Belt Player of the Year honors in 2023. The year before, it was Todd Centeio taking home the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year award.
And in 2021, Cole Johnson rewrote the school’s record books, setting single-season marks for passing yards (3,779), touchdowns (41), and completions (287). That’s three different quarterbacks, three straight years of elite production - a testament to Sunseri’s ability to tailor his coaching to the strengths of his players.
His coaching roots are steeped in elite football culture, too. Before joining Cignetti at JMU, Sunseri spent over two years on Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama, working primarily with quarterbacks as a graduate assistant.
That kind of experience - learning the intricacies of quarterback play in one of the most demanding programs in college football - doesn’t just go away. It shapes how you coach, how you prepare, and how you develop leaders at the most important position on the field.
For Indiana, this is more than just a coaching hire. It’s about continuity, trust, and getting the most out of a quarterback room that will be pivotal to the Hoosiers’ success in 2025 and beyond. Cignetti knows what he’s getting in Sunseri - a technician, a motivator, and someone who’s already proven he can elevate the play of his quarterbacks in this system.
With Sunseri back in the fold, Indiana’s quarterback development is in steady hands.