Indiana Locks In Coordinators Haines and Shanahan With Major Extensions Ahead of Rose Bowl
Just days before Indiana takes the field in the Rose Bowl, the Hoosiers made a pair of high-impact moves off it-securing coordinators Bryant Haines and Mike Shanahan to new three-year deals that place them among the highest-paid assistants in college football. It’s a significant investment, and one that signals Indiana’s intent to keep building on the momentum they’ve generated under Curt Cignetti.
Cignetti didn’t mince words when asked about the deals. “Both those guys have been with me a long time; they both do a great job,” he said Monday.
“Bryant had some calls, had some people very seriously interested in him. We thought it was important to be proactive.
We also wanted to lock Mike up, who's very deserving. And I'm glad we did."
This wasn’t just about keeping the band together-it was about protecting the core of a coaching staff that’s helped elevate Indiana into national relevance. Haines, who’s expected to become the first assistant in IU history to earn more than $3 million annually, has been a defensive architect for Cignetti since their days at IUP.
His journey through the ranks-from defensive line coach and strength coordinator in 2014 to defensive coordinator at JMU and now Indiana-has been marked by consistent success. Since taking over play-calling duties in 2022, Haines has fielded a top-five defense in three of the last four seasons.
That’s not just impressive-it’s elite.
Haines has built his defenses around discipline, physicality, and adaptability. And the results speak for themselves.
Whether it was shutting down high-powered offenses or making in-game adjustments that flipped momentum, his units have been a steady force. With the Big Ten becoming even more competitive, keeping a defensive mind like Haines in Bloomington is a major win.
On the other side of the ball, Shanahan’s rise has been just as impactful. He’s been with Cignetti since 2016, but it was in 2021 when he took over play-calling duties-and the offense hasn’t looked back since.
This season, Indiana enters the Rose Bowl boasting the No. 4 scoring offense in the country, averaging 41.9 points per game, and the No. 8 total offense at 472.8 yards per game. Both marks lead the Big Ten.
And let’s not forget: Shanahan’s offense is powered by Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, who has thrived in a system that blends tempo, creativity, and balance. Shanahan’s ability to tailor game plans to his personnel has been a hallmark of his success, and his connection with Mendoza has turned Indiana into one of the most explosive teams in the country.
Continuity has been a major theme for Cignetti since arriving in Bloomington. He retained nearly his entire staff after the 2024 season-only quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri didn’t return-and that stability has paid off. Cignetti credited that consistency as a key factor in Indiana’s rise, and on Monday, he made it clear the rest of the staff will be taken care of soon.
“At the end of the season, we'll move on with the rest of staff,” he said.
For Indiana, this is more than just a reward for two trusted lieutenants. It’s a statement of intent. In a college football landscape where top assistants are constantly being courted, locking up Haines and Shanahan sends a clear message: Indiana is serious about winning, and they’re building something built to last.