It sounds almost unbelievable, right? A college football program that began this season with the most losses in major college football history not only turned things around but went undefeated and claimed the College Football National Championship.
So, how did they pull it off?
Two years ago, Indiana University brought in a new head coach, Curt Cinetti. Interestingly, Cinetti had never been the top coach at a major college before. After nearly 30 years as an assistant coach, he landed his first head coaching role at the age of 50.
His initial stint was at Division II Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Though he had coaching experience at Alabama, he had to take a pay cut just to join the program.
After that, he coached at Elon University, a Division 1 FCS school, and subsequently at James Madison University in Division 1 FBS. At each stop, he achieved playoff appearances and even participated in the FCS National Championship before James Madison transitioned to FBS.
With a record of 119-35, Cinetti led his teams to the postseason nine times over 13 seasons. It’s impressive for someone who had often been overlooked. Indiana hired him at 62 years old.
When Cinetti started at Indiana, he made a bold statement: “Google it, I win!” And he backed it up. Across two seasons, he secured 27 wins, which was the highest total for a coach in their first two years at Indiana since the AP started tracking in 1936.
Historically, Indiana’s football program had a winning percentage of .419 over 136 seasons. Under Cinetti, that skyrocketed to .931. The program had never enjoyed a 10-win season until Cinetti came along and achieved that in both of his seasons. He also led Indiana to its first Big Ten title in 58 years and its first undefeated regular season, culminating in a national championship win.
His success is attributed to cultivating a strong team culture. He emphasizes preparation, setting standards, and demonstrating what winning looks like. Cinetti firmly believes in the idea that while you can choose your direction, the results depend on your actions.
After waiting a long time for a chance at a major college football head coaching position, Cinetti’s story is a reminder that sometimes dreams take longer to come to fruition. Have you ever felt like you were doing everything right, yet results lagged? It’s frustrating, but success often comes when preparation meets opportunity, and Cinetti’s varied experiences prepared him for this moment.
It’s easy to be hard on ourselves when we don’t hit milestones as quickly as we’d like. This pressure can lead to anxiety and doubt. It’s worth noting that everyone’s journey is unique.
Just look at figures like Ray Kroc, Vera Wang, Colonel Sanders, and Martha Stewart—they all found significant success later in life. And even at 80, President Trump stands as one of the oldest presidents in American history, underscoring that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams. Age is just a number; you shape your own path.
Sometimes, success requires waiting longer than we imagine. Rejections can feel discouraging, but they might just redirect you toward a better opportunity.
So, if there’s a goal you’ve been striving for, and it seems distant, hang in there. Don’t lose heart over your efforts; they will eventually be recognized.
Your moment is coming.
