Cignetti talks a big game, but can the hapless Hoosiers finally win some football games this season?

He's brash and he's confident. He's turned over the roster, brought in 46 new players. It's time for IU to turn a corner.

Curt Cignetti talks a big, bold, brash game, and I love it.

IU’s new football coach isn’t asking for patience, not even a little bit, this despite the fact the Hoosiers have produced just three winning seasons in the last 30 and have won just three Big Ten games in the last three years. Since the moment he arrived on campus, Cignetti has turned the program upside-down, bringing in 46 new players to the roster, including former Ohio University quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who is expected to be the Hoosiers’ Day One starter. And Cignetti has talked a good game – a really good game.

Prior to last year’s Big Ten title game at Lucas Oil Stadium, he told the Big Ten Network, “We’ll be playing in this game next year.”

During his introductory press conference, he was asked about selling recruits on an IU program whose history is marked by losing; IU is the losingest program in Division I history.

“It’s pretty simple,” he said. “I win. Google me.”

He’s not lying. He was 52-9 at James Madison. He was a combined119-35 at three programs he’s led in his coaching career. In his mind, his approach has worked everywhere he’s been, even if it was at a lower level; why wouldn’t it work in the Big Ten? More to the point, why can’t it work right away, especially with a schedule that features three non-conference softies  (Florida International, Western Illinois, Charlotte) that should put the Hoosiers in a position to earn a bowl berth? UCLA is beatable, even at the Rose Bowl. Michigan State is beatable. Purdue is beatable, picked to finish last in the 18-team Big Ten. Northwestern can be had. The Hoosiers can win six games. The schedule lines up beautifully.

He’s turned programs around quickly before. Google him. He wins.