'Hell of a Defensive Coordinator': Indiana Fought 'Blue Bloods' to Keep Bryant Haines

One month after Indiana gave defensive coordinator Bryant Haines a three-year contract extension in December 2024, the Hoosiers had to up their ante.

Bigger programs started calling, and Haines, a finalist last year for the Broyles Award given annually to the nation's top assistant, was a hot commodity. So, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti turned to Athletic Director Scott Dolson and President Pamela Whitten for help.

Dolson and Whitten responded by making Haines one of the highest-paid assistants in the nation. He's set to make at least $2 million each year through 2027, according to The Herald-Times.

Cignetti often emphasizes putting the right people in the right places around him to sustain success. While Haines proved to be an expensive retention, Cignetti deemed it necessary for Indiana to build on its 2024 College Football Playoff appearance.

"It's the best conference in football (and) we want to be the best, and to stay on that trajectory, these are the kind of things you've got to do," Cignetti said Tuesday at Big Ten Media Day. "You've got to be able to keep key people."

Haines was linked to defensive coordinator vacancies at Penn State and Ohio State before the extension. And while Cignetti didn't name specific programs, he confirmed there was significant interest not only in Haines, but also strength and conditioning coach Derek Owings, who was targeted heavily this spring by USC.

Indiana gave Owings a three-year contract extension and substantial pay raise in May.

"I really give Scott and President Whitten a lot of credit for providing the resources and funds to keep coordinators away from the blue bloods, and strength and conditioning coaches," Cignetti said. "Because those are key people for me — they've been with me a long time.

"They're hard to replace. And when you do replace them, there's a blip. So, it's important."

Indiana senior linebacker Aiden Fisher acknowledged at Big Ten Media Day it was difficult to ignore the rumors of Haines' potential exit, and senior defensive end Mikail Kamara said he saw it while trying to decide whether to return to Indiana for an additional season.

Kamara, who's been with Haines since 2020, is excited to spend his final year of eligibility in the same system that led him to first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2024.

"I definitely would have been upset if I came back and he left," Kamara said Tuesday. "But at the end of the day, unfortunately, those things I really have no control over. That's up to Cig, that's up to Scott, our AD. But to have him back is great, because he's a hell of a coach.

"He knows what he's doing, and he continues to improve every single year. I'm happy to have him."

Like Kamara and an abundance of players and coaches, Haines followed Cignetti from James Madison to Indiana. But Haines' ties to Cignetti span much further.

Cignetti hired Haines to be his defensive line coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2014. Apart from 2016, when Haines left to be the linebackers coach at UC Davis, he and Cignetti have been together ever since.

Kamara believes Cignetti's loyalty to his coaches and players stems from understanding the quality of the pieces he has in his possession.

"He understands Coach Haines is a hell of a defensive coordinator, or Coach (Mike) Shanahan is a hell of an offensive coordinator," Kamara said. "So, he's going to make sure they're paid what they deserve. He's going to treat them the way that they supposed to be treated. And I think he really lets them kind of grow on their own.

"He kind of coaches the coaches and the coaches coach us. But I think the biggest thing is, Cig kind of always understands, 'Okay, these guys are talented, and I want to make sure they're getting paid and they get the things they deserve.'"

And while it took two new contracts to stave off the competition, Cignetti ultimately succeeded in his pursuit to keep Haines for an 11th season. Now, Indiana hopes results will follow — a safe bet given Haines' track record with Cignetti.