Cignetti a perfect fit with Tide

By Robert Rousseau  |   Monday, June 23, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

Alabama Crimson Tide
Got something to say?

Sign Up and be the first to comment on this article!

What do you want from your team's college football recruiting coordinator? How about a No. 1-rated class? Well, that’s what the Alabama Crimson Tide got from Curt Cignetti during the 2008 recruiting season.

After his first year with the club, no less.

Still, there’s a lot more to this wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator than the 2008 prospect class he helped compel to Tuscaloosa.

Cignetti played quarterback at West Virginia University from 1979-82, playing on two bowl teams and taking home the Lewis D. Meisel Award for academic excellence and the A.C. “Whitley” Gwynn Award for character along the way.

In other words, he's always had the intelligence, work ethic and attitude to be a coach. Cignetti started his coaching career as a graduate assistant with the Pittsburgh Panthers in 1983-84. From there, he coached quarterbacks at Davidson (1985), Rice (1986-88) and at Temple (1989-92).

Then Cignetti spent six more seasons with Pitt (1994-99), serving as recruiting coordinator while coaching tight ends (1994-96, '99) and quarterbacks ('97-98). Afterward, he went to North Carolina State, where he was the Wolfpack's assistant to head coach Chuck Amato and recruiting coordinator. During that span Cignetti coached former Wolfpack quarterback Philip Rivers (now a star in the NFL with San Diego), and Rivals ranked his 2005 recruiting class as one of the nation's 25 best.

Cignetti joined Alabama in 2007 as its recruiting coordinator and receivers coach, experiencing great success. In fact, he coached wideout D.J. Hall to school career receiving yards and receptions records. Additionally, as was mentioned earlier, Cignetti played a large role in bringing in the Tide's '08 recruiting class, which featured stud receiver Julio Jones.

Can’t say Bama is complaining about the job Cignetti’s done, and for good reason.
Got something to say?

Sign Up and be the first to comment on this article! (0)

About Robert Rousseau

Robert Rousseau is a sports writer that has been published in a variety of print and online venues. He’s been writing for RealFootball365.com for almost three years now. When Rousseau isn’t writing about college football he tends to be penning mixed martial arts pieces for MMAFighting.com or ...
read more
Article Tools Share!   |  RSS  |  Bleacher Report About Bleacher Report