October 22, 2025 • 18 mins
IU Athletic Director Scott Dolson joins us to discuss getting the Curt Cignetti contract extension done, has this IU resurgence under Cignetti gone even better than he could have anticipated?, Fernando Mendoza, NIL in the Big Ten, the hiring of Dairan DeVries and the expectations for the basketball program & more!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
As the sun comes up, we see the rise of
Indiana football at the same time, and they are sitting
there at number two in both the AP and Coaches
poll in college football, and they've got UCLA and another
home game coming up this weekend, and all things seem
to be pointing up, the arrows going in the right direction.
We bring in our next guest to tell us a
little bit more about how this is all happening and
how it's being built. Scott Dolson is the athletic director
(00:22):
over at Indiana University and he is on the Paylesslikers
hotline this morning.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Good morning, Scott.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
It's got to be fun to wake up with just
the who's your mentality these days?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Hey, good morning, and yeah, it's definitely been super exciting
and I can't wait to get back on the field
this Saturday and keep it rolling.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Scott. I was hoping and appreciate the time.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
I hoping you can take us back a couple weeks
ago to you walking into Kurtzignetti's office and saying, you
know what I feel like, now is the time for
a contract extension. How much of that did you view
the win over Oregon? How much of it did you
view there are some openings around college football if you
don't mind, could you walk us through that?
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Sure? It really was a you know, kind of a
comprehensive look at our program and all that with Day
and then obviously we gave him a contract extension last year,
but give him the start this year kind of where
we are where a college football landscape is. We really
wanted him to feel commitment to him, but also a
commitment to football, and you know, basically that was our conversation.
(01:26):
And one of the things that was super important to
us as well is that we didn't want him to
feel that just because he signed a new deal last year.
You know, we know he and his wife Minette love
it here, the family loves it.
Speaker 5 (01:37):
We didn't want him to feel we take him for granted.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Because what he's doing here is really really special and
we feel like we're just getting started. So all those
things were important to us, and I know he appreciated it,
and it was a great process, just like it was
last year, and feel really really confident and continue to
build what we're building.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
You've described him as a unicorn. Could you kind of
expand on that word?
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Yeah, And were only what I meant by that is
he's just obviously he's very unique. You know, when we
had the hiring process, we put together a list of
all the qualities and a head coach that we felt
would put us in the best position to have consistent
success with that program. Things like we wanted an existing
head coach, someone.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
Who had had won consistently.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
We wanted someone had staff continuity, real consistency of staff,
where someone was a quarterback kind of offensive guru.
Speaker 5 (02:32):
We wanted someone to.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Have been a recruiting coordinator. So all those things are reporting.
Coach Saik checked every box. But in addition to that,
why I think he's so special is the first time
I talked to him, he just has this unique personality,
this unique drive focus that when you combine that with
all of his skill set, he is just a what
(02:55):
we felt was a perfect fit for us. But also,
you know, we wouldn't trade him for anybody. Just really
I think, highly highly skilled head coach and understands the
business of college football. He just checks every box and
just as you could tell, we absolutely are thrilled that
he's a.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
Part of the au family and going to be for
a long long time.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Scott James boyd here.
Speaker 6 (03:19):
I'm an Illinois alum, so I am convinced that IU
football is back, baby, because I saw the fifty three
point b down for a few weeks ago.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
But yeah, I was wearing candy striped pants.
Speaker 6 (03:29):
Because of that loss, so I got, you know, I
had to I had to eat some crow there. But
when you look at you know what this program is
able to do the last two years under coach Signetti,
just two losses, and those two losses were are two
teams competed for national championship last year?
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Has this gone better than even you might have expected?
Speaker 3 (03:49):
You know, first of all, James Illinois is a great
program as well, and have a ton of respect for
their ad Josh Whitman and certainly coach Beliema and things
that they're doing there. We studied Illinois when we when
we hired coach sig we looked at programs that we
felt we could compare to, you know, programs around the country.
So we have a lot of respect for Illinois. But
(04:09):
but yeah, we really this has happened. Probably you dream
about stuff like this, but there's no way I would
lose all credibility if I tell you that.
Speaker 5 (04:18):
I imagine that we'd be eighteen to two.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
In our first twenty games. You know, I thought we
would you know, continue to improve, and I thought that
we had a chance to be to be good last year.
But now this has been you know, above and beyond
all expectations. Ultimately, this is where we wanted to get
to tour. We're competing nationally at a high level. But
like I said, if I'd have told you, you know,
the day of the press conference and the day we
(04:40):
hired Coach Sig, that we'd be eighteen to two, yeah,
like I said, you would roll your eyes and s
there's no way you could think that. So yeah, but
with coach Sig and just how he works his plan,
his blueprint, the way he is, you know it really
and again this isn't a company line. This sounds like
it is, but I've been honest with you, James. We
feel like you know, it's really a one day at
a time focus on the on the plan. That's where
(05:03):
we are in the department. That's why Coach Tig works,
That's where I grew up under Coach Knight. Honestly, you've
working as a manager for him, and you know, we
don't think with the smartest people in the room that
we've got all us figured out. We think we just
got a plan. We have to really work that plan, adjust, adapt,
continue to try to improve what we can. And you know,
our opponent is now UCLA and that game plan and
(05:25):
we just got to stick to that.
Speaker 6 (05:26):
So you talk about adjusting and adapting, and you look
at the Lansheale coalls football. These days, you constantly have
to retoll your roster and one of the best ways
to do that is to transfer a portal.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
And you look at last year's roster, which was a
great team.
Speaker 6 (05:38):
In this year's team, with the addition of Fernando Mendoza,
what has it been like getting him acclimated to the
IU program. What do you think he's brought to the
most important discis in the sport.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Yeah, Fernando has been amazing, first of all off the field,
and you could probably tell in his interviews he's one
of the more Uh just I love him.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
I mean he seems like a coach we've had.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Yeah, we've had some, you know, we have a great kids,
but we've never had any anyone any better than Fernando.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
He's just a wonderful young man.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
And I sound old when I say that he just
I really enjoyed my lunch with Ian Verdo late in
the summer and it was just it's amazing, like their
old friends. I mean, he's just great people, great family.
So he's been he's adjusted really well. But in addition
to that, on the field, just to fit with Coach Sig,
the way Coach Sig develops quarterbacks, you know, back to
(06:28):
when we hired Coach Sig, that was a really big
important part of the process. Feel that that position, as
you said, it's such a key position, and you know,
his development here I think speaks volumes for our program
and also speaks volumes for the work that he puts in.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
You know, every day.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
I've heard Coach Sigg say, this's publicly multiple times, that
he's never been around someone who works at it is
hard or no one's ever worked any harder than he has.
And he continues to extra time. I know this summer
in June and July, Fernando and Alberta would come into
the office in the afternoons and watch film and continue
to just work on the mental side of being a quarterback.
(07:07):
And you know, those things pay dividends. So we're thrilled
to have him here, thrill to that Alberto here as well,
and look forward to the future and just watching him develop,
it's been.
Speaker 5 (07:16):
It's been awesome.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
He's the athletic director at Indiana University and the architect
of helping to build this athletic program into what we're
seeing right now. And we'll talk about the new basketball
coach in a second, but in this day and age
of big money and on everything else that goes on,
I feel that India's positioned well to compete in that environment,
being in the Big ten, some some terrific alumni boosters
(07:41):
things like that, How would you describe the position that
IU is in to compete moving forward with the biggest
programs in the country.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
You know, it's a it's a it's a it's a
daily work and progress and a commitment. And I agree
with you in terms of, you know, I think you know,
you hear this word alignment a lot, and I think
we're positioned. You know, I could go back to when
Freig Glass was AD and I was WAD, and he
did so much work on our facility end, and that
helps kind of lead us into this new transformational time
in college athletics and President Whitten has been massive in
(08:14):
terms of when she arrived, and she really was committed
in our first meeting, you know, she said, we need
to build a winning football program here and to have
that support from the top is really really big. And
then ultimately to put together a vision for how to
compete in this new world. And you know with hiring
coach sig now Darren de Breeze, making certain that we've
(08:34):
got the infrastructure around him. There's so many unsung heroes
that we would not be here today in a position
to compete and go into this game Saturday if it
weren't for there's a guy nam Pete Yakman, and Pete
behind the scenes is a volunteer for us that has
helped with our collective and helps really create a vision
(08:55):
for how we can compete in il wise in this
new world. You know, play, given these new cards were dealt,
how do we play them within the rules the best
we can? And then certainly our alumni base. I can't,
I could. I could ramble for an hour about the
amount of people who and it doesn't matter. There's big donors,
there's small donors. There's people all across the board that
(09:17):
have supported us and then gotten behind our vision to
build our athletic program and then specifically, you know we're
talking about football, but that Yeah, like I said, I'm
kind of rambling on it that it's it's so meaningful
to me, having been here in a long time to
see our fans step up in the way they do
(09:38):
and we couldn't. This isn't the company line either, but
we couldn't have the success we having if all the
things I just listed, including and probably most importantly, the
fans support the people who've stepped up from an nil perspective,
we wouldn't be competing and enjoying.
Speaker 5 (09:53):
The fun times that we are without that support.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
So the voice of Scott Nelsen again the ad down
there in Bloomington, as he has said, noon coming up,
big noon kickoff coming up Saturday against UCLA basketball team
will be up here in the state Capitol taking on
Baylor and exhibition game on Sunday. I think you kind
of were hitting on it there, Scott. But to go
a little further, I was listening to kurtz Ignatty. I
forget which interview was a couple of weeks back, but
(10:17):
he mentioned how, you know, he feels like some donors
within whatever university athletically have started to now dip their
toes across the parking lot, if you will, and maybe
shift or add their contributions towards the football program. How
have you seen that backing from a financial sense.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Yeah, you know, I think it's been it's been fantastic.
And I think that where you know, I grew up
working with donors, I've been you know, I was hired
thirty five years ago to an entry level fundraiser in
the athletic department. So I kind of feel like I've.
Speaker 5 (10:50):
Lived in that world.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
And you know what what you find out is that,
you know, support and donors who step up. They like
to believe in and trust in the in the process
and the vision that we have. You know, if you
show them a plan and they really believe in that,
people will step up. And so certainly, as we had
a plan for football, we have a plan for basketball,
(11:12):
as we're working on just our entire athletic program, I
think that momentum is really you know, gaining more and
more support. And you know, our alumni base is the
largest in the country. Is you know, just from your
show being based on Indianapolis, you guys know that you know,
there's au people everywhere and they just want to have
hope and believe in the plan. And so again, we
(11:35):
would not be here today if it weren't for that support.
And that's not it's not something extra, it's not something that, hey,
what it would be great if we get some extra gifts,
we can do some different things. Literally, this support has
enabled us to help build this program, to enable Coach
Sig to have the resources to compete again with the
highest levels with the teams around the country that.
Speaker 5 (11:55):
We need to compete with. So yeah, it's been.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Really exciting and I can't think our fans our support
is enough for joining us on this mission to make
certain that we can compete at highest levels a year in, year.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
Out, Scott, last one for me, and we certainly appreciate
your time during a busy fall calendar transition into the
winter season. But you know, revenue share and how athletic
departments and universities will divide that up has been a
huge topic across the landscape of college sports. For you guys, football,
men's basketball, how do you view how that will be
divvied up from a revenue share?
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Yeah, what we do and we're really consistent with the
way other schools, particularly.
Speaker 5 (12:33):
In our league.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
You know, we can't really because of we can't compare
each other's numbers because of the anti trust violation. But
but basically I kind of have a feel for how
everyone is doing it, not just in the big tend
around the country, and and we we follow the revenue
generated in the support in the sport and then and
then also try to figure out what is the marketplace
(12:55):
out there. So we're following that, uh, you know, kind
of consistent and and it doesn't take a rocket scientist
to figure out that football is number one, certainly in
that in that distribution in men's basketball, and certainly women's
basketball following that, and and then we sprinkled around in
other areas as well. But but again to compete, you
have to make certain you know what the marketplace is
(13:18):
in the ability knowing that you just you hear different things,
you know, not exactly always what to believe and what
you hear what's out there in the market. But but
I feel like we're doing everything we can. Back to
what I said earlier about the support you receive, you know,
with with Who's yours, cannects pet you and the people
supported our nil first, Uh, you know, it's all about
being able to compete in the marketplace.
Speaker 5 (13:38):
And and I will.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
Add one of the things I think it's it's really
important that you know it certainly money talks and you
have to have the resources to compete. But at the
same time, both coach Sig Darren Terry Moore, you know,
we want to make certain that the student athletes that
we're bringing in and understand the balance that they you know,
are student athlete, still go to class, they still want.
Speaker 5 (13:58):
To develop in every way.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
And again that sounds like I have to say that
it's a coming line, but I.
Speaker 5 (14:03):
Really mean that. And the locker room is really important.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
And just like Fernando Windows that we talked about, you know,
we want kids that represent our you and that certainly
can maximize their NIL revs share all that. You know,
we're all in on that. But at the same time
they're developing as a person, and we're really proud of
our coaches recruit as well in that area.
Speaker 6 (14:22):
Well, I'll tell you what Scott again, as the Illinois
along on the show, if you know, you ever want
to mess up the recruiting a little bit, and since
of those guys over to Illinois, I'll be gladly appreciated.
But on the more serious No, the last thing I
have for you before let you go basketball. We know
are you fans, and like most fan bases, you're gonna
be greedy. You know, football's back, they're rolling and now
(14:42):
we're looking at men's basketball. Credits to the women's program
for being great last few years as well, but men's basketball,
why was darn Devreze the right choice and what do
you expect from him in that unit in year one?
Knowing the rich history that you have you all have
in men's basketball.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
Yeah, Darren, it's you know, very similar to the coach
signet hiring in terms of, you know, check the boxes
of the key areas that we were looking for. Uh,
you know, we wanted someone that had uh, you know,
modern offense that that young men want to play in,
and you look how college basketball is developing.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
We wanted to make certain they had that.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
But at the same time, we wanted a head coach
that had really old school Indiana defense, plays super hard
and just just really compete. And and then in addition
to that, you know, Darren, we wanted to know we
look at the person in terms of we want him
to certainly fit in one of the head coach that
really had the personality that really would be embraced uh
(15:41):
here with our fan base and with our community. And
Darren checked again like coaching checked them box, not only
from a coaching standpoint, but just the way he fits
with us and really excited about him and in terms
of expectations, you know, just really want our fan base
to just see it and understand that that's what Indiana
basketball is all about. The way we play and that
(16:04):
sounds it's easy to say, but it's kind of it's
kind of hard to explain. But I really want our
fans as we come out on the court, and I
think you could already feel it last week and our exhibition,
yet gets marrying that our fans trust the process and
see that that we play super hard, intense, love our effort,
our defense, love our shooting because we've grown up with
(16:27):
shooters in the state of Indiana, and just really proud
of our program and have a lot of hope for
the future. And I'm confident that that'll happen.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Last thing for me, Scott, you know, it's not just
football and men's basketball, but things are rolling down there.
I know that people are excited about the volleyball team
this year. Women's basketball is always playing well. I found
myself a true story, found myself watching Indiana Wisconsin soccer
for a few minutes last night, and I think the
Hoosias were beating up on like four to nothing at
the time. What's your overall feeling about the health of
(16:59):
the athletic department in general right now?
Speaker 3 (17:04):
Yeah, I feel really I feel great. You know, I
feel like we've got a great, slight slate of coaches
that are really across the board, you know, competing and
developing our young men and young women. You know, I
feel like, you know, we talk about winning a lot
in our department, and uh we embrace that and talk
about the process of winning across the board, not just
(17:24):
with football and how the students basketball, but you know,
we could go on and on with you know, our
swimming program is kind of that hidden gym in some
ways that you know, we can compete. Last year we
finished third in the country and the men and fourth
and the women, and I think we've got a chance
to keep going from there.
Speaker 5 (17:40):
And when we.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Talk about winning, it's not just because it's pretty good
of old IU, which it is, but we really feel
like if we want to maximize the experience for our
student athletes in every way, winning is a big, big
part of that. And the more we talk about it more,
the more I think our studatics field that's part of
our culture that we know we play to win and
it's okay to say that. And as we do exit
(18:02):
interviews with our student athletes, this isn't a revelation. But
the student athletes have had a chance to compete for
big games and win championships or be able to really
compete at a high level, their experience is so much better.
So winning is a big part of our culture and
something that you know.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
I'm not a big I'm talking a lot on this show.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
It's early in the morning, had late night after the
Big ten ad meetings did last two days, but it
really we just want to do the work and it's
a process. So I don't like to over I like
to underpromise and over deliver. I don't like to be
a big talker, but we really winning is super important
to us for our student athletes.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Scott, thanks for your time today. We appreciate the opportunity
to have a chat with you. Continued success throughout the
rest of the school year and we'll talk to you
again soon.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
Appreciate it, thanks for having me on. Thank you, Scott
Good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
As the sun comes up, we see the rise of
Indiana football at the same time, and they are sitting
there at number two in both the AP and Coaches
poll in college football, and they've got UCLA and another
home game coming up this weekend, and all things seem
to be pointing up, the arrows going in the right direction.
We bring in our next guest to tell us a
little bit more about how this is all happening and
how it's being built. Scott Dolson is the athletic director
(00:22):
over at Indiana University and he is on the Paylesslikers
hotline this morning.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Good morning, Scott.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
It's got to be fun to wake up with just
the who's your mentality these days?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Hey, good morning, and yeah, it's definitely been super exciting
and I can't wait to get back on the field
this Saturday and keep it rolling.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Scott. I was hoping and appreciate the time.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
I hoping you can take us back a couple weeks
ago to you walking into Kurtzignetti's office and saying, you
know what I feel like, now is the time for
a contract extension. How much of that did you view
the win over Oregon? How much of it did you
view there are some openings around college football if you
don't mind, could you walk us through that?
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Sure? It really was a you know, kind of a
comprehensive look at our program and all that with Day
and then obviously we gave him a contract extension last year,
but give him the start this year kind of where
we are where a college football landscape is. We really
wanted him to feel commitment to him, but also a
commitment to football, and you know, basically that was our conversation.
(01:26):
And one of the things that was super important to
us as well is that we didn't want him to
feel that just because he signed a new deal last year.
You know, we know he and his wife Minette love
it here, the family loves it.
Speaker 5 (01:37):
We didn't want him to feel we take him for granted.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Because what he's doing here is really really special and
we feel like we're just getting started. So all those
things were important to us, and I know he appreciated it,
and it was a great process, just like it was
last year, and feel really really confident and continue to
build what we're building.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
You've described him as a unicorn. Could you kind of
expand on that word?
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Yeah, And were only what I meant by that is
he's just obviously he's very unique. You know, when we
had the hiring process, we put together a list of
all the qualities and a head coach that we felt
would put us in the best position to have consistent
success with that program. Things like we wanted an existing
head coach, someone.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
Who had had won consistently.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
We wanted someone had staff continuity, real consistency of staff,
where someone was a quarterback kind of offensive guru.
Speaker 5 (02:32):
We wanted someone to.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Have been a recruiting coordinator. So all those things are reporting.
Coach Saik checked every box. But in addition to that,
why I think he's so special is the first time
I talked to him, he just has this unique personality,
this unique drive focus that when you combine that with
all of his skill set, he is just a what
(02:55):
we felt was a perfect fit for us. But also,
you know, we wouldn't trade him for anybody. Just really
I think, highly highly skilled head coach and understands the
business of college football. He just checks every box and
just as you could tell, we absolutely are thrilled that
he's a.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
Part of the au family and going to be for
a long long time.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Scott James boyd here.
Speaker 6 (03:19):
I'm an Illinois alum, so I am convinced that IU
football is back, baby, because I saw the fifty three
point b down for a few weeks ago.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
But yeah, I was wearing candy striped pants.
Speaker 6 (03:29):
Because of that loss, so I got, you know, I
had to I had to eat some crow there. But
when you look at you know what this program is
able to do the last two years under coach Signetti,
just two losses, and those two losses were are two
teams competed for national championship last year?
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Has this gone better than even you might have expected?
Speaker 3 (03:49):
You know, first of all, James Illinois is a great
program as well, and have a ton of respect for
their ad Josh Whitman and certainly coach Beliema and things
that they're doing there. We studied Illinois when we when
we hired coach sig we looked at programs that we
felt we could compare to, you know, programs around the country.
So we have a lot of respect for Illinois. But
(04:09):
but yeah, we really this has happened. Probably you dream
about stuff like this, but there's no way I would
lose all credibility if I tell you that.
Speaker 5 (04:18):
I imagine that we'd be eighteen to two.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
In our first twenty games. You know, I thought we
would you know, continue to improve, and I thought that
we had a chance to be to be good last year.
But now this has been you know, above and beyond
all expectations. Ultimately, this is where we wanted to get
to tour. We're competing nationally at a high level. But
like I said, if I'd have told you, you know,
the day of the press conference and the day we
(04:40):
hired Coach Sig, that we'd be eighteen to two, yeah,
like I said, you would roll your eyes and s
there's no way you could think that. So yeah, but
with coach Sig and just how he works his plan,
his blueprint, the way he is, you know it really
and again this isn't a company line. This sounds like
it is, but I've been honest with you, James. We
feel like you know, it's really a one day at
a time focus on the on the plan. That's where
(05:03):
we are in the department. That's why Coach Tig works,
That's where I grew up under Coach Knight. Honestly, you've
working as a manager for him, and you know, we
don't think with the smartest people in the room that
we've got all us figured out. We think we just
got a plan. We have to really work that plan, adjust, adapt,
continue to try to improve what we can. And you know,
our opponent is now UCLA and that game plan and
(05:25):
we just got to stick to that.
Speaker 6 (05:26):
So you talk about adjusting and adapting, and you look
at the Lansheale coalls football. These days, you constantly have
to retoll your roster and one of the best ways
to do that is to transfer a portal.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
And you look at last year's roster, which was a
great team.
Speaker 6 (05:38):
In this year's team, with the addition of Fernando Mendoza,
what has it been like getting him acclimated to the
IU program. What do you think he's brought to the
most important discis in the sport.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Yeah, Fernando has been amazing, first of all off the field,
and you could probably tell in his interviews he's one
of the more Uh just I love him.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
I mean he seems like a coach we've had.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Yeah, we've had some, you know, we have a great kids,
but we've never had any anyone any better than Fernando.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
He's just a wonderful young man.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
And I sound old when I say that he just
I really enjoyed my lunch with Ian Verdo late in
the summer and it was just it's amazing, like their
old friends. I mean, he's just great people, great family.
So he's been he's adjusted really well. But in addition
to that, on the field, just to fit with Coach Sig,
the way Coach Sig develops quarterbacks, you know, back to
(06:28):
when we hired Coach Sig, that was a really big
important part of the process. Feel that that position, as
you said, it's such a key position, and you know,
his development here I think speaks volumes for our program
and also speaks volumes for the work that he puts in.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
You know, every day.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
I've heard Coach Sigg say, this's publicly multiple times, that
he's never been around someone who works at it is
hard or no one's ever worked any harder than he has.
And he continues to extra time. I know this summer
in June and July, Fernando and Alberta would come into
the office in the afternoons and watch film and continue
to just work on the mental side of being a quarterback.
(07:07):
And you know, those things pay dividends. So we're thrilled
to have him here, thrill to that Alberto here as well,
and look forward to the future and just watching him develop,
it's been.
Speaker 5 (07:16):
It's been awesome.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
He's the athletic director at Indiana University and the architect
of helping to build this athletic program into what we're
seeing right now. And we'll talk about the new basketball
coach in a second, but in this day and age
of big money and on everything else that goes on,
I feel that India's positioned well to compete in that environment,
being in the Big ten, some some terrific alumni boosters
(07:41):
things like that, How would you describe the position that
IU is in to compete moving forward with the biggest
programs in the country.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
You know, it's a it's a it's a it's a
daily work and progress and a commitment. And I agree
with you in terms of, you know, I think you know,
you hear this word alignment a lot, and I think
we're positioned. You know, I could go back to when
Freig Glass was AD and I was WAD, and he
did so much work on our facility end, and that
helps kind of lead us into this new transformational time
in college athletics and President Whitten has been massive in
(08:14):
terms of when she arrived, and she really was committed
in our first meeting, you know, she said, we need
to build a winning football program here and to have
that support from the top is really really big. And
then ultimately to put together a vision for how to
compete in this new world. And you know with hiring
coach sig now Darren de Breeze, making certain that we've
(08:34):
got the infrastructure around him. There's so many unsung heroes
that we would not be here today in a position
to compete and go into this game Saturday if it
weren't for there's a guy nam Pete Yakman, and Pete
behind the scenes is a volunteer for us that has
helped with our collective and helps really create a vision
(08:55):
for how we can compete in il wise in this
new world. You know, play, given these new cards were dealt,
how do we play them within the rules the best
we can? And then certainly our alumni base. I can't,
I could. I could ramble for an hour about the
amount of people who and it doesn't matter. There's big donors,
there's small donors. There's people all across the board that
(09:17):
have supported us and then gotten behind our vision to
build our athletic program and then specifically, you know we're
talking about football, but that Yeah, like I said, I'm
kind of rambling on it that it's it's so meaningful
to me, having been here in a long time to
see our fans step up in the way they do
(09:38):
and we couldn't. This isn't the company line either, but
we couldn't have the success we having if all the
things I just listed, including and probably most importantly, the
fans support the people who've stepped up from an nil perspective,
we wouldn't be competing and enjoying.
Speaker 5 (09:53):
The fun times that we are without that support.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
So the voice of Scott Nelsen again the ad down
there in Bloomington, as he has said, noon coming up,
big noon kickoff coming up Saturday against UCLA basketball team
will be up here in the state Capitol taking on
Baylor and exhibition game on Sunday. I think you kind
of were hitting on it there, Scott. But to go
a little further, I was listening to kurtz Ignatty. I
forget which interview was a couple of weeks back, but
(10:17):
he mentioned how, you know, he feels like some donors
within whatever university athletically have started to now dip their
toes across the parking lot, if you will, and maybe
shift or add their contributions towards the football program. How
have you seen that backing from a financial sense.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Yeah, you know, I think it's been it's been fantastic.
And I think that where you know, I grew up
working with donors, I've been you know, I was hired
thirty five years ago to an entry level fundraiser in
the athletic department. So I kind of feel like I've.
Speaker 5 (10:50):
Lived in that world.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
And you know what what you find out is that,
you know, support and donors who step up. They like
to believe in and trust in the in the process
and the vision that we have. You know, if you
show them a plan and they really believe in that,
people will step up. And so certainly, as we had
a plan for football, we have a plan for basketball,
(11:12):
as we're working on just our entire athletic program, I
think that momentum is really you know, gaining more and
more support. And you know, our alumni base is the
largest in the country. Is you know, just from your
show being based on Indianapolis, you guys know that you know,
there's au people everywhere and they just want to have
hope and believe in the plan. And so again, we
(11:35):
would not be here today if it weren't for that support.
And that's not it's not something extra, it's not something that, hey,
what it would be great if we get some extra gifts,
we can do some different things. Literally, this support has
enabled us to help build this program, to enable Coach
Sig to have the resources to compete again with the
highest levels with the teams around the country that.
Speaker 5 (11:55):
We need to compete with. So yeah, it's been.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Really exciting and I can't think our fans our support
is enough for joining us on this mission to make
certain that we can compete at highest levels a year in, year.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
Out, Scott, last one for me, and we certainly appreciate
your time during a busy fall calendar transition into the
winter season. But you know, revenue share and how athletic
departments and universities will divide that up has been a
huge topic across the landscape of college sports. For you guys, football,
men's basketball, how do you view how that will be
divvied up from a revenue share?
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Yeah, what we do and we're really consistent with the
way other schools, particularly.
Speaker 5 (12:33):
In our league.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
You know, we can't really because of we can't compare
each other's numbers because of the anti trust violation. But
but basically I kind of have a feel for how
everyone is doing it, not just in the big tend
around the country, and and we we follow the revenue
generated in the support in the sport and then and
then also try to figure out what is the marketplace
(12:55):
out there. So we're following that, uh, you know, kind
of consistent and and it doesn't take a rocket scientist
to figure out that football is number one, certainly in
that in that distribution in men's basketball, and certainly women's
basketball following that, and and then we sprinkled around in
other areas as well. But but again to compete, you
have to make certain you know what the marketplace is
(13:18):
in the ability knowing that you just you hear different things,
you know, not exactly always what to believe and what
you hear what's out there in the market. But but
I feel like we're doing everything we can. Back to
what I said earlier about the support you receive, you know,
with with Who's yours, cannects pet you and the people
supported our nil first, Uh, you know, it's all about
being able to compete in the marketplace.
Speaker 5 (13:38):
And and I will.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
Add one of the things I think it's it's really
important that you know it certainly money talks and you
have to have the resources to compete. But at the
same time, both coach Sig Darren Terry Moore, you know,
we want to make certain that the student athletes that
we're bringing in and understand the balance that they you know,
are student athlete, still go to class, they still want.
Speaker 5 (13:58):
To develop in every way.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
And again that sounds like I have to say that
it's a coming line, but I.
Speaker 5 (14:03):
Really mean that. And the locker room is really important.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
And just like Fernando Windows that we talked about, you know,
we want kids that represent our you and that certainly
can maximize their NIL revs share all that. You know,
we're all in on that. But at the same time
they're developing as a person, and we're really proud of
our coaches recruit as well in that area.
Speaker 6 (14:22):
Well, I'll tell you what Scott again, as the Illinois
along on the show, if you know, you ever want
to mess up the recruiting a little bit, and since
of those guys over to Illinois, I'll be gladly appreciated.
But on the more serious No, the last thing I
have for you before let you go basketball. We know
are you fans, and like most fan bases, you're gonna
be greedy. You know, football's back, they're rolling and now
(14:42):
we're looking at men's basketball. Credits to the women's program
for being great last few years as well, but men's basketball,
why was darn Devreze the right choice and what do
you expect from him in that unit in year one?
Knowing the rich history that you have you all have
in men's basketball.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
Yeah, Darren, it's you know, very similar to the coach
signet hiring in terms of, you know, check the boxes
of the key areas that we were looking for. Uh,
you know, we wanted someone that had uh, you know,
modern offense that that young men want to play in,
and you look how college basketball is developing.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
We wanted to make certain they had that.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
But at the same time, we wanted a head coach
that had really old school Indiana defense, plays super hard
and just just really compete. And and then in addition
to that, you know, Darren, we wanted to know we
look at the person in terms of we want him
to certainly fit in one of the head coach that
really had the personality that really would be embraced uh
(15:41):
here with our fan base and with our community. And
Darren checked again like coaching checked them box, not only
from a coaching standpoint, but just the way he fits
with us and really excited about him and in terms
of expectations, you know, just really want our fan base
to just see it and understand that that's what Indiana
basketball is all about. The way we play and that
(16:04):
sounds it's easy to say, but it's kind of it's
kind of hard to explain. But I really want our
fans as we come out on the court, and I
think you could already feel it last week and our exhibition,
yet gets marrying that our fans trust the process and
see that that we play super hard, intense, love our effort,
our defense, love our shooting because we've grown up with
(16:27):
shooters in the state of Indiana, and just really proud
of our program and have a lot of hope for
the future. And I'm confident that that'll happen.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Last thing for me, Scott, you know, it's not just
football and men's basketball, but things are rolling down there.
I know that people are excited about the volleyball team
this year. Women's basketball is always playing well. I found
myself a true story, found myself watching Indiana Wisconsin soccer
for a few minutes last night, and I think the
Hoosias were beating up on like four to nothing at
the time. What's your overall feeling about the health of
(16:59):
the athletic department in general right now?
Speaker 3 (17:04):
Yeah, I feel really I feel great. You know, I
feel like we've got a great, slight slate of coaches
that are really across the board, you know, competing and
developing our young men and young women. You know, I
feel like, you know, we talk about winning a lot
in our department, and uh we embrace that and talk
about the process of winning across the board, not just
(17:24):
with football and how the students basketball, but you know,
we could go on and on with you know, our
swimming program is kind of that hidden gym in some
ways that you know, we can compete. Last year we
finished third in the country and the men and fourth
and the women, and I think we've got a chance
to keep going from there.
Speaker 5 (17:40):
And when we.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Talk about winning, it's not just because it's pretty good
of old IU, which it is, but we really feel
like if we want to maximize the experience for our
student athletes in every way, winning is a big, big
part of that. And the more we talk about it more,
the more I think our studatics field that's part of
our culture that we know we play to win and
it's okay to say that. And as we do exit
(18:02):
interviews with our student athletes, this isn't a revelation. But
the student athletes have had a chance to compete for
big games and win championships or be able to really
compete at a high level, their experience is so much better.
So winning is a big part of our culture and
something that you know.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
I'm not a big I'm talking a lot on this show.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
It's early in the morning, had late night after the
Big ten ad meetings did last two days, but it
really we just want to do the work and it's
a process. So I don't like to over I like
to underpromise and over deliver. I don't like to be
a big talker, but we really winning is super important
to us for our student athletes.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Scott, thanks for your time today. We appreciate the opportunity
to have a chat with you. Continued success throughout the
rest of the school year and we'll talk to you
again soon.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
Appreciate it, thanks for having me on. Thank you, Scott
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