One man out and a familiar face may be walking back through the doors of Indiana University's Memorial Stadium.
Multiple sources tell FootballScoop that Curt Cignetti is eyeing a potential reunion with Tino Sunseri, the former standout Pittsburgh quarterback, for a top offensive assistant coach's role with Cignetti's reigning national champion Hoosiers.
The deal could be completed imminently sources told FootballScoop.
"Would be shocked if (Sunseri) isn't brought back," said a source with knowledge of the situation.
Added another, "Pretty sure (Cignetti) is hiring Tino Sunseri ... Just finalizing details."
Earlier Tuesday, Cignetti officially lost co-offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and rising coaching star Chandler Whitmer to the NFL's Tampa Bay Bucs, where Whitmer will work with the franchise's quarterbacks -- notably Baker Mayfield -- and also have a role in guiding the Bucs' offense.
Whitmer's exit presents a return opportunity for Sunseri, who worked under Cignetti for four seasons -- three at James Madison from 2021-23 and then Cignetti's record-setting debut campaign atop the Indiana program in 2024.
Sunseri, who won 42 games as a Cignetti assistant who coached quarterbacks and also ascended to the role of co-offensive coordinator with the Hoosiers, exited after the 2024 season to take over as offensive coordinator at UCLA.
While Sunseri helped transfer-quarterback Nico Iamaleava, an ex-Tennessee Vols star, find his football with the Bruins, UCLA razed its DeShaun Foster-led coaching staff and hired ... ex-James Madison coach Bob Chesney, who succeeded Cignetti atop the JMU program and promptly guided the Dukes to the 2025 Sun Belt Conference Championship and the school's first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff.
After guiding the Pitt Panthers to a trio of bowl appearances from 2013-15 during his career as the program's starting quarterback, Sunseri spent three seasons in the Canadian Football League before transitioning into coaching.
The son of longtime college and NFL assistant Sal Sunseri -- also a former Pitt Panthers star who coached under Nick Saban and also was an Southeastern Conference defensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee, Tino Sunseri then transitioned into coaching as an assistant coach at Florida State under then-head coach Jimbo Fisher. He then also spent a season on Rocky Top in Jeremy Pruitt's first season atop the Tennessee program, added two seasons under Saban at Alabama and then joined the staff of Cignetti -- also a former Saban assistant.
Under Cignetti, Indiana just completed the first-ever 16-0 season in modern college football when it dispatched Mario Cristobal's Miami Hurricanes last month to win the CFP National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium near Miami, Florida. The Hoosiers won their first Big Ten Conference title in more than 60 years along the way and saw star quarterback Fernando Mendoza win the Heisman Trophy.
Indiana is scheduled to open Year 3 under Cignetti Sept. 5 against North Texas, the first of four consecutive home games for the Hoosiers. They also host Football Championship Subdivision program Howard and Western Kentucky to cap the non-conference portion of their slate before opening Big Ten play Sept. 26 at home against Northwestern.