Frank Cignetti Named Offensive Coordinator at Rutgers
Jan 03 | Football
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (January 3, 2011) – Rutgers head football coach Greg Schiano announced Monday that Frank Cignetti has been named offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Scarlet Knights. With a coaching resume that stretches over 20 years in both the NFL and on the collegiate level, Cignetti comes to Rutgers after serving the previous two seasons at the University of Pittsburgh in the same capacity. Cignetti replaces Kirk Ciarrocca at Rutgers.
“Frank brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach to our program,” said Schiano. “We are thrilled to welcome him and his family to our Rutgers football family.”
During his tenure at Pitt, Cignetti helped produce some of the most prolific results in Panther history. In total, seven of Pitt's offensive players were named All-BIG EAST the last two seasons, including Dion Lewis, who was honored as the league's Offensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year in 2009.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to join Coach Schiano’s staff at Rutgers,” said Cignetti. “I am anxious to get to New Jersey and start working with the student-athletes, coaches and support staff.”
In his first year on the Pitt staff, the Panthers had one of their most potent offenses in school history, scoring 32.1 points per game - one of the top five scoring offenses ever at Pitt. The offensive arsenal included a 1,700-yard rusher, a 1,000-yard receiver and a quarterback who threw for more than 2,600 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Prior to joining Dave Wannstedt’s coaching staff at Pitt, Cignetti spent the 2008 season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of California. The Bears averaged nearly 33 points per game en route to a 9-4 record and victory over Miami in the Emerald Bowl.
In 2007, Cignetti spent the season in the NFL as the San Francisco 49ers’ quarterbacks coach. Before his stint with the 49ers, Cignetti was the offensive coordinator at North Carolina (2006) and Fresno State (2002-05).
Cignetti led Fresno State to back-to-back top 10 national rankings in scoring offense, ranking fifth in the country in scoring offense in 2004 and seventh in 2005. He helped guide Fresno State to four consecutive bowl games, including a win over No. 18 Virginia in the 2004 MPC Computers Bowl. Fresno was 3-1 in bowl games with Cignetti.
In 2004, Fresno averaged 52.8 points over the last six games and became just the sixth team in NCAA history to score 50 or more points in four consecutive contests. Fresno finished that season 9-3, led the Western Athletic Conference in average yards per carry (5.4) and scored 65 touchdowns. The Bulldogs were outstanding in the red zone, scoring touchdowns on 42-of-53 attempts (.792).
In 2005, Fresno State went 8-5, including a 6-2 mark in the WAC and earned an invitation to the Liberty Bowl. The Bulldogs scored 42 points against No. 1 Southern California in a 50-42 loss in one of the most memorable games of the season and beat bowl teams Toledo and Boise State.
Cignetti has been a part of successful programs at all levels. In the NFL, he won a division championship and a playoff game with the New Orleans Saints in 2000. He was part of three bowl victories at Fresno State, and on the Division II level - at Indiana University of Pennsylvania - he reached the national championship game twice and the semifinals four times. He also has been a member of the coaching staff in the Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine all-star games.
Before joining Frenso State, Cignetti was the New Orleans Saints quarterbacks coach in 2000 and 2001. In 2000, he helped the Saints earn the NFC West title and the franchise's first playoff win. The Saints' offense ranked 10th in the NFL in both 2000 and 2001.
In 2000, he tutored quarterback Jeff Blake to a career-high 82.7 rating before Blake suffered a season-ending injury. The following season, quarterback Aaron Brooks was an alternate for the Pro Bowl
Cignetti was an all-conference safety at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, from where he graduated in 1988. He played in the school's first-ever appearance in a national playoff game in 1987 against UCF. From 1990-98, Cignetti was on his father's staff at IUP, where he served as IUP’s receivers, secondary and quarterbacks coach before elevating to offensive coordinator for his final two seasons. During his tenure, IUP twice advanced to the NCAA Division II national title game and earned a berth in the semifinals four times.
Born Oct. 4, 1965 in Pittsburgh, Cignetti's family has many football ties. His father, Frank, spent 20 seasons as the head coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, winning 182 games. The elder Cignetti was also the head coach at West Virginia from 1976-79. Cignetti's brother, Curt, is the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Alabama.
Cignetti and his wife Ellen are the proud parents of three daughters - Alyssa, Gabrielle and Ella.
