What he has done in two years at Indiana is nothing short of amazing. Mendoza, Coogan, etc. have thrived under his leadership. His players are all in, execute flawlessly, and are a disciplined bunch. They weren't 5 stars either (Coogan is an excellent example). Many come from JMU and Indiana. Check this article from (yes, I know) ESPN. The guy is elite. Google him hehe.
Sure, Freeman beat him last year and Freeman is also a great coach. But Freeman did it with more, Cignetti with less, much less.
Link: https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/47542203/college-football-playoff-indiana-hoosiers-curt-cignetti-scouting-recruiting