James Madison Football: 3 Potential Candidates To Replace Curt Cignetti

Curt Cignetti was formally introduced Friday as the new head football coach at Indiana University. Cignetti coached the James Madison Dukes for five seasons

© Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Curt Cignetti was formally introduced Friday as the new head football coach at Indiana University. 

Cignetti coached the James Madison Dukes for five seasons (2019-23), guiding the team to a 52-9 overall record.

Cignetti is also reportedly bringing key assistants with him in defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan and quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri.

As JMU moves forward, they're going to need someone that can sustain, to some degree, the momentum Cignetti has built for the program. Collegiate Sports Associated has been retained as the search firm to assist with a national search for JMU's next head coach.

"Given our long track record of success, we are confident that the coaching job at JMU will be a highly coveted position, and that we will attract a very strong national pool of candidates," JMU AD Jeff Bourne said Thursday. 

Here are three candidates that could be good fits for the role, given their experience.

RELATED: Middle Tennessee: 4 Head Coach Candidates To Replace Rick Stockstill

Alex Atkins

Atkins is the current offensive offensive coordinator at Florida State. He's been an assistant with the Seminoles since 2020. The Seminoles are on the verge of finishing a second consecutive season as a top ten team in the nation. The Seminoles were one of two teams nationally to average at least 270 passing yards and at least 210 rushing yards per game in 2022. Atkins has not been a head coach at the college level, but has been a college assistant since 2007.

Frank Ponce

Ponce is the current offensive coordinator at Appalachian State. He's yet to be a head coach at the college level, but it could be a great opportunity for the 52-year old. This season with the Mountaineers, Ponce had the #2 scoring offense and total offense in the Sun Belt. Ponce has also been a quarterbacks coach at Miami and Lousville, as well as a head coach with three different high schools in Miami. 

Everett Withers 

A coach with 35 years of experience, Withers is the current defensive coordinator at Temple. As the head coach of the Dukes in 2014 and 2015, Withers took JMU to the FCS playoffs twice. Withers' last head coaching gig was with Texas State from 2016 to 2018, where he went 7-28. Withers was also North Carolina's interim head coach in 2011 and has assistant experience at multiple other Power Five programs and NFL teams. His knowledge of important recruiting territories in Florida, Texas, and the Carolinas is also a plus.