HAMILTON — This month has been a whirlwind for Mitch McCarthy.
It began at the New England Patriots’ rookie camp, then came a quick trip to the White House before finally reporting to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats training camp. On Saturday, the Australian-born punter participated in his first CFL game, a 20-10 exhibition loss to the Toronto Argonauts.
But if 2025 taught McCarthy anything, it was how to manage expectations, overcome adversity and successfully adapt to ever-changing situations. On Jan. 19, the 28-year-old capped his collegiate career celebrating an NCAA championship after the top-seeded Indiana Hoosiers downed the Miami Hurricanes 27-21 for their first-ever College Football Playoff crown.
“I’ve processed it,” McCarthy said. “I’ve been able to kind of sit back, take it in and realize what I was a part of.
“There are some days I remind myself and it’s something I’m really proud of. It was a rare moment I was part of and a rare team that I was on. It’s one of those things you just look back on and smile.”
The national championship marked an amazing turnaround for Indiana under head coach Curt Cignetti. After leading the Hoosiers to an 11-2 record that included a first CFP appearance in 2024, Cignetti guided the upstart Hoosiers to a unblemished 16-0 mark last year.
And he did it with brash confidence and swagger. Upon being hired at Indiana, the colourful Cignetti made headlines by stating, “If you don’t know me, Google me. I win.”
Cignetti, who served as the Indianapolis 500’s honorary pace-car driver on Sunday, has backed up his words, transforming an Indiana program that went 3-9 in 2023. Before joining the Hoosiers, Cignetti went 52-9 at James Madison (2019-23).
“He’s one of one, for sure, I’ve never had anyone like him,” McCarthy said. “My experience with different coaches in different sports over the years is they try to come up with things and just end up overcomplicating matters, which makes the team a little unsure with what’s going on.
“But Cig’s very simple, very clear and concise about what’s expected. Our team meetings were like 45 seconds: He’d come in, say what he needed to say, get it done and leave. He just keeps things simple and as athletes we like simplicity.”
What fans and media don’t see, though, is Cignetti’s attention to detail.
“He’ll sit in his office six, seven hours a day and just watch film, he’s a film junky,” McCarthy said. “He loves learning … it (coaching) is obviously his passion, he takes what he does very seriously.
“He’s not one to come out and make friends with everyone but he’s polite, he’s respectful and says what he needs to say. The boys have the utmost respect for him.”
McCarthy did much more than win at Indiana. He also learned plenty under special-teams co-ordinator Grant Gain.
“We had a very complex punt-protection scheme, a lot of checks, a lot of switches, a lot of signals on the fly,” McCarthy said. “That actually helped me understand the game, specifically punt game, much more.
“My first three years (at the University of Central Florida) it was more catch it, roll right and kick it right. Coach Cain did a fantastic job of teaching me the punt game and the little details of what’s involved … I was challenged and pushed.”
Indians begins defence of its national championship Sept. 5 hosting North Texas. And although all eyes again be on the Hoosiers this season, McCarthy believes Cignetti won’t change his approach.
After all, Cignetti’s message to his team last year was what happened in 2024 didn’t matter.
“I believe Cig will be in the exact same mindset,” McCarthy said. “His mentality is what separates him and he will not change anything that he’s done.
“That (Indiana’s ’24 season) held no weight to us. It was just, good job, next. We have our system, we have our standards, we meet them and that’s what will help us win.”
McCarthy and fellow Aussie Nick Haberer are battling to be Hamilton’s punter. The Ticats took both in the ’26 Global draft (Haberer in first round, McCarthy in second).
“You know you’re fighting for a spot but there’s an element of respect between Nick and I,” McCarthy said. “He’s fun to work with.
“We’ve had similar backgrounds, we’ve been through this before and we’re having a good time doing it.”
Cignetti’s starting quarterback in ’24 was Canadian Kurtis Rourke, the younger brother of CFL star Nathan Rourke. Kurtis Rourke, of Oakville, Ont., is entering his second season with the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2026.
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
