Cignetti played a pivotal role in recruiting and developing key players, such as wide receiver Julio Jones, Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram II, and linebacker Dont'a Hightower.

The following year, IUP won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) title and advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals, ending the season 12–2.

The team was ranked as high as sixth nationally and competed against James Madison for the conference championship, earning their first NCAA Playoff berth since 2009.

This marked Elon’s first win over a top-five FCS opponent and helped the team secure back-to-back NCAA playoff appearances for the first time in program history.

In his first season, he orchestrated a dramatic turnaround, leading the Dukes to a 14–2 record—a seven-game improvement over the previous year—and an appearance in the FCS National Championship game, where they fell to North Dakota State.

The 2021 season saw further success, as the Dukes finished 12–2 and announced their move from the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) to the Sun Belt Conference.

In their first season at the FBS level in 2022, JMU made a seamless transition, finishing 8–3 and earning a share of the Sun Belt East Division title.

The deal doubled his salary to $8 million annually and included commitments to upgrade the football program, such as stadium enhancements and increased athlete and staff compensation.