A homecoming for Cignetti

As much as possible, Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. and his family want to enjoy this weekend as the Panthers visit N.C. State.

Cignetti was the offensive coordinator at North Carolina in 2006, the Tar Heels' last season under former coach John Bunting. And although it was just one of five coaching jobs in five years for Cignetti, the Triangle quickly felt like home to him.

Some of the friends his family made will meet with them this weekend. Cignetti's wife Ellen plans to catch up with a group of cheerleaders that she helped guide at Cary Christian School during the year the family lived in Cary.

"We developed some very strong ties," Cignetti said. "It was an outstanding place to live."

It was a short stay, though, and the travels of the Cignettis and daughters Alyssa (9), Gabrielle (7) and Ella (4) illustrate the nomadic lifestyle of most college coaches. They left Fresno State for North Carolina in part to be close to Frank's brother Curt, who was N.C. State's tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator at the time.

After 2006, both brothers were looking for jobs after Bunting and N.C. State coach Chuck Amato were fired. Curt Cignetti is now the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Alabama.

Frank Cignetti went back West to coach quarterbacks for the San Francisco 49ers in 2007. He decided he preferred college coaching and became offensive coordinator at California in 2008.

Then he had an opportunity to join Dave Wannstedt's staff at Pittsburgh.

"We got to know our mover pretty well," Cignetti said.

The latest move was different, though, because Cignetti was going home. He grew up a Pittsburgh fan, rooting for Panthers greats such as Hugh Green, Dan Marino and Tony Dorsett.

His father, who coached Indiana University of Pennsylvania from 1986 to 2005, and other family members live nearby. Frank Jr., who began coaching in 1989 as a graduate assistant at Pittsburgh, said his daughters were ecstatic when they learned they were moving close to their family.

"Anybody that knew me knows that this was my dream job," he said. "This was where I've always wanted to coach."

So far, his offense has produced big numbers. Behind freshman running back Dion Lewis and a veteran offensive line, the Panthers (3-0) are averaging 39.7 points per game.

Lewis ranks sixth in the Football Bowl Subdivision with 132.7 rushing yards per game. Cignetti also gets him the ball on screens and other passes and takes advantage of the team's rushing prowess with play-action schemes.

"The addition of Frank Cignetti was important for our football program because of the common philosophies," Wannstedt said. "We like to run the ball and play-pass and do those things, and that's what Frank has done and believes in. And with his ties here in western Pennsylvania, I think it was a good fit from a personal standpoint, as well as football."

So after five unsettled years, Cignetti finally feels like he's home. His children enjoy living in the same neighborhood as some of their cousins in the city where he was born.

Cignetti will enjoy visiting North Carolina this weekend but said they couldn't be happier in their new home.

"It's a blessing," Cignetti said. "I'm very fortunate to be around family and friends, very fortunate to be part of this great university."

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