Alabama has done the early work. Head coach Kalen DeBoer, GM Courtney Morgan, and WRs coach Derrick Nix were in Indianapolis this month to see Monshun “Showtime” Sales at Lawrence North High School. The 2027 5-star WR has long listed the Tide among his top schools, and the visit reinforced that he is already a priority. But recruiting momentum is fragile, especially when the national champions get involved. 

On January 24, Monshun Sales posted photos on X with Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti and OC/WR coach Mike Shanahan.  “HOO HOO HOO…” he wrote in his caption.

The post lands at a moment when Indiana has big leverage. The Hoosiers are fresh off a national championship run, and Curt Cignetti is turning the celebration into a recruiting opportunity. Sales, the top prospect in the state, is at the center of it. Indiana finished 16-0 and capped the season with a national championship, punctuated by a Rose Bowl win over Alabama. That detail matters in this recruitment, and Monshun Sales has not avoided it. “They win,” he said. “That’s what they’re about. They’re showing me they’re winning and competing with the top teams.”

Development has also become part of Indiana’s pitch. The Hoosiers had four productive WRs last season, led by Lawrence North alumnus Omar Cooper. He also praised Shanahan and Eddie Burks for their honesty and development track record. Cignetti’s pitch was blunt, and it resonated with the highly coveted prospect. 

“It was great,” he said. “His message was that they need me and want me and will do what they have to do to get me.” Moreover, Sales has also been on record saying, “You can see Indiana can compete against the top teams in the nation. The opportunity to play in front of people I know and possibly be a part of the change happening at IU is exciting.” So, Alabama’s hold on Sales might not last long enough, considering the shift in Indiana’s recruiting momentum after the natty win. 

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Monshun Sales’ on-field profile backs up the attention. As a junior, he caught 37 passes for 794 yards and nine TDs in 10 games, averaging 21.5 yards per catch. He also started at safety, where he recorded 56 tackles. Rivals ranks him as the No. 8 overall prospect and the No. 2 WR in the 2027 class. 

The familiarity only deepens the pull. Monshun Sales has already attended multiple Indiana games, including the Week 12 win over Wisconsin, and he is scheduled to return for a major Junior Day event. The Hoosiers have proven they can win at the highest level, and Curt Cignetti is using that credibility aggressively. Add in the fact that Sales is from Indiana, and DeBoer has his work cut out for him.

That said, Alabama is still very much in this. Monshun Sales has repeatedly said the Tide remains a top school, a stance that aligns with the Rivals RPM. Both Steve Wiltfong and Greg Smith logged predictions favoring Alabama last month. He’ll be back in Tuscaloosa on January 31, and his relationship with Derrick Nix is growing.  “Alabama is a place I’ve been three times, and I really like it there,” he said. “I grew up watching Alabama. When I was younger, Alabama was my favorite school, so there’s a lot I like about the program.”

This competition between the two programs now extends beyond recruiting and into a broader conversation about leadership and trajectory.

Kalen DeBoer gets a Curt Cignetti comparison 

Early in the 2025 season, Alabama fans were restless. A season-opening loss to Florida State followed an uneven 2024 campaign that ended with a loss to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl. As a fan base conditioned by Nick Saban, patience was thin. Kalen DeBoer stabilized things with an eight-game winning streak, including four ranked SEC wins, but the doubts never fully disappeared.

Blowout losses to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game and Indiana in the Rose Bowl reopened the debate. Seth Emerson of The Athletic ranked Alabama 12th in his SEC “vibes” rankings and drew a comparison that raised eyebrows.

“It’s possible that Alabama has one of the best coaches in college football. The question is whether it has the right coach for Alabama,” he wrote. “Kalen DeBoer is Cignetti Lite, a winner wherever he’s been, and while he’s not winning at Nick Saban levels, he did win more in his second year than in his first year. The third year doesn’t strike as make-or-break for DeBoer. More like pretty important for The Vibes.”

What do you think of the comparison? Curt Cignetti went 19-4 at James Madison before taking Indiana to the playoffs and then a national title. Kalen DeBoer reached a national championship game at Washington but has not replicated that success at Alabama. He is a proven coach; that is not in question. But whether that is enough at Alabama remains unresolved, especially as Indiana continues to win battles on and off the field.