Football
Cain, Grant
vs
Indiana State
Sep 12 (Fri)
6:30 p.m.
Grant Cain
- Title:
- Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends
- Email:
- football@iu.edu
Entering his seventh season on Curt Cignetti’s staff, Grant Cain continues his role as special teams coordinator/tight ends coach in his second season in Bloomington.
Cain joined Cignetti at James Madison in 2019 as the special teams coordinator and tight ends coach and was promoted to assistant head coach prior to the 2022 season, before joining him at Indiana.
His first season in Bloomington was highlighted by a Big Ten-best four blocked kicks – three punts and one field goal – which ranked No. 6 nationally. IU finished with the third-highest special teams grade per Pro Football Focus (88.7) in the Power 4.
Kicker Nicolas Radicic also paced the FBS in extra points made per game (5.3) and finished the season with a program-record 69 extra points made. Radicic also finished No. 66 on the single-season scoring list with 99 points (10 FG, 69 XP). Punt returner Myles Price finished No. 6 nationally in punt return average (12.9 ypr) and helped the unit finish No. 2 nationally in long punt returns (_) per PFF.
Both Radicic and long snapper Mark Langston received honorable mention All-Big Ten nods from the conference coaches and media, as did tight end Zach Horton.
Over five seasons at JMU (2019-23), his pupils earned three All-America honors. His units combined for four All-Sun Belt Conference picks and nine All-Colonial Athletic Association selections during that span.
His 2023 special teams unit led the Sun Belt and ranked No. 14 nationally per ESPN in special team’s efficiency (63.9). The rating was boosted by top-15 rankings nationally in blocked punts (T-No. 4; 2), field goal percentage (T-No. 10; .889) and punt return average (No. 13; 14.8 ypr).
Zach Horton was a first-team All-SBC pick at tight end in 2023 with his six touchdown catches, No. 5 nationally among tight ends. Dukes’ punter Ryan Hanson and place kicker Camden Wise earned Sun Belt second- and third-team honors, respectively.
Ethan Radke accounted for all three of Cain’s All-America honors and was a first-team choice in 2021. He set the JMU single-season field goals made record (29; 2021) and is the only kicker in FCS history to make 100 career field goals with 101 makes and an FCS-record 86.3 field goal percentage. His 150 points in 2021 are an FCS record and his 542 career points (101 FG, 239 XP) are an all-division national mark.
A back-to-back Colonial Athletic Association Special Teams Player of the Year (2020-21), Ratke was the 2021 Fred Mitchell Award winner as the nation’s top place-kicker in FCS, Division II, Division III, NAIA, and NJCAA. He was a three-time first-team All-CAA pick.
In 2021, James Madison led the FCS in field goals per game (2.07) while ranking fourth in kick-return average (26.5) and field goal percentage (.906), seventh in kickoff-return defense (15.25), eighth in punt-return defense (3.7), 12th in blocked punts (2), and 20th in net punt average (38.8).
James Madison made a program-record 29 field goals in 2021 and in 2019 his special teams unit blocked an FCS-best nine kicks.
Cain spent six seasons at Mercer (2013-18) where he coached four All-Southern Conference honorees. He served as the program’s inside linebackers coach and had a hand in special teams in each of his six seasons. Mercer produced top-15 rankings on special teams in five of his six seasons.
He tutored eight All-Southern Conference picks and four Bears earned first-team selections. Chandler Curtis was the first Mercer first-team All-American in program history in 2014 when he led the country with four return touchdowns.
Curtis still owns the SoCon record for all-purpose yards gained per play (17.2 ypp) and is tied atop the SoCon charts in career punt return touchdowns (3). In all, he owned five kick return scores (3 punt; 2 kickoff) in his career.
In seven seasons at Coastal Carolina (2005-12), Cain worked from graduate assistant to full-time assistant and was part of three Big South Conference championships (2005, 2006, 2010). Along with coaching outside linebackers and defensive ends while in Conway, he also contributed with instructing the special teams unit.
His entry into coaching came with his alma mater, Catawba College (N.C.), as a defensive analyst for two seasons (2003-04) and he spent one spring with the Colorado Crush (2005) of the Arena Football League in the same role. The Crush, owned by Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway, won ArenaBowl XIX.
Cain earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Catawba (2003) and received a master’s degree in instructional technology from Coastal Carolina (2007).
He played four seasons at Catawba as a defensive back and was named team captain as a senior. Cain helped the Indians to four Division II Playoff berths and a semifinal appearance in the 2001 championships.
Cain is married to the former Shauna Koontz, and they have two sons, Caleb and Samuel.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Catawba College (N.C.)
2003-04: Defensive Assistant
Colorado Crush (Arena Football League)
2005: Defensive Assistant
Coastal Carolina University
2005-06: Graduate Assistant – Defense
2007-09: Outside Linebackers
2010-12: Defensive Ends
Mercer University
2013-14: Recruiting Coordinator/Inside Linebackers/Co-Special Teams Coach
2015-18: Assistant Head Coach/Inside Linebackers/Special Teams Coach
James Madison University
2019-21: Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends
2022-23: Special Teams Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends
Indiana University
2024-: Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Catawba College (N.C.)
1999-2002: Defensive Back
Cain joined Cignetti at James Madison in 2019 as the special teams coordinator and tight ends coach and was promoted to assistant head coach prior to the 2022 season, before joining him at Indiana.
His first season in Bloomington was highlighted by a Big Ten-best four blocked kicks – three punts and one field goal – which ranked No. 6 nationally. IU finished with the third-highest special teams grade per Pro Football Focus (88.7) in the Power 4.
Kicker Nicolas Radicic also paced the FBS in extra points made per game (5.3) and finished the season with a program-record 69 extra points made. Radicic also finished No. 66 on the single-season scoring list with 99 points (10 FG, 69 XP). Punt returner Myles Price finished No. 6 nationally in punt return average (12.9 ypr) and helped the unit finish No. 2 nationally in long punt returns (_) per PFF.
Both Radicic and long snapper Mark Langston received honorable mention All-Big Ten nods from the conference coaches and media, as did tight end Zach Horton.
Over five seasons at JMU (2019-23), his pupils earned three All-America honors. His units combined for four All-Sun Belt Conference picks and nine All-Colonial Athletic Association selections during that span.
His 2023 special teams unit led the Sun Belt and ranked No. 14 nationally per ESPN in special team’s efficiency (63.9). The rating was boosted by top-15 rankings nationally in blocked punts (T-No. 4; 2), field goal percentage (T-No. 10; .889) and punt return average (No. 13; 14.8 ypr).
Zach Horton was a first-team All-SBC pick at tight end in 2023 with his six touchdown catches, No. 5 nationally among tight ends. Dukes’ punter Ryan Hanson and place kicker Camden Wise earned Sun Belt second- and third-team honors, respectively.
Ethan Radke accounted for all three of Cain’s All-America honors and was a first-team choice in 2021. He set the JMU single-season field goals made record (29; 2021) and is the only kicker in FCS history to make 100 career field goals with 101 makes and an FCS-record 86.3 field goal percentage. His 150 points in 2021 are an FCS record and his 542 career points (101 FG, 239 XP) are an all-division national mark.
A back-to-back Colonial Athletic Association Special Teams Player of the Year (2020-21), Ratke was the 2021 Fred Mitchell Award winner as the nation’s top place-kicker in FCS, Division II, Division III, NAIA, and NJCAA. He was a three-time first-team All-CAA pick.
In 2021, James Madison led the FCS in field goals per game (2.07) while ranking fourth in kick-return average (26.5) and field goal percentage (.906), seventh in kickoff-return defense (15.25), eighth in punt-return defense (3.7), 12th in blocked punts (2), and 20th in net punt average (38.8).
James Madison made a program-record 29 field goals in 2021 and in 2019 his special teams unit blocked an FCS-best nine kicks.
Cain spent six seasons at Mercer (2013-18) where he coached four All-Southern Conference honorees. He served as the program’s inside linebackers coach and had a hand in special teams in each of his six seasons. Mercer produced top-15 rankings on special teams in five of his six seasons.
He tutored eight All-Southern Conference picks and four Bears earned first-team selections. Chandler Curtis was the first Mercer first-team All-American in program history in 2014 when he led the country with four return touchdowns.
Curtis still owns the SoCon record for all-purpose yards gained per play (17.2 ypp) and is tied atop the SoCon charts in career punt return touchdowns (3). In all, he owned five kick return scores (3 punt; 2 kickoff) in his career.
In seven seasons at Coastal Carolina (2005-12), Cain worked from graduate assistant to full-time assistant and was part of three Big South Conference championships (2005, 2006, 2010). Along with coaching outside linebackers and defensive ends while in Conway, he also contributed with instructing the special teams unit.
His entry into coaching came with his alma mater, Catawba College (N.C.), as a defensive analyst for two seasons (2003-04) and he spent one spring with the Colorado Crush (2005) of the Arena Football League in the same role. The Crush, owned by Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway, won ArenaBowl XIX.
Cain earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Catawba (2003) and received a master’s degree in instructional technology from Coastal Carolina (2007).
He played four seasons at Catawba as a defensive back and was named team captain as a senior. Cain helped the Indians to four Division II Playoff berths and a semifinal appearance in the 2001 championships.
Cain is married to the former Shauna Koontz, and they have two sons, Caleb and Samuel.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Catawba College (N.C.)
2003-04: Defensive Assistant
Colorado Crush (Arena Football League)
2005: Defensive Assistant
Coastal Carolina University
2005-06: Graduate Assistant – Defense
2007-09: Outside Linebackers
2010-12: Defensive Ends
Mercer University
2013-14: Recruiting Coordinator/Inside Linebackers/Co-Special Teams Coach
2015-18: Assistant Head Coach/Inside Linebackers/Special Teams Coach
James Madison University
2019-21: Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends
2022-23: Special Teams Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends
Indiana University
2024-: Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Catawba College (N.C.)
1999-2002: Defensive Back
FB: Week 3 (Indiana State) - Curt Cignetti Press Conference
Monday, September 08
FB: Elijah Sarratt - KSU Postgame Press Conference (09/06/25)
Saturday, September 06
FB: Kellan Wyatt - KSU Postgame Press Conference (09/06/25)
Saturday, September 06
FB: Fernando Mendoza - KSU Postgame Press Conference (09/06/25)
Saturday, September 06
