LAKE MARY, Fla. – Lee Corso is synonymous with college football, and the former coach and retired ESPN broadcaster continues to give back to the game.
The Lee Corso Legacy Award was given to Indiana football head coach Curt Cignetti Thursday evening, after Cignetti lead the Hoosiers on an undefeated run to win the 2026 CFP National Championship. Cignetti received the award virtually.
Corso, who coached at Indiana from 1973-1982 and won the school’s first ever bowl game, feels honored by the award being named after him. The award recognizes coaches who have contributed to sports beyond just the wins and losses.
“It means an awful lot to me,” Corso told News 6. “Integrity; that’s what I tried to teach (my players).”
And his messages have stuck with his players. Terry Tallen, who played linebacker under Corso in 1978-80, is a board member for the Positive Coaching Alliance and backed the Lee Corso Legacy Fund. The PCA is a non-profit dedicated to helping young players excel on and off the field.
“It’s a great example of a grateful former player with a coach who had an instrumental effect on his life,” Tallen said. “It’s wonderful to do this.”
Many former players and coaches were on hand at Heathrow Country Club to see Corso award Cignetti and listen to Corso share stories from his storied coaching career.
And this legacy fund is one more way Corso’s legacy will live on.