Fernando Mendoza, the QB1 of Indiana, has been receiving praise from all quarters for his start to life at the Hoosiers. On October 10, Nick Saban even said that he’s better than what the program had at the position in 2024. Naturally, his name has popped up in Heisman lists and other postseason honors. But if you listen to Curt Cignetti, none of this would seem surprising. The self-belief that has propelled Mendoza to the top has always been there. 

As Indiana travels to Eugene to take on the No. 3 Oregon Ducks, Cignetti appeared on CBS Sports College Football to preview the game. Naturally, the California transfer came up for discussion, and the head coach took us back to one particular anecdote that best reflects his quarterback’s mindset.

Curt Cignetti discussed the backstory behind Fernando Mendoza’s transfer and whether Alberto Mendoza helped in finding him. “Well, I think it helped our recruitment of him because Alberto could give him the ins and outs on the program. And it’s a very close family.”

Alberto is Fernando’s younger brother. He committed to James Madison out of high school, and when Cignetti got a coaching gig at Indiana, Alberto tagged along with his head coach to the program. After Kurti Rourke moved to the pros following an 11-1 season, Curt Cignetti was back to the portal to find the leader of his offense. Alberto saw the vacancy and pitched it to his brother.

“He [Fernando Mendoza] made a lot of good plays at Cal but had some areas of his game that he had to clean up,” Cignetti said. “We had to help him clean them up, mainly in the pocket in terms of, you know, footwork, staying calm, processing. He’s made tremendous improvement since he’s been here.”

But above all, what impressed Cignetti the most about his QB1 is his willingness to improve. “I’ve never been around a guy… He wants to be great at a young age,” Curt Cignetti revealed. “He told his dad he wanted to be the next Tom Brady. If there were 25 hours in the day, he’d spend all 25 preparing to be great… he’s a special guy.”

Many young QBs aspire to be the GOAT, but looking at Mendoza, you can see that he’s putting in the work to be on the path towards greatness. In the five games he played for Indiana, he completed 89 of 122 attempts, passing 1208 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also rushed 30 times for 102 yards and 2 touchdowns. 

Big game awaits for Fernando Mendoza’s Hoosiers

Entering week 7, No. 7 Indiana will take on No. 3 Oregon at Autzen Stadium on October 11. College GameDay will be at the stadium to cover the game. Among the three undefeated teams left in the Big 10, at least one will lose its status after Week 7. 

Taking a look at their previous meetups, both have played only three times, with Oregon having a slight upper hand with 2-1. A win for Indiana would equalize the record. According to oddsmakers, the Ducks are the 7.5 favorite to win against Indiana, owning the money line with -287.

Indiana’s QB Fernando Mendoza and Oregon’s QB Dante Moore could be the pivotal factors for both teams. Both are among the front-runners for the Heisman trophy, with almost similar numbers. Dante Moore has 1,210 yards passing for 14 touchdowns and just one interception, boasting a 74.6% completion rate.