The transfer portal quarterback market is absolutely chaotic right now. Schools like Miami, LSU, Oregon, Texas Tech, Florida, Cincinnati, and Arizona State are all hunting for answers at the sport’s most important position. But according to On3’s Pete Nakos, the Hoosiers and their HC Curt Cignetti have narrowed their focus to just two realistic targets.

Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby is the name that keeps popping up for Curt Cignetti. And it’s not hard to see why. He already knows the program inside and out. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound dual-threat quarterback spent two years in Bloomington under former coach Tom Allen before transferring to Cincinnati following Allen’s firing. He’s put up solid numbers with the Bearcats over the past two seasons. He threw for more than 2,800 yards in both years with a 45-12 touchdown-to-interception ratio. 

This past season alone, Sorsby totaled 2,800 passing yards with 27 touchdowns and just five picks. He also added 580 rushing yards and nine more scores, nearly leading Cincinnati to a Big 12 Championship before they faded late. Sorsby already understands what Indiana football is about, even if Curt Cignetti’s system is different from what Allen ran. Texas Tech is the other major player in Sorsby’s recruitment. The Red Raiders players are already sliding into his Instagram comments, trying to recruit him to Lubbock. But Indiana’s recent success and the chance to return “home” could swing things.​

Sam Leavitt is Indiana’s other serious target, and he might actually be the bigger prize if the Hoosiers can pull it off. “Indiana wants to bring in another accomplished quarterback who could help them win a national title and a Big 10 title like Fernando Mendoza did. That makes sense,” reported Nakos.  The Arizona State quarterback entered the 2025 season as a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender after leading the Sun Devils to a Big 12 Championship in 2024.

But injuries derailed his sophomore campaign and limited him to just seven games.  When healthy, Leavitt showed why he was so hyped. 145 completions on 239 attempts for 1,628 yards and 10 touchdowns with only three picks, plus 306 rushing yards and five more scores on the ground. The problem for Indiana is that they’re not alone in this chase. Oregon, Miami, and LSU are all heavily involved.

Pete Nakos reported that those three schools, along with Indiana, are the early frontrunners. Oregon makes a ton of sense since Leavitt is from West Linn, Oregon. And the Ducks desperately need a proven quarterback if Dante Moore leaves for the NFL Draft. 

LSU, under new coach Lane Kiffin, and Miami, looking to replace Carson Beck, also provide stiff competition. Curt Cignetti’s pitch revolves around pointing to what they just did with Mendoza. They took a transfer quarterback and developed him into the best player in college football.​

A wildcard like no one else

The question nobody’s really asking is, does Indiana have the answer already on their roster? The Hoosiers have been linked to North Texas quarterback Drew Mestemaker. One report suggested that Oklahoma State and Indiana are the two programs trending for the Mean Green signal-caller. This could be a Fernando Mendoza story all over again. Get a QB from an underrated school and make them a Heisman winner.

Mestemaker has a relationship with former North Texas coach Eric Morris.  This gives Oklahoma State an edge since Morris is their new coach. But Indiana’s pitch is compelling. They promised Mendoza they’d make him the “best Fernando Mendoza possible.” And they delivered on that in a spectacular fashion. Could they do the same with a developmental quarterback already in the system? The problem is that Indiana doesn’t have the luxury of time. They’re the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff and just won a Big Ten Championship over Ohio State. So, expectations are sky-high for 2026. 

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Mestemaker is one of only five quarterbacks who have surpassed the 4000+ passing yard mark in their freshman year. Moreover, he is the only QB in FBS this season to exceed the 4000+ yard mark. He has 4129 passing yards. The next one on the list is Sawyer Robertson with 3681 passing yards. If this goes through in Indiana’s favor, history might repeat itself.