Hoover better work out for the Hoosiers because Cignetti has officially run out of Mendozas to line up behind center. The older Heisman is out of reach now as Fernando is busy throwing interceptions in the preseason for the Raiders. But why not try to retain Alberto, the younger brother who actually chose Indiana first?
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While the Hoosiers initially appeared satisfied with their offseason roster movement, head coach Curt Cignetti recently admitted that losing the talented backup was not part of their ideal plan.
During an appearance on the Andy and Ari podcast with On3, Cignetti revealed that the Hoosiers had actively tried to keep Alberto before he transferred.
“We retained everybody we wanted to retain; we didn’t lose anybody we didn’t want to lose,” Cignetti said during the episode. “Well, Alberto, we tried.”
This is big coming from the otherwise, self-assured Cignetti, who rarely second guesses himself. What is not popularly known is that Alberto actually arrived at Indiana before his older brother, signing with the Hoosiers in Dec. 2023 and enrolling in the summer of 2024. Fernando was still at California and only came to Bloomington in 2025 for that one magical season.
When Alberto Mendoza chose to leave for Georgia Tech, he was searching for a starting role rather than spend another season as a backup. He also has a chance to establish his own identity on the national stage rather than live under his brother’s shadow.
This is because Indiana’s addition of TCU Horned Frogs transfer Josh Hoover entirely changed the picture for the returning backup. With Hoover expected to take over as the starter, Alberto faced another frustrating season holding a clipboard.
“I mean, he’s Fernando Mendoza, I’m Alberto Mendoza; we’re two different people,” Alberto Mendoza said during a press conference on April 15, according to an X post of Ossacin’s Ducktail.
“So I wasn’t recruited here because of Fernando. I was recruited here because of me. I’m excited to show what I can do. That’s the biggest reason why I’m at Georgia Tech now, to be able to get on the field and show what I can do this fall, and I’m really excited.”
Alberto’s 2025 season looked a lot different than his brother. He appeared in nine games during that historic campaign, completing 18 of 24 passes for 286 yards and 5 touchdowns. He even used his feet for 190 yards on 13 carries. This was valuable depth that should not be dismissed. But this is nothing new as Alberto had already established his own impressive resume before arriving in Bloomington.
A standout at Columbus High School in Miami, he threw for 4,596 yards and scored 57 touchdowns. All of this with a 72% completion rate across his junior and senior seasons. This kind of production got him a 3-star rating with offers from James Madison, App State, Duke, and of course Indiana.
Now, Alberto Mendoza takes the next step in Atlanta with Georgia Tech. The early reviews from the Yellow Jackets have been encouraging, with the coaching staff already pointing to his football intelligence, leadership, and understanding of the game as qualities that could help him make an immediate impact.
Alberto Mendoza Receives Strong Endorsements From Georgia Tech Staff Ahead of 2026
Despite having only 25 career collegiate pass attempts, he is expected to take over as the Yellow Jackets’ quarterback in 2026, with head coach Brent Key and his staff praising his calm leadership and strong work ethic.
“He’s smart, cerebral,” Georgia Tech’s head coach Brent Key said, according to Maggie Doster of SB Nation. “Sees the whole field, can get us in and out of good plays, bad plays. He’s accurate, has a good release. Mom and Dad are great people.”
As for how different it is to play football in Atlanta, Alberto sounded optimistic and excited for the challenge.
“It is a different offense,” he said. “I would say there’s a lot more on the quarterback’s plate here than there was at Indiana. And it’s great because all it’s doing is prepping me for the next step, and I think it’s putting me in a great position for that.”
“We’ve got more volume in our offense than I would say anybody in the country,” QB coach Chris Weinke said on August 18. “With all that being said, there’s a burden on the quarterback, right?”
“There were a lot of unknowns when he got here, right?” Weinke continued. “And so you never know. But I do know this, that he’s a high-level thinker. He can process information, and that’s what we’re looking for, especially in this offense with a lot of the adjustments we’re gonna have to make at the line of scrimmage with the quarterback.”
Despite wanting to chart his own path, Alberto still leans on his older brother. He recently spoke about how the two exchange notes whenever they speak.
“It’s kind of funny cuz he’s learning a very Klint Kubiak scheme,” Alberto said. “Coach Kubiak has done an amazing job. And we talked about some of the same protections, some of the same concepts, and it’s just they’re both NFL guys, they’re offensive coordinators.”
The 2026 regular season will be his first true opportunity to prove his caliber as a starting collegiate quarterback. He will make his highly anticipated debut when Georgia Tech opens its campaign against the Colorado Buffaloes at Bobby Dodd Stadium on September 3, 2026.