Ever since the Indiana Hoosiers won the national championship, everyone has been lauding Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti for his exploits. And rightly so, since no one expected the program to win the natty. However, while his coaching ability is not in doubt, a FOX analyst believes Cignetti is getting more praise than he deserves, rather than another person on the Indiana team.

“You’re like, ‘This is bad, uncreative offense.’ Then, they get Mendoza, and suddenly every article is “Curt Cignetti is the smartest man in the history of football,” FOX analyst Colin Cowherd told John Middlekauff on The Colin Cowherd podcast when contrasting Indiana’s performance before and after getting Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza.

“When people ask me, ‘Do you buy Cignetti?’ ‘I’m like, ‘I know he’s a good coach, but his first year, that loss to Notre Dame disappeared into the ether.’ And we’re not giving Mendoza enough credit, who I think was an all-time college quarterback. So, your take on Cignetti: Is he as brilliant as some of the analytics say, or do we just not understand how good Mendoza was late in games last year?

Aside from being the Heisman Trophy winner and the No. 1 player to get drafted in the 2026 NFL Draft, Cowherd believes Mendoza deserves more credit for the Hoosiers’ national championship-winning season. Outside of the season-opener, Mendoza threw at least one touchdown pass in all of Indiana’s games, including the national championship game. His touchdown run against Miami ultimately proved to be the deciding moment.

While Mendoza deserves praise for his exceptional displays, the offense is just one part of the game. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, who was a firsthand victim of Indiana’s watertight defense, confessed that the Hoosiers deserve more credit for their defense during his Big Ten Media Days press conference. Cignetti’s defense ranked fourth nationally in total defense and second in points allowed per game.

As a head coach, Cignetti advanced through the ranks and demonstrated his abilities at every program he coached. At James Madison, he defied the usual struggles experienced by programs transitioning to the FBS from the FCS and amassed an 8-3 record in his first year. Without Mendoza, he picked up Indiana from a 3-9 season and led the program to an 11-1 regular-season record and a college football playoff appearance within a year.

An overlooked perspective to Cowherd’s claim is that just as we saw Cignetti achieve fewer results without Mendoza, we also saw Mendoza achieve fewer results without Cignetti. Mendoza was an unknown name in college football until he played for Cignetti. At Cal in 2024, Mendoza threw just 17 TDs; in 2025 at Indiana, he threw 41.

Overall, rather than divide the pair by glorifying one at the expense of another, a safer place to pitch one’s tent is that Mendoza and Cignetti were a perfect match. Cignetti was a great coach who became greater with Mendoza. Likewise, Mendoza was a good college football player who became even better with Cignetti.

Cignetti reveals the true reason for Indiana’s 2025 triumph

During his appearance at the Big Ten Media Days, Cignetti lauded his 2025 team without singling any person out. He understood the importance of teamwork and that it had the greatest impact on the program, more than anyone or anything else.

“Look, what separated last year’s team from the other really good teams I had was their day-in, day-out consistency,” said Cignetti at the 2026 Big Ten Media Days on Thursday. “They stacked meetings. They stacked practices. They went into every game with the right mindset and respect for the challenge and then they put it between the white lines and did the things that we emphasize.”

Both Cignetti and Mendoza are part of an Indiana team that collectively won the national championship. While the pair have been the most celebrated, team victories only happen as a result of the contributions of every player.