The 2025 Indiana football team has been one of the biggest surprises in the country. They shocked everyone last season after making the College Football Playoff, but this season, it's different. They are a better team from top to bottom, and the credit goes to Curt Cignetti and their Heisman-caliber quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, after he came over from Cal.
On Thursday's episode of “The Pat McAfee Show,” Curt Cignetti discussed Fernando Mendoza and his growth since arriving on campus at Indiana. Cignetti said that of all the players he coached, Mendoza is the most prepared player he has ever been around, including players like Philip Rivers and Russell Wilson. That preparation is a big reason why Mendoza has soared up draft boards and why he is one of the Heisman Trophy favorites.
“The progress he has made in the pocket, really, is unbelievable,” Cignetti said. “But as much progress as he's made, he's got that much more he can make because of his build. And he's the kind of guy, I mean, he's brilliant, he has super high character. He wants to be a great player, and I've never been around a player anywhere I've ever been that prepares like him.”
Cignetti has been seen as a quarterback whisperer as a head coach. In each of the last five seasons, he has had five different starting quarterbacks, all of whom went on to earn All-Conference honors at James Madison or Indiana. That might be on the horizon again due to how well Mendoza has played.
“He was an easy guy to evaluate,” Cignetti said. “There's a lot of physical talent there. He's tall, he's smart, he's got a quick release, he can make all the throws, and he's mobile. When he got here, we had to settle him down in the pocket, work on his footwork and processing a little bit, and calm him down in the pocket, because he didn't have the best protection at Cal.”
Mendoza has 1,423 passing yards, 17 passing touchdowns, which leads the Big Ten, and only two interceptions with a 71.2% completion percentage. He is also seventh nationally in total quarterback rating at 84.6. He also has 133 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 36 carries. He is on pace to match or eclipse almost every statistic second-team All-Big Ten quarterback Kurtis Rourke had from a season ago. He also has NFL scouts salivating over his potential at the next level.
“He cares about people, is involved in the community, teammates love him,” Cignetti said. “But he's not a real rah-rah guy. He leads by example.”
