Fernando Mendoza was one of the most sought-after quarterback prospects in the transfer portal this past offseason. Indiana had at least one thing no program could match in its pursuit of the talented Cal passer: his younger brother, Alberto.
The younger Mendoza had originally committed to Curt Cignetti out of high school when the latter was at JMU, flipping to the Hoosiers after he was hired at Indiana and spending his freshman year with the program in 2024.
When news broke that the elder Mendoza
was entering the portal, Indiana felt like a natural landing spot. On top of his brother’s presence, Cignetti has developed a reputation as a quarterback guru, tinkering with his offense based on its passer’s strengths in order to maximize the talent he has under center. Mendoza would have a case as the most talented quarterback he’s worked with has a head coach.
Mendoza ultimately committed, taking over as the Hoosiers’ starting quarterback with Alberto as the second-string.
When Indiana was up big over Kennesaw State and the elder Mendoza took a late hit while running out of bounds, Cignetti wasted no time in pulling him from the game and giving Alberto a chance at a few snaps. He made the most of them, finding Charlie Becker in the endzone for a score as Fernando celebrated on the sideline:
