Fernando Mendoza's Indiana journey wasn't pretty early on

Fernando Mendoza struggled through a difficult spring after transferring to Indiana but improved methodically and delivered a breakout performance on Sept. 20 against No. 9 Illinois en route to winning the Heisman and heading into the national championship.

Fernando Mendoza arrived at Indiana with clear potential but faced visible growing pains in spring practice before the season. Quarterbacks coach Chandler Whitmer described early issues with reads, sacks and drops that made the spring "not pretty" at times. Mendoza had a tendency to leave the pocket early, a habit coaches linked to being sacked frequently the prior year at Cal. Over the spring and summer he worked methodically and soon produced stronger performances on the field. Key details: - Whitmer said Mendoza struggled in early spring with knowing where to go with the ball, taking bad sacks and handling drops. - The article reports Mendoza was sacked 41 times in 2024 while at Cal, which contributed to his pocket movement early at Indiana. - In Indiana’s first game against Old Dominion, Mendoza did not throw a touchdown and completed just under 50 percent of his passes. - On Sept. 20 against No. 9 Illinois, Mendoza completed 21 of 23 passes for 267 yards and five touchdowns in a standout performance. - Whitmer praised Mendoza’s preparation, saying he memorizes detailed tip sheets and can execute them on game day, comparing that level of preparation to Justin Herbert. - The article notes Mendoza became the first Indiana player to win the Heisman and that he was preparing for the national championship game against Miami at Hard Rock Stadium. Summary: Mendoza’s early struggles at Indiana gave way to steady improvement through deliberate preparation, culminating in a marquee game against Illinois and a Heisman Trophy. The article describes him as a likely No. 1 draft pick and says he will play in the national championship game in Miami.