After the hype of the 2024 season, Indiana fans have been anxiously awaiting a kernel of information when it comes to football. That is typically what happens when a team that no one thought would do anything goes undefeated for most of the season and then makes their first appearance in the College Football Playoff.
Now, with the 2024 season behind the Hoosiers, though, it is time to turn the page to 2025, and head coach Curt Cignetti adn his squad has already done that. Spring practices are officially underway at Indiana as the Hoosiers saw the field for the first time in months together on Saturday, and there were a lot of new faces.
With 33 new guys joining the team between the transfer portal and recruiting, there is one player everyone at Indiana is chomping at the bit to hear about, and that is new quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Mendoza was one of the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal coming from Cal, spending two years with the Golden Bears. Even with a bad offensive line, Mendoza was able to throw for over 3,000 yards and 16 touchdowns. With the Hoosiers losing Kurtis Rourke to the NFL this season, Mendoza seems like the perfect fit to take the reigns at Indiana.
Of course, Mendoza will need some time to get used to the new system, as well as new teammates and new coaches. At his first press conference after the first spring practice, there was no surprise that one of the first questions asked of Cignetti was about Mendoza. The second-year head coach kept his answer fairly straightforward forward, acknowledging that everything is very new to the young quarterback, but he has already pinpointed the biggest thing to work on this spring.
"I thought he did good," Cignetti said. "The big thing we're going to be working on him this spring is getting the ball out of his hand on rhythm."
At Cal, Mendoza was under duress quite a bit, so something getting the ball out on time or in a good rhythm was not his first thought. Mendoza will also have to build a relationship with not just his new offensive line but also the wide receiver, tight ends, and running backs he will be throwing to and working closely with.
So, while learning the plays and system are important, building relationships can be even more important. Mendoza will have a lot thrown at him in a short amount of time in spring practice, and being able to just play football will take some time for him to master as a new Hoosier.
"Most of the guys, the first two weeks, they're thinking and playing at the same time," Cignetti said. "Then the last two weeks they're playing more than they're thing, I suspect it'll be the same way with him."
Spring practice is the time for new players to get acclimated and returning players to knock off the rust from the offseason. With day one in the books, it seems Cignetti is happy with what he has in front of him, but he knows this is just the beginning, and there is still a way to go before the 2025 season kicks off.