Following his transfer from Cal this past offseason, Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza has been turning heads. Even though he has a tough act to follow in Kurtis Rourke, Curt Cignetti’s leader under the center is looking the part so far. Of course, it helps that he’s coming off a great 2024. Add to that the early rumors that he could be selected highly in the 2026 NFL Draft and the growing buzz that he is one of the Big Ten’s best signal-callers this season. It’s all trending upwards.

At the same time, it’s not just Mendoza who is following a tough act. The head coach is in the same act. The act he is following? His own. Of making a basketball program go crazy for football again. That was built up on the back of a near-perfect first year at the Hoosiers. An 11-1 regular season finish was some

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