Via tears, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza thanked each member of his household after changing into the primary Hoosier to ever win the Heisman Trophy. The Cuban American quarterback acknowledged his household for believing in him all through his profession.
He was a two-star highschool recruit who drew little consideration earlier than lastly touchdown a possibility to play at California. After three years with the Golden Bears, together with a redshirt yr, he transferred to Indiana. On Thursday, the No. 1 Hoosiers will take the sector on the Rose Bowl, the place they may face faculty soccer conventional energy Alabama within the School Soccer Playoff quarterfinals.
Strain is acquainted for Mendoza. He’s confronted challenges all through his profession — from proving himself as an missed highschool athlete to incomes his beginning function at Cal.
Anytime Mendoza has met a hurdle, he considers find out how to assist these round him shine.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza holds again tears whereas accepting the Heisman Trophy on Dec. 13 in New York.
(Todd Van Emst / Related Press)
“I do know that’s my accountability to my coaches, to my teammates and to the whole group, to have the ability to be sharp mentally and never have outdoors influences, pressures and noise capable of affect my recreation,” Mendoza mentioned. “I feel one factor is simply preserving the method on how I received right here, how the whole group received to this place, which is preserving the method that I’ve saved for each single recreation.”
The Hoosiers completed the season undefeated. They are going to play for his or her first Rose Bowl victory in 57 years and it’ll be the second yr in a row Indiana has reached the School Soccer Playoff.
“His management has elevated in these essential moments and I feel that’s what makes him such a particular participant — as a result of when the stakes are the very best, he steps up and will get the group going,” Indiana linebacker Isaiah Jones mentioned. “He’s a man that folks need to get behind and run a play for.”
Mendoza grew to become the third participant with Latino heritage to win the Heisman Trophy. His grandparents on each side of the household have been born in Cuba and through his acceptance speech, he made positive to thank them in Spanish.
Within the NFL, Latino gamers have develop into a rising demographic. From 2021-25, illustration jumped from 12 to 47 gamers who establish as Latino, with 32 on 53-man rosters firstly of the season. Mendoza isn’t within the league, however his elevated presence within the faculty soccer world has include additional stress of representing a tradition and proving Latinos can achieve soccer.
“To have the ability to play on this environment within the Rose Bowl, it’s a particular second for myself, for my household, and I might say simply with the ability to play in entrance of a Hispanic and Latino crowd, it’s what I do,” Mendoza mentioned. “I need to encourage younger Latino children and I need to at all times symbolize my tradition to the very best.”
On Thursday, Mendoza will take the sector for the primary time as a Heisman winner, including one other layer of depth to his recreation. The award winner is anticipated to do many nationwide media interviews and Mendoza not too long ago was a outstanding voice throughout a “60 Minutes” section about Indiana.
“What you see on digicam is who he’s,” Jones mentioned. “Whether or not it’s within the locker room or out to eat with a few of my teammates, he is likely one of the extra real folks on the group.”
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti hopes the expectations that include the Heisman Trophy don’t change the quarterback’s model.
“It’s actually vital now that he develops a pointy edge in his preparation and doesn’t play like, ‘Oh, I’m the Heisman Trophy winner and I’ve received to do that or try this,’ as a result of we’ve all been following this recreation lengthy sufficient to know we’ve seen a few of these performances,” he mentioned.
Cignetti understands the problem of the opponent standing in entrance of Mendoza. The Alabama protection works to throw the quarterback off steadiness. The Tide have nice gamers who play arduous and quick. As a way to win, Mendoza and his teammates have to play the way in which they’ve all season.
“On the finish of the day, it’s all about execution, left sort out doing his job, working again, receiver, and Fernando being on level,” Cignetti mentioned.
Mendoza mentioned he’s as much as the problem. When he takes the primary snap in Pasadena, he gained’t be pondering of private statistics or awards, he’ll be excited about the nationwide championship.
“Now now we have to get the final word group award,” he mentioned.
