Curt Cignetti shared that Indiana Football QB Fernando Mendoza ‘did good’ in first spring practice

Indiana football has officially entered year two of the Curt Cignetti era with spring practice beginning this week.

While it won’t be as much of a change as it was in year one, due to so much turnover on the roster, Cignetti is forced to restart and rebuild heading into the 2025 season.

He emphasized that point during his first press conference of the spring on Saturday when talking about the changes to the roster. He shared that over 40% of the roster is new to the program.

“So you start over. You truly do start over every year, but now with the rules the way they are, it’s even more so,” Cignetti said Saturday.

A key part of that change comes at the quarterback position. With Kurtis Rourke graduating and entering the NFL Draft, the Hoosiers will have a new leader under center in 2025.

RELATED: Former Indiana football QB Kurtis Rourke provides health update, goal to be ready by training camp

Fernando Mendoza, a Cal transfer, joins his younger brother Alberto Mendoza in the quarterback room and appears in line to start after starting 20 games with Cal.

A change at quarterback is nothing new for Cignetti who will now have four different quarterbacks in four seasons. Cignetti has had no issues with that as he has gone 30-7 over the past three seasons.

“I thought he did good. The big thing we’re going to be working on him this spring is getting the ball out of his hand on rhythm,” Cignetti said. “A lot of the concepts he’s been exposed to, they were probably called differently. Some of the concepts will be a little bit new.”

Similar to Rourke, Fernando Mendoza comes to Indiana football with a wealth of experience as a starter where he found success throwing for 4,712 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions while playing behind a poor offensive line.

“There’s things at Cal that — he was under duress quite a bit at Cal, so we protected the passer and the pass better, so developing trust and confidence in the pocket, throwing the ball on rhythm, and eye control, those type of things,” Cignetti said.

Last season Fernando Mendoza was sacked 41 times in 12 games. With Indiana football, Mendoza will have a much better unit in front of him, as the offensive line allowed Kurtis Rourke to be sacked just 20 times in 12 games.

With Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr. returning and new additions like Makai Jackson, Holden Staes, and others on the roster. Mendoza will have no shortage of talented pass catchers to throw to next season.

Sarratt and Cooper Jr. were the two leading receivers a year ago for Indiana football. Sarratt had 957 receiving yards, while Cooper Jr. had 594 yards with both players scoring eight touchdowns.

While transitioning from Cal to Indiana might not be the easiest transition, Fernando Mendoza will have his younger brother Alberto with him in the quarterback room.

“I know the young one will push the old one as hard as he can, and he’s got a good future. Two great kids,” Cignetti said about coaching the Mendoza brothers.

With Alberto behind him on the depth chart, there will likely be no shortage of competition in the quarterback room and Cignetti would not want it any other way.

SEE ALSO: Former running back Justice Ellison to join the Indiana football staff in support role

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