'You got to build around the quarterback': The Indiana offense is going to look different as Curt Cignetti builds around Fernando Mendoza

For the fourth straight season Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti will have a different starting quarterback leading the way for him.

With no further context or information that sounds like a problem, but Cignetti has consistently gotten high-level production no matter his starter going back to his time at James Madison. 

Cignetti has had pocket passers like Kurtis Rourke. He’s had dual threats like Jordan McCloud and Todd Centeio.

This season, Cignetti will have Cal transfer Fernando Mendoza, arguably the most talented signal caller, play for him.

After two seasons as a starter at Cal, Mendoza elected to enter the transfer portal and join his younger brother Alberto Mendoza in Bloomington.

“He’s a big guy. He’s got good movement, quick release, and can make all the throws,” Cignetti said on Always College Football with Greg McElroy. “He’s accurate also and throws the ball on the run really well.” 

Like Rourke, Mendoza comes to Indiana with a lot of experience.

He appeared in 20 games at Cal and threw 30 passing touchdowns and 16 interceptions while rushing for four touchdowns and also catching a touchdown.

Last season was especially good for Mendoza as he threw for 3,004 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and just six interceptions in 11 games. 

Unlike Rourke, Mendoza is a lot more mobile and can be dangerous outside of the pocket.

Cignetti shared that less than one percent of Rourke’s throws came from outside of the pocket last year. He expects that to change significantly with Mendoza under center.

“I think with him you’re going to get some [quarterback runs] without even calling it,” Cignetti said. “We’re having a big discussion on the quarterback draw when you look at our pocket passes and how many times he runs for big gains.”

He had a run of at least 15 yards in six of Cal’s 11 games a season ago. Many of them came from broken play scrambles including a 50-yard rush against Stanford. 

Mendoza is slippery in the pocket and has showcased the ability to make guys miss.

The next step for Mendoza comes from protecting himself and avoiding sacks. He was sacked 41 times last season. 

“I believe that sacks are both a quarterback and offensive line stat. So, I do take responsibility on that at my previous stop,” Mendoza said during spring camp.

Learning when to throw it away will help him avoid taking as many sacks.

Having arguably the best offensive line of his collegiate career will also help Mendoza avoid sacks.

Last season Indiana allowed just 21 sacks in 41 games. In addition to three returning starters, Cignetti also added some major contributors in the transfer portal.

Mendoza is already noticing a difference between his previous offensive line units and his current one.

“I have a ton of time [to throw the ball]. Quite honestly it is a little more time than I am used to, I would say. But it has been great, and I have had great offensive lines in the past, and I am blessed to have an amazing offensive line this year.”

Having more time to throw will only help Mendoza showcase his talent in Cignetti’s dynamic offense. 

Cignetti will still want Mendoza to protect himself from hits, but his mobility adds a new element to the offense that was not seen last year. 

Cignetti has emphasized the importance of catering the offense to his quarterback’s skill set. 

“It’s all about the quarterback, you got to build around the quarterback. What are his strengths and then your personnel,” Cignetti said. “The offense is flexible. We’ve had all different kinds [of quarterbacks] and they’ve all been players on offense.”

Many coaches will stick to their system and find players that fit what they want to do. Cignetti’s offense is dynamic and changes to fit the personnel. 

Last season with Rourke unable to move much due to a knee injury, Indiana threw a lot of quick passes and worked to keep him in the pocket. 

With Mendoza Indiana will likely run similar concepts while also adding new wrinkles to get the most out of him. 

More quarterback-designed runs and bootlegs could be coming to the Indiana offense in 2025.

“Football is always evolving and you have to stay on the cutting edge,” Cignetti said.

Last season we saw two different running back pass attempts and we likely will see more creativity from the offense. 

Cignetti has never been afraid to experiment and with Fernando Mendoza under center, it adds a whole new component to Indiana’s already dynamic offense in 2025.

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