Fernando Mendoza went from winning the College Football Playoff National Championship with the Indiana Hoosiers to joining a team that was tied for the worst record in the NFL last season in the Las Vegas Raiders.
But the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft sees a similarity between the two teams: the traits of new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak and Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti.
“For example, [in practice], you make a giant completion, and also you’re trying ahead to seeing it on movie, after which each of these guys can be like, ‘Come on, actually? You took an additional hitch,’ or ‘Come on, as an alternative of 5 yards you have been at 4 and a half,’” Mendoza said on the newest episode of “The Rush With Maxx Crosby,” which is hosted by the quarterback’s teammate, Raiders star cross rusher Maxx Crosby. “And you are like, ‘What? I actually took the right footwork, good learn, good throw, superior, explosive play.’ And you are like, ‘Bro, you bought to offer me a break, what’s this man speaking about?’
“Then you definitely see, particularly with Cignetti, having spent a complete season with him, like when he is using me on all these items in fall camp, I am like, ‘You have to be kidding me,’ after which the season you see it present up. And it is like, ‘OK, that cross was accomplished by this a lot as a result of I used to be on the proper depth or as a result of I did not take the additional hitch.’
“You see the identical similarities with Coach Kubiak pushing and actually ensuring you are doing all the pieces, relatively than providing you with a pat on the again, discovering one thing to enhance, as a result of I’ve rather a lot to enhance on.”
The 39-year-old Kubiak is embarking on his first head-coaching stint, most just lately serving because the offensive coordinator for the reigning Tremendous Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks (2025) and New Orleans Saints (2024). Kubiak was beforehand the passing sport coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers (2023) and Denver Broncos (2022), amongst different positions.
In the meantime, Cignetti is doing probably the greatest teaching jobs, if not the finest job, in school soccer historical past at Indiana. Following a three-year stretch throughout which the Hoosiers gained simply 9 video games (a mixed 9-27 document from 2021-23), they went 11-2 of their first season underneath Cignetti, marking the primary double-digit-winning season in program historical past and making their first look within the Faculty Soccer Playoff. Then, Indiana put collectively a 16-0 marketing campaign in 2025, capped off by successful the primary nationwide championship in program historical past.
As for who was underneath heart for Indiana final season, Mendoza transferred to play for the Hoosiers after three seasons with the California Golden Bears (2022-24). Beginning all 16 video games for Indiana, Mendoza totaled 3,535 passing yards, 41 passing touchdowns, six interceptions and a 182.9 passer ranking, whereas finishing 72.0% of his passes. He additionally rushed for 276 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza runs onto the sector on the Faculty Soccer Playoff Nationwide Championship Sport on Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Evaluate-Journal/Tribune Information Service through Getty Photos)
Furthermore, Mendoza threw for a mixed eight touchdowns, accomplished 86.1% of his passes and posted a 245.5 passer ranking over Indiana’s quarterfinal and semifinal spherical wins over the Alabama Crimson Tide (38-3) and Oregon Geese (56-22). Mendoza earned 2025 Huge Ten Offensive Participant of the Yr honors and gained the 2025 Heisman Trophy Award.
“One factor that I believe Coach Cignetti and Coach Kubiak each preach, in a manner, is that everybody’s equal,” Mendoza stated. “And the way I see that as a quarterback is killing the ego. Ensuring that it doesn’t matter what success I had at Indiana or what future success or no matter expectation, there is no ego there. The one motivation is getting higher.”
As for Mendoza’s new teammates, Las Vegas signed heart and three-time Professional Bowler Tyler Linderbaum (three-year, $81 million deal) and former Minnesota Vikings broad receiver Jalen Nailor (three-year, $35 million deal) in free company, amongst others. It additionally has star tight finish Brock Bowers — who earned All-Professional honors in his 2024 rookie marketing campaign — operating again Ashton Jeanty (the No. 6 choose within the 2025 NFL Draft) and broad receiver Tre Tucker, who totaled a career-high in receptions (57), receiving yards (696) and receiving touchdowns (5) in 2025.
In fact, Mendoza might probably start his rookie season because the Raiders’ backup quarterback, as they signed veteran Kirk Cousins to a two-year deal in April.
