Breaking needless news.
“Really, what it came down to was Indiana and Georgia,” Fernando said. “Kirby (Smart), great recruiter, great coach, great program. They were this close to making a national championship. I was really going back and forth between the two. And honestly, I was really confused. I was lost in the sauce because they were both great situations. It was a win-win. It was a really tough decision.”
Mendoza then goes on to say that he at one point tried to call Coach Smart to commit to Georgia, but the call didn’t go through, and that ended up delaying his decision.
“I think there was one time even where I was about to call Kirby to commit to Georgia and the call didn’t go through,” said Mendoza. “And I thought, ‘Alright, let me sleep on it tonight.’ I really believed God helped me with that.”
Eventually, Cignetti sold Mendoza on the message that he would be the best quarterback he could become at Indiana, and that he develops quarterbacks. That was what ended up leading to Mendoza committing to the Hoosiers, and now, the rest is history.
I would like y’all’s honest opinion…would Mendoza have gotten a look over Gunner? I’m nearly 99% certain that Gunner was deemed to be the 2025 starter after the SEC Championship game, so Mendoza would’ve been likely sitting on the bench watching Gunner start while Indiana would’ve gotten it done with…well, who knows.
I’m not sure it would’ve made a difference, but what do you think?
Don’t know. Don’t care.
Kirby picked the guy who he thought had proven he was ready to take the reins. It still hasn’t stopped some social media geniuses on X to make it about 2018 and Fromm/Fields.
Mendoza would have just rode the bench and Indiana would have missed out on a National Championship. I don’t think their second option would have worked out the same way.
Would’ve been a Fromm situation. Mendoza wouldn’t have set foot in a game unless Gunner got hurt.
Whether it potentially cost us an opportunity or not, it worked out the right way for both parties. We thrive off of talent but almost equally, culture. Bringing in a QB that no one knows to run a team would have been a tough to sell in the locker room and to the fans unless what we had was a complete unknown. Every so often we end up in those situations where we could possibly bring in an outsider to a critical position and it’s plug and play, but I don’t think last season was one of those times. Gunnar was the best choice for us and still is until someone else within proves worthy, in my opinion.
Dammit Bobo……
It seems that landing a transfer QB is now part of the national championship equation. All 4 teams in the semifinals had a transfer QB, and both squads in national title game had a transfer QB. A good O-line, a great D-line, and a transfer QB with 3 plus years of playing experience is all you need to win these days. And I think that we can all admit that Mendoza is a better QB than Stockton.
Mendoza would have been number 2 behind Gunner and unless Gunner were injured, he would have seen little playing time. No Heisman, no Natty. I’m happy for the kid and I think he made the right decision at the right time. I don’t think he’ll be as successful in the NFL but I though the same about “F**K UTAH” Williams as well and he is starting to work out for da Bears.
Idle fodder…
i am not ready to crown indy the new czars of cfb… let’s see how he does without a team from jmu or on social security.
mendoza = jtdaniels 2.0… if he had actually played imho.
gunner is our guy.
I don’t care who comes in or out through the portal. Don’t even follow it during the offseason. One of my least favorite things about modern CFB.
“That has to sting if you’re a Georgia fan.”
No. No, it doesn’t.
To answer the question, IF DAWGS had Mendoza….and Shanahan (IU OC)….Mendoza would have displaced Gunner and DAWGS would have won the natty! There, I said it. Two birds, one stone, right????
Think Gunner was best fit for us. Fields was never really bought in with us. Too much noise from relative. Fromm was always a team guy. To go to nd and help win that game tells me all l need to know!
This is so laughably inaccurate.
To me, the more interesting “what if” is what if Beck had not been injured against Texas. Beck starts in the CFP, and likely goes pro. In that scenario, Gunner isn’t the presumed starter, and maybe Mendoza opts to come to Georgia. Would it have made a difference? Who knows.
Good point. Had Gunner not become the hero in the SECCG, I wonder about his shoo in as QB1. Mendoza could’ve made a legitimate push and the nature of Kirby’s culture gets shifted in a direction that maybe even Kirby is uncomfortable with. Question then is where does Gunner transfer to, or does he hang in there to take over the reigns in 2026?
My opinion, for what it’s worth, is that if the phone call was important to Kirby, Kirby would have picked up the phone. Or at least called back. And that’s if homeboy even made the call.
Should you drive a ford p/u, CKS will take your call….GO DAWGS!!