By Sara Jane | @saraajn_
Sports Capital Journalism Program
LOS ANGELES — As the No. 1 team in the nation prepares for the Rose Bowl against Alabama, the narrative surrounding the historic rise of the Indiana Hoosiers often focuses on explosive plays or defensive schemes.
But inside the locker room, the players know the truth. The secret ingredient to Indiana’s undefeated run isn’t just found in the playbook; it is found in the genuine, forged-in-fire brotherhood that binds this roster together.
For quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the architect of the Hoosiers’ offense, this culture building was deliberate, immediate, and exhaustive. Mendoza didn’t arrive in Bloomington solely to throw touchdowns. He arrived to lead. And for Mendoza, leadership began with the simplest, yet most overlooked, human element: recognition.
He began studying the roster immediately. He didn’t just study plays; he studied people.
“Yeah, I would say when I first got here they had a really great leadership system. I wanted to fit in and learn the most that I could and try to elevate it,” Mendoza said. “So the first thing I did was make sure I knew everybody on the team’s name. Made sure I cared about them. I studied the roster. Some people might think I’m a stalker, it’s creepy having the roster photographs. Some were tough. People had different hair cuts, some transferred out and there were new transfers in. I tried to learn everybody’s name.”
In an era where quarterbacks are often treated as celebrities separate from the rank and file, Mendoza’s approach was radically grounded.
“If I didn’t get them the first try, I for sure got them the second try,” Mendoza continued. “Really showed that, hey, I care about you no matter if you’re the star linebacker or you’re a walk-on. No matter who you are, I’m going to care about you because I want to help this team and be a leader of this team. I believe one of the best leaderships that I’ve been able to learn is servant leadership.”
Football is a game of violence and split-second decisions. When the pocket collapses or the game is on the line in the fourth quarter, you don’t fight for a coworker. You fight for a brother.
“It’s really caring about the guy next to you,” Mendoza explained. “If you have one of your best friends lining up next to you ready to go to war, ready to die for you, it makes you play a little bit harder. In contrast, if you have another coworker or acquaintance, someone who you might know but you might not lay your life and body on the line for them.”
This depth of relationship creates a safety net for communication. In high-pressure environments, feedback can often be taken personally, leading to fractured locker rooms. At Indiana, the bonds are strong enough to withstand the heat of accountability.
“So I think all of us have a really, really strong genuine connection,” Mendoza said. “It helps us play harder for each other and also helps us communicate more efficiently with each other. We’re able to talk to each other in different aspects. Being so close friendship-wise, we all know that, hey, if I got on, if he gets on me or if I get on him, it’s not that personal. We’re still going to be best friends or really good friends. We just want to achieve our goal.”
This level of synchronization is most evident in the passing game. Wide receiver Elijah Sarratt has become a lethal weapon for the Hoosiers, but he is quick to point out that the highlight-reel catches are the result of months of unseen labor. The timing between a quarterback and a receiver isn’t magic; it’s sweat equity.
“We have a good feel for each other,” Sarratt said. “The amount of work we put in all season, it started in spring ball, going through some workouts. It doesn’t happen overnight. He [Mendoza] is my fourth quarterback I have in my college career. It really is the amount of steps that you built and communication between each other.”
Sarratt’s perspective highlights the reality of modern college football: having four quarterbacks in a career is common, but the connection he has found with Mendoza is rare.
Mendoza’s leadership transcends the offensive side of the ball. To build a championship-caliber team, the offense must push the defense to its limits during the week. Linebacker Aiden Fisher relishes the mental chess match he plays against Mendoza in practice.
“I love going against Fernando, I think it’s such a challenge itself,” Fisher said. “He is just so good at knowing what coverage you’re in before the ball is even snapped. He is such a smart player that if he can figure out what you’re in, he’s going to dissect you in every single way. Playing off his eyes is hard.”
Fisher credits his teammates, including Mendoza and senior offensive lineman Pat Coogan, for his own development as a vocal presence on the field.
“Obviously Pat Coogan here has been really good for me, just seeing different ways of leadership and how to be effective in communication with different people,” Fisher said. “It’s not all about just talking to somebody the same way every single time to everybody. My teammates have done an amazing job of helping me grow as a leader. I have a great coaching staff that kind of shows me the way or gives me the resources to get out and communicate and how we get things done. But I give credit to all those guys.”
For Fisher, the transfer to Indiana from James Madison University was not just a career change; it was a life-changing decision that transformed his personality.
“I mean, there’s just so many things I think I’ve learned, leadership things, how to be a better teammate, how to be a better friend, son, brother, anything that you could think of,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot here. I think being around the people of Indiana has really shown me a lot. Everybody is so nice in Indiana. They just treat everybody with the utmost respect. They really appreciate everybody that comes through, but it’s been a special two years, and the best decision of my life is coming to Indiana.”
Sarratt remembered that when Mendoza studied names and faces of his new teammates, “he started with the linemen.”
Sarratt smiled. “As he should,” he said.
Coogan, a key player on the offensive line, describes Mendoza as a calming force who leads by example through physical strength.
“He is always that calm presence for us,” Coogan said. “He never gets too high, never gets too low. And just seeing his toughness has been huge for us; he never backs down from adversity, he is always able to respond. So that’s been the biggest thing for us, just seeing him be our leader and seeing him constantly show up for us.”
On the night Mendoza won Indiana’s first Heisman Trophy, they showed up in New York to surround him with screams and hugs.
When the Hoosiers take the field in Pasadena, they won’t just be playing for the Rose Bowl Game Leishman Trophy. They’ll be playing for the name emblazoned on the front of their crimson jerseys.
And, more importantly, for the teammates standing beside them, seeking another opportunity to play together in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Peach Bowl. The Hoosiers have found strength in their unity.