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Indianapolis Star
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Why Indiana football's offense may look different under quarterback Fernando Mendoza
BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football wide receiver Elijah Sarratt wasn't going to stay on the sidelines with his team in need of a new QB1. He reached out to Cal's Fernando Mendoza the minute it became clear that IU's coaching staff had set their sights on the 3,000-yard passer following the program's loss to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff. 'Of course I hit him up,' Sarratt said with a smile during spring practice. 'I was doing my best to recruit him.' Mendoza, who was 247Sports' No. 4 ranked transfer quarterback, became the team's presumed starter the minute he signed, and his performance during spring camp has fueled hopes of another CFP appearance. Here's what we learned about Mendoza during spring camp. Insider: IU's 5 strongest positions heading into the season Mendoza had a personal tutor helping him learn all the 'nuances and intricacies' of Indiana's playbook before even arriving on campus. He leaned on his younger brother, Alberto, who redshirted last season as a member of the Hoosiers' 2024 signing class. 'We do everything together,' Fernando Mendoza said. 'We watch film together, we get better together, we have tough times together. It's been great, and he's been a steppingstone to me learning the offense.' Fernando was grateful to have offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan, quarterbacks coach Chandler Whitmer and his brother in his corner as he learned all the shifts, motions and RPOs the Hoosiers like to run. That support system helped Fernando make what coach Curt Cignetti described as 'major strides' throughout camp. Mind Your Banners Special: Brandon Gaudin Mendoza's teammates mentioned his mobility in the same breath as his arm talent throughout spring camp. It's a topic that Cignetti brought up in a recent appearance on Greg McElroy's podcast as well when contrasting him with Kurtis Rourke. Cignetti, who prides himself on tailoring his offense to the strengths of his quarterback, made it clear that the coaching staff will be incorporating his mobility into the playbook for 2025. 'We moved Kurtis Rourke 0.25% of the time last year, not even one percent,' Cignetti said. 'Everybody knew where he was launching it from. We'll move that launch point a little bit more this year and you'll probably see, you know, a little quarterback run here and there.' According to PFF, Rourke only ran the ball four times on designed runs. Much of Mendoza's production last year on the ground came when scrambling out of the pocket (28 times for 244 yards), but he will be a genuine dual threat on RPO's that Rourke wasn't able to be while playing on a torn ACL. IU Insider mailbag, Part 2: How good can Indiana football be under Curt Cignetti? Cignetti leaned on his veteran leaders to establish a winning culture last season. He bragged at one point about having upwards of 15 players he trusted with setting the tone in the locker room. The cupboard wasn't bare in the leadership-department to start the spring with IU bringing back the likes of linebacker Aiden Fisher, defensive end Mikail Kamara, left tackle Carter Smith and Sarratt, but Mendoza figures to join their ranks this fall. 'Huddling up, he makes sure he looks people in the eyes,' Notre Dame transfer offensive lineman Pat Coogan said. 'It sounds like it's not a big deal, but it's a huge deal. It's good to have that commander right there.' Coogan, who described Mendoza as a 'gamer' and 'baller' during the spring, speaks from experience when talking about leadership. He was one of the most outspoken voices in the Fighting Irish's locker room last season and his passionate pre-game pep talks went viral on the program's road to the CFP finals. It helps that Mendoza isn't about displaying his passion for the game.
Indianapolis Star
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Indiana women's basketball signs national champion out of transfer portal
Indiana women's basketball announced the signing of 6-foot-3 forward Jade Ondineme Tuesday. The French native played two seasons at Northwest Florida State College, where she helped lead the Lady Raiders to the 2025 National Junior College Athletic Association championship. Ondineme averaged 6 points and 4.5 rebounds last season and started 29 of 35 games. Northwest Florida State's 32-win season in 2025 is the most on record in program history, according to the school's website. IU coach Teri Moren and her program are in reset mode after losing nine players from last season's roster. Ondineme joins Edessa Noyan, Zania Socka-Nguemen, Jerni Kiaku, Phoenix Stotijn, and Chloe Spreen as the other Hoosier transfers this offseason. Want more Hoosiers coverage? Zach Osterman, Michael Niziolek and Chloe Peterson keep up with IU all season. Sign up for IndyStar's Hoosiers newsletter. Listen to Mind Your Banners, our IU Athletics-centric podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Indianapolis Star
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Yogi Ferrell to again play for Assembly Ball in The Basketball Tournament alongside newcomer
Yogi Ferrell to again play for Assembly Ball in The Basketball Tournament alongside newcomer BLOOMINGTON — A pair of former teammates became this summer's first two roster commitments for Assembly Ball, the IU alumni outfit entering The Basketball Tournament for a second straight summer. Per a news release distributed Tuesday, Yogi Ferrell will return to Assembly Ball for a second straight season, after leading the team to a regional championship appearance in 2024 and scoring 20.3 points per game. He'll be joined by James Blackmon Jr., alongside whom Ferrell played two of his four seasons in Bloomington. This will be Blackmon's first time participating in the TBT with Assembly Ball. The pair now anchor what has become Indiana's sturdiest effort at participating in TBT, an annual summer tournament centered around teams comprised of collegiate alumni. Teams are not always uniformly stocked by just one college program, but many (including Assembly Ball) draw the bulk of their talent from a single alma mater. It was IU vs Purdue (sort of) at Hinkle: 'It's pretty cool to be a part of.' Last year, Ferrell, Christian Watford, Devonte Green, Jordan Hulls and Juwan Morgan were among the notable former Hoosiers to compete in the event, which saw Assembly Ball finish 2-1. This year, the IU-based team will co-host TBT's regional alongside a Butler alumni team, All Good Dawgs, from July 19-22 at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Further roster additions will be announced in the coming weeks. Want more Hoosiers coverage? Zach Osterman, Michael Niziolek and Chloe Peterson keep up with IU all season. Sign up for IndyStar's Hoosiers newsletter. Listen to Mind Your Banners, our IU Athletics-centric podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
