Story by
The Tuscaloosa News
How Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer describes Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- How Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer describes Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza
Kalen DeBoer is just getting into Indiana film as Alabama football turns its attention to the Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the 2026 Rose Bowl .
As DeBoer dissects Indiana 's offense, he sees a unit that works well together, that is in sync and consistently moves forward. It's a Hoosiers unit that plays with swagger and confidence.
Advertisement
And having a Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Fernando Mendoza helps, DeBoer said.
"Mendoza, winning the Heisman, that doesn't happen by accident," DeBoer said. "You put a whole season of film together of games and stringing them each and every week and you end up undefeated because the trigger man can make some plays and do his thing at an extremely high level."
Mendoza, a first-team All-American, 2025 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and the Heisman winner led the Big Ten with 33 passing touchdowns, recording 2,980 passing yards with a 71.5% completion rate.
Mendoza leads an Indiana offense that is fourth nationally in scoring offense, averaging 41.9 points per game. The Hoosiers are one of 10 teams in college football to average more than 470 yards per game, joining Ole Miss and Texas Tech as the only ones in that group remaining in the CFP.
Advertisement
Alabama kicks off against Indiana in the 2026 Rose Bowl at 3 p.m. CT Thursday, Jan. 1 on ESPN.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Kalen DeBoer scouts Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza before Alabama Rose Bowl
