Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti has become a college football legend seemingly overnight.
A decade ago, he was wrapping up a stint as a DII coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
On Thursday evening, the quarterback he coached to a Heisman Trophy at Indiana went No. 1 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft to the Las Vegas Raiders.
For those time travelers from the past, you read that right. Fernando Mendoza went No. 1 overall in the draft after winning the Heisman Trophy … at Indiana.
Not only was Mendoza Indiana’s first Heisman Trophy winner, but he and Cignetti orchestrated a 16-0 season and delivered a College Football Playoff national championship to Bloomington.
That’s right, Indiana is the reigning college football national champion. The Hoosiers beat the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes (in the Big Ten championship), No. 5 Oregon Ducks, and No. 10 Miami Hurricanes en route to hoisting that trophy.
Fernando Mendoza’s success is also Curt Cignetti’s
Mendoza was a massive reason why. He threw for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns compared to six interceptions. He made big play after big play for the Hoosiers and earned his chance to go No. 1 overall in this draft, but it was Cignetti who pulled the strings. It was Cignetti who used NIL and the transfer portal to put together a championship roster, led by Mendoza, and it was Cignetti whose confidence and bravado made that magical season possible.
This is the guy who became famous for uttering the now legendary line:
“I win. Google me.”
Cignetti, 64, was named Indiana’s head coach in November 2023. He went 11-2 in year one and 16-0 in year two. He’s 27-2 in two seasons in Bloomington and already has a championship under his belt.
In Bloomington.
Now he can throw a No. 1 overall pick into the trophy case as well. Mendoza’s win in the draft is just as much Cignetti’s.
