The current era of college football is a weird era for most as NIL and the Transfer Portal change rosters more than ever. Given how often players move from program to program, the players are often described as mercenaries. While these players can make a big impact in a short time period, it's hard for a player to leave a program as an all-time great when they don't spend their entire career there.
While that's the case for most players, Fernando Mendoza has done the opposite as his Indiana career will last just one season, but he's etched his name in Indiana history as arguably the greatest Hoosier of all-time.
The Heisman makes Fernando Mendoza arguably the greatest Hoosier
When you look at what Fernando Mendoza has done in just one season, you can argue that he's the greatest Indiana Hoosier of All-Time. A ton of players have had incredible careers in Bloomington, but the impact Fernando Mendoza has had in such a short time period outweighs everyone else.
Last season, Indiana was a Cinderella story that took advantage of a weaker schedule to make the College Football Playoff, but no one was truly afraid of the Hoosiers. This season, Mendoza has led Indiana to wins over Penn State, Oregon, and Ohio State, giving Indiana its first conference championship since 1967.
The Hoosiers will enter the College Football Playoff as the Nation's top-ranked team, and with Mendoza at the helm, they have an incredible chance to win the National Championship.
Mendoza's season has been the most decorated in Indiana History, taking home the AP Player of the Year, the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Award, the Davey O'Brien Award, and now the Heisman Trophy.
This is far from the end of Mendoza's story in Bloomington as he'll look to lead this program to the greatest heights by bringing home a National Championship. This season is going to prove to everyone that Indiana is here to stay, and Mendoza more than anyone is responsible for helping prove that fact which will drive this program forward.