The Journey: Mendoza Brothers Flourish for Resurgent Indiana Football
Indiana football is off to a dream start in 2025 — 5–0 and ranked No. 8 with a huge game looming at Oregon. At the center of it all are two brothers leading the same position. Fernando and Alberto Mendoza, quarterbacks from Miami, have both appeared in games this season. Fernando, the starter, has been nearly flawless: 16 touchdowns, one interception, and a 73% completion rate through five games. Alberto, a redshirt freshman, has already tossed three touchdowns in relief, making them the first brothers in a decade to throw TDs for the same FBS team in the same season.
Playing on the same team has made this season feel different not just for the brothers, but for their parents too. Their mom, who battles multiple sclerosis, is often in the stands with their dad beside her. For them, seeing both boys in the same uniform has been a gift. After touchdowns, the brothers often point toward her — a gesture of love and tribute. As Fernando told the Big Ten Network after the Kennesaw State game, “It filled our parents’ hearts with joy” when both brothers threw touchdown passes.
When Fernando transferred from Cal, it was Alberto who already knew Indiana’s system. Over winter break in Miami, the younger brother spread the playbook across their kitchen table and walked his big brother through it.
“My brother has been a tremendous resource,” Fernando shared with Hoosier Huddle. “We watch film together, he gives me tips, little keys you only get from experience. We do everything together, even the tough times.”
They owe part of their success to their tight knit family. Their mom played tennis at Cornell, their dad rowed crew at Brown. And their Cuban roots — all four grandparents emigrated from Havana and Santiago — gave the boys a foundation of perseverance and pride that shows up every time they step on the field.
The Mendozas’ journey began at Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, where Fernando starred before handing the reins to Alberto. Alberto went on to win back-to-back state titles and Florida’s 4M Player of the Year. They never shared a high school huddle, but now they share one in Bloomington — and it’s made them inseparable.
The brothers took different paths before reuniting at Indiana. Fernando spent three years at Cal, where he threw for more than 4,700 yards and 30 touchdowns and set the program’s all-time completion percentage record. Alberto redshirted at Indiana last fall, fresh off his high school championships, learning under Coach Curt Cignetti and waiting his turn. This season marked the first time they would finally wear the same uniform.
Now, their partnership is playing out on the biggest stage. Fernando has been nearly flawless as Indiana’s starter, and when the games tilt out of reach, Alberto steps in to keep the offense rolling. Against Kennesaw State, both brothers threw touchdown passes in the same game — something no pair of brothers had done in nearly a decade at the FBS level. And in almost every game since, they’ve managed to do it again. “As a competitor, for a split second I was like, I want to score again,” Fernando admitted afterward to FanSided. “Then I realized my little brother was going in… That was amazing to be here with him and have that partnership we’re working together.”
Their high school coach, Dave Dunn, told Indiana Public Media that “they definitely push each other… there’s a deep love, but also a competitive fire that makes both better.” Dunn added that while Alberto plays with more of a chip on his shoulder and Fernando is calmer, “both have the same fire.” He recalled how the family reacted when Alberto finally threw his first touchdown in Bloomington: “The whole family jumped off the couch. No offense to Fernando.”
Takeaway
It’s a rare dynamic in sports: one brother leading, the other waiting, and no bitterness in between. Instead, they push each other, celebrate each other’s successes, and make the quarterback room stronger.
Fernando may be the starter, Alberto the backup, but what shines through is how much they value sharing the journey — with each other, and with their family.