Fernando Mendoza, QB @ Iowa (2025)

Player: Fernando Mendoza - QB Indiana

Height: 6’5”

Weight: 225 lbs

Opponent: @ Iowa

Season: 2025

Final Stat Line:
13/23, 233 Yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
8 Carries for 26 Yards

Film Link: Watch on YouTube

Overview

Mendoza against Iowa pairs clean in-structure work with some misses under pressure. Mendoza hits a quick red-zone corner for six, layers a 40-air-yard sideline shot between CB/S, and later rips a seam vs a blitz for 30—his best throw of the day. He also generates with his legs on 3rd & 15, escaping pressure and outrunning angles to the marker. The flipside: two overthrows under heat that show he needs to tighten ball control under pressure.

Usage / Alignment: Predominantly shotgun. Quick drops, play from the pocket with selective movement; intermediate/vertical to the seam and sideline; slant catch-and-run late.

Film Review – Key Plays

Play 1) 13:38 1Q, 1st & 10 - 14 Yard TD Pass

Shotgun, quick drop; Mendoza sets and throws the slot corner into the end zone. The WR has a step over the top, and catches it cleanly for the touchdown. This is on-schedule red-zone work: keep a calm base and put the ball where his guy can make a play on it. There was no hesitation, just timely placement to a favorable matchup.

Play 2) 9:54 2Q, 1st & 10 - 35 Yard Pass

Shotgun, short drop; he steps up in the pocket and throws a ball deep down the sideline (~40 air yards), it’s caught by the WR between the CB and safety before the push out. The key is pocket climb → strike: reset depth to avoid edge pressure, keep shoulders squared, put enough touch on the ball to split the closing defenders to create the explosive play.

Play 3) 12:19 3Q, 2nd & 4 - Incomplete (Overthrow)

Shotgun, short drop with a defender right in his face; he gets it out pre-hit but overthrows into the safety’s zip code. It isn’t pickable on this rep, but it’s a control miss under immediate heat. It does fall harmlessly to the turf, but this is a play we need to keep in the back of our minds as we continue to watch more film on Mendoza.

Play 4) 0:05 3Q, 3rd & 15 - 15 Yard Scramble

Empty shotgun; Mendoza sets, pressure arrives, he scrambles right, slips the first rusher, finds a lane, outruns the second, and gets knocked out near the sticks. Situational creation: eyes stay up as he scrambles, but then commits to the run with decisive speed-angle to turn 3rd-and-long into a borderline conversion instead of a throwaway or a forced pass.

Play 5) 11:42 4Q, 2nd & 10 - 30 Yard Pass 🔥

Shotgun, quick drop with a blitz coming; Mendoza rips the seam despite a defender bearing down on him, puts it right on the WR, who adds ~5 after the catch. This is the throw of the day: beat the rush, trust your receiver, and drive the ball through the contact. Impressive throw and toughness under pressure.

Play 6) 3:01 4Q, 3rd & 12 - Interception

Play 7) 1:56 4Q, 2nd & 7 - 25 Yard Pass

Shotgun, short drop; he sets and fires to the deep sideline curl. WR works back to the ball, secures, and tacks on ~5. This is all timing - threw the ball before the WR made his break, hit the spot on time, and trusts the receiver to make the play. That’s the kind of late-down efficiency we want to see.

8) 1:36 4Q, 3rd & 10 - 50 Yard TD Pass

Shotgun; quick set and fast trigger to the slant. It’s caught in stride and the WR takes it ~40 yards to the house. Right concept at the right time—catch-and-run leverage on third-and-long—executed with rhythm so the receiver can do the rest. Ball out on time turns a routine quick game throw into the knockout.

Final Thoughts

This tape pairs solid structure with some volatility under pressure. What really stood out to me in this game was the game-winning drive late in the 4th. First, the boundary curl and then the 3rd-and-10 slant that becomes a 50-yard TD (1:36) to cap a go-ahead drive against a tough defense. Add the seam vs blitz (11:42 4Q) and you’ve got timing, courage, and placement when it matters. The blemishes are real—two overthrows under heat, one intercepted—but the headline is he answered late and finished the comeback.

Strengths on Display

• Clutch Execution Late: Leads the comeback and game-winning drive.

• Vertical Placement: 40-air-yard sideline shot between CB/S.

• Selective Creation: 3rd-and-15 scramble turns a losing down into a near conversion.

Areas for Improvement

• Ball Control Under Pressure: Two overthrows under pressure (one picked).

• Left-Side Throw Reps: Movement throws skew right—show accuracy while rolling/setting left.