Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti has develop into a school soccer legend seemingly in a single day.
A decade in the past, he was wrapping up a stint as a DII coach at Indiana College of Pennsylvania.
On Thursday night, the quarterback he coached to a Heisman Trophy at Indiana went No. 1 general within the 2026 NFL Draft to the Las Vegas Raiders.
For these time vacationers from the previous, you learn that proper. Fernando Mendoza went No. 1 general within the draft after profitable the Heisman Trophy … at Indiana.
Not solely was Mendoza Indiana’s first Heisman Trophy winner, however he and Cignetti orchestrated a 16-0 season and delivered a School Soccer Playoff nationwide championship to Bloomington.
That is proper, Indiana is the reigning school soccer nationwide champion. The Hoosiers beat the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes (within the Massive Ten championship), No. 5 Oregon Geese, and No. 10 Miami Hurricanes en path to hoisting that trophy.
Fernando Mendoza’s success can be Curt Cignetti’s
Mendoza was an enormous motive why. He threw for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns in comparison with six interceptions. He made massive play after massive play for the Hoosiers and earned his likelihood to go No. 1 general on this draft, however it was Cignetti who pulled the strings. It was Cignetti who used NIL and the switch portal to place collectively a championship roster, led by Mendoza, and it was Cignetti whose confidence and bravado made that magical season attainable.
That is the man who turned well-known 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 12 months one and 16-0 in 12 months two. He is 27-2 in two seasons in Bloomington and already has a championship beneath his belt.
In Bloomington.
Now he can throw a No. 1 general decide into the trophy case as properly. Mendoza’s win within the draft is simply as a lot Cignetti’s.
