Coming out of high school as a three-star recruit, Fernando Mendoza slowly made a name at the collegiate level. After the first three years in California, he led the Indiana Hoosiers to their first undefeated national championship last year.
The quarterback emerged as the 2025 Heisman winner and went No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders last month. Over the past few days, former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has been credited for funding Mendoza’s transition to Indiana. But is this narrative the truth?
Did Mark Cuban really pay for Fernando Mendoza?
On Wednesday, Outkick’s Dan Dakich expressed skepticism that Mark Cuban’s funding was the reason why Fernando Mendoza made history with the Indiana Hoosiers.
He then revealed how the head of the Indiana University Collective refuted this narrative.
“Mark Cuban wants to take credit,” Dakich said (Timestamp- 0:45). “And we have a controversy here, because Pete Yonkman, who is the head of the Indiana University collective, told me in a message that Mark Cuban is essentially full of S**t.
“After I talked about this and said Mark Cuban was being full of S**T about this, Yonkman said, ‘Hey Dan, Pete Yonkman. I have started and have run the Hoosier Connect since the NIL. I agree with your narrative. The narrative around Cuban is unfortunate.
“People Seem to think that we are backed, we’re one of those teams that is backed by a billionaire. There are some teams out there like that. We are not one of them. Very much appreciative of Mark’s donation. But he donated, … at the end of last year, and the end of this year for NIL.'”
Dakich also said that Younkman told him that Mark Cuban’s donation was just enough to cover “one position player.”
Mark Cuban claimed in an interview with Front Office Sports that his donation helped Indiana secure Fernando Mendoza.
“(Indiana AD Scott Dolson) is like, ‘We’ve got this quarterback we really, really, like, that we think would be great. We just need a little bit more,'” Cuban said. “I’m like, how much is a little bit? And so he told me, and I’m like, Okay, you know we’re on a roll, I’ll put up money to get this quarterback.”
During the 2025 campaign with the Hoosiers, Fernando Mendoza recorded 3,535 yards and 41 TDs passing.
Fernando Mendoza gets honest about upcoming White House visit
The college football national champions have visited the White House as part of tradition since 1961. Fernando Mendoza is scheduled for this visit with Indiana on May 11 after emerging as last season’s champions.
On Saturday, the quarterback shared his thoughts about visiting the White House while fulfilling his professional duties with the Raiders.
“I believe May 11 is the First day of OTAS, but if I’m not mistaken, I have the calendar,” Mendoza said. “If It’s on the First day of OTAs, like I said, I’m the bottom of the totem pole here. I’ve got to prove myself.
“I can’t describe this. I’m not a big official. I don’t have a calendar. But I just wouldn’t. As a rookie, I don’t think that’s a good look. And I Don’t know if that would be an accomplishment or a goal. Although it would be a goal.”
Fernando Mendoza is projected to be the starting quarterback for the Raiders this upcoming season.
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