From Scott Ostler's column in the S.F. Chronicle (12/22/2024):
"Poet Laureate Award, to former Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Upon entering the transfer portal and opting out of Cal’s bowl game, Mendoza delivered a lovely, flowery thank-you message to Cal, via social media. Sincere, no doubt, but here’s a word of advice to all you collegiate portal travelers: When you skip town, skip the poetry. The teammates and fans you leave behind don’t want to hear it."
I stopped responding to those posts after the Femi-to-UCLA experience, and opted to only comment if the player was graduating/grad transferring, retiring, or declaring for draft. But I was actually so impressed by the brevity of Josiah Martin's transfer post that I actually considered breaking that rule. I respect him not dressing this up as anything more than a business decision.
I blame both. I thought Fernando had integrity, that he was above the "me first" mentality of college sports now. Boy, was I wrong.
As for the NIL and the Transfer Portal, I abandoned the NBA and NFL when money became the only factor in a player's career. I thought I would be safe in college sports as a Cal Bears fan. Boy, was I wrong... again.
What a tragedy all around. This one’s on Wilcox and Bloech for not appreciating the golden goose. And on Nando for having such thin skin and shitting on the carpet as he left. And the family for misinterpreting Nando’s best interest. Barring success at IU he goes from legend to next qb up. What a waste. For me at least, 98 yards with the boys will never hit the same. Just reminder that talk is cheap and real heros are hard to come by.
My take was that he wasn’t the best or even his own best, but he he was engaging and held enough promise that most of us, I imagine, looked past the flaws.
What a serious downgrade in everything but maybe football! Crap, moving to Indiana from the Bay? From UC Berkeley to Indiana? I realize this was a football decision, but boy, it's not like you can't pipeline to the pros from Cal and have a high quality of life along with it!
I wish him well, but will never really understand players leaving all that UC Berkeley offers for some downgraded experience elsewhere. We don't know the $ difference, but I've never been purely $ motivated even in my own life. I soaked up all the Bay had to offer, sea kayaking and sailing and hiking and The City and Yosemite and Tahoe and Henry Coe State Park and so on and did most of it living on Mac and Cheese. Happiest years of my life. And connected me with my inner self that has been my guiding light forever after. That's just me, but the Bay is so special and I'm horrified at the thought of living away from the mountains and pacific and the West Coast culture that I shudder at the prospect. I lived in Boulder for one year, and that was enough to convince me I need saltwater!
Cool take. I love the diverse cuisine I’m able to hit up at any time here in Oakland. I can go hiking in Joachin Miller Park and Reinhardt Redwoods right above my neighborhood. I’m a jump and a skip from the bay. I need to be close to salt water and mountains, and a drive down Hwy 13 from the #1 university in the universe.
I went to Alabama for 9 weeks to take some courses at the US Sports Academy and WOW did I learn that there is no place like Northern California, especially Berkeley. I live in the low Sierra foothills and it is great too. Going to Indian? lWhat a boring nothing to do state.
These guys don’t get to really enjoy much of the same experiences you or I did. They’re here for work, and are loaded up with obligations of their time. Plus, the overwhelming majority now are just here for a year or two. Modern college athletics is transactional and transitory.
I am thinking, as college football progresses into a full-on, professional farm system for the NFL, we may be better served and be more academically honest, if we do away with the NCAA requirement that players be full-time students. Why not give the players a voucher scholarship which they may use later, perhaps after a professional career, or just their college career?
That way, athletes can, if they deem it fit, choose to be full time athletes while at school. Much more honest than taking soft classes during the season and scheming that way.
The first time I went to Indiana, I was like, what does everyone do around here. Work and watch the sun go up and down! If Mendoza choose UCLA or Georgia I would say ok but Indiana, wow!
Don't waste time thinking about Mendoza. We got the Jet and Uluave back. They're more valuable players. Unfinished Business! 2025 Bears the offensive line may be better
I'm mostly pushing up against the idea that Mendoza was mid or overrated and is somehow easily replaceable. He is not. He's the best QB we've had in a decade. There were a handful of QBs in the portal that I'd grade better than or even with Nando and they are all going elsewhere. Maybe we can come out even in the wash with an improved o-line and a lesser QB, but that leaves us where we are: a mediocre at best team. I just don't see us winning 9-10 games with a merely serviceable QB.
I won't argue about Nando's quality. While he overachieves, he has some great skills that he willed himself into improving. His quick reads and release; his short to mid range accuracy; and his surprising, serviceable mobility. I rate him ahead of Garbers but much behind Goff. Of course, I am contrasting him with Senior Goff, not the deer-in-the-headlights, trial-by-fire Goff of his first or even second years. No doubt, Nando has yet to hit his ceiling, but how much more could he have done this year with better protection? The game is, mostly, won or lost in the trenches and a better Oline performance will prove that.
Another diamond-in-the-rough is our best hope. Someday, I hope, we'll be taking stock from the top shelf, not the well, the hoping for a jolt.
During the Portal Age, all kinds of churn will happen. I'm thankful we had Nando to lead the Golden Bears for the past 1 1/2 years and deliver 2 wins over Furd. As for the QB room, Harris looked just ok, and EJ Caminong looked really bad in the Gronk Bowl. We need help at QB for 2025...
From the get go, the “he’s going to Miami to be closer to his sick mother” was always a complete fabrication. Total BS.
It was always Indiana…and a complete miscalculation by a player that could have been a Cal legend. He’s going to have to learn to read a defense in the B1G or he’s gonna find himself on the bench or injury report.
I dunno ~ if he’d stayed another year and won the Big Game a third time, and made a 3rd consecutive bowl game….that probably would have put him up towards the top 5 of the list…even if he can’t really read a defense.
Fernando, good luck with Indiana preparing you for the NFL- . Cal has a history of success to do just that, which you are walking away from.. See Aaron Rodgers, Jared Goff, Rich Campbell etc.
IU has had virtually no one play QB in the NFL per a Google search.
Meh. Second most defensible option, imho. Let’s his folks make just one trip a week to see both their boys. Done and gone. Next man up, next legacy to make. Roll on…
I was just thinking of how much of this whole drama may have been amplified by a blood-sucking agent. Fernando has some really good skills and talents, but he's sort of in-between Goff and Garbers (more on the Garbers side), but, Hell, he will likely get better and better.
Hey, I'm a newcomer to full-fledged Cal football misery (daughter's a junior, so I'm sure there's more to come) but not a newcomer to Cal's history as a longtime Pac-10/12 honk. I absolutely loved this kid's moxie on the field - and the way he conducted himself on and off it - but that "illness" was just such a tell, and I'm pissed I didn't recognize it sooner instead of ending up a blindsided optimist. I don't know if what truly happened during those final weeks will ever come out, but from 98 yards and my boys to this in such a short amount of time was one of the most dispiriting things I've experienced this year.
It would have killed me if he ended up at UCLA (I live in Long Beach, so that locality would have been a killer, and my UCLA truthers told me BRO was lit up about how it was happening), so I'm feeling a bit better about the distance of Indiana, the blow to UCLA, and maybe, just maybe, finding out this move was something more legitimate than $$$. Either way I'm going to continue to follow his story, but in reality I never, ever saw NFL quarterback in him, so ultimately if that's what this is and it actually comes to fruition, maybe I can see rooting for him again.
The only pro attribute Mendoza currently has is NFL size. He has a right to continue to improve with more reps, and he’s going to have to if he is going to compete in the B1G.
He’s also accurate and has consistently improved. He’s not an NFL QB now, but it’s not farfetched given his growth trajectory. Clearly the staff never bought into him or showed him they bought into him until the damage was already done. But he sees himself as having an NFL future or at least he wants to pursue that over everything else, and doesn’t feel the staff has his best interests in mind. I can’t criticize him for that. I just wish he had the maturity to leave the house in order as he left so that the fanbase had something to fall on and he could retain our good will.
Good for Nando, get the bag while you can. Nando does not owe anyone anything and should do what’s best for him. It’s nothing personal, this is business now. “Don’t hate the player, hate the game.” I don’t understand all the old heads groaning, these kids make great money, play football, and are leveraging their skillsets; as they should. The Overton window of capturing your value is small, so take advantage while you can. Don’t be mad because Cal is not the belle of the ball. I only wish Cal can get it’s act together and be a destination and not a stepping stone. I love Cal and it taught me so much while I went there, but sometimes the insitution can be it’s own enemy.
Tbf, I recall the predominant and immediate responses to his transfer announcement were quite supportive and understanding, because majority of people understand the financial part and where Cal stands in the greater CFB environment. I think the feelings soured when some accounts of how he left the program surfaced. I would say it's not so much his leaving, but what impressions Mendoza seem to have given when he left that contributed to some of the "groanings".
I don’t blame him. He would have been on his 3rd OC in 3 years ant Cal and potentially playing behind another bad OL. Most of his WRs are leaving through the portal, Cal is going to be a major rebuild next season on both offense and defense.
Indiana offers him better offensive coaching, more exposure, a better OL and a chance to actually win. Plus a nice bag and he gets to hangout with his brother.
I have no problem with Mendoza moving on from Cal, for whatever reasons…they’re all valid, and Wilcox/Bloesch certainly are worthy of plenty of blame. In this CFB landscape, transfers happen all the time, to every program. Wish most of the players the best…Nyziah in Nebraska, Mathews and Josiah, Morris, etc…best of luck.
I have an issue with Mendoza sabotaging Cal’s recruitment of Jaron Sagapolutele, and for him quitting on the team in Dallas, despite being medically cleared to play.
Are the "sabotage facts" out? Or is this still a rumor? How the F does Fernando get the phone # of JKS to menace him? I'm pretty sure JKS was mostly lured by his father's advice to go to Oregon, which he stated on Twitter.
Okay, I just had a horrible thought that dovetails with this timeline and your sabotage storyline. JKS decommits and chooses Oregon after the Big Game and the "Go Bears Forever" show. Once JKS signs with Oregon, then, and only then does FM sit out the SMU game. Damage done, he saves himself for the Portal and presumably IU.
Sound about right?
I've been holding off on swallowing the sabotage story, but FM has a wild, insecure side that makes it easy to imagine. If my added scenario is right, then most of what we saw this year in pressers and, of course, lots of media sound bites, was political theater. If this pans out to be true, then this is not a talent or skill issue, it's a character issue.
Harsin and Rolovich are the real deal when it comes to a high potent offense. If Wilcox can't get anything out of this group its just not in the cards. I really think having a major market QB in the Bay Area is a step above being a QB at Indiana.
If any university can currently be considered a “quarterback factory,” it’s Cal. With Aaron Rodgers and Jared Goff among the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL, the program’s recent track record speaks for itself. No, I’m not outright calling Cal a QB factory, but the facts are the facts.
As for Fernando Mendoza’s decision to transfer, it’s impossible to know exactly what transpired on a personal or financial level between him and Cal. However, the university’s pursuit of other quarterbacks, such as Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele, may have played a role in his decision.
The broader reality is that college football has entered a new era. Last year, approximately 3,300 players entered the transfer portal, and that number could very well be surpassed this year. It’s truly a “wild west” scenario where players function as free agents, making moves based on what they perceive as the best opportunities for their future.
It’s unfortunate that Mendoza left, as things seemed to be working relatively well for both him and the program. However, this is the nature of the game today, and adaptability is key.
I agree with your point as I already said, but I think it’s a stretch to say Mendoza has a better chance of making the NFL by transferring to Indiana—or anywhere else, for that matter. The fact remains that Cal has proven it can produce NFL quarterbacks, and few programs can boast having two of the highest-paid QBs in the league as alumni. While systems and coaching regimes certainly evolve, the track record speaks for itself.
As for the argument that two generational talents (Aaron Rodgers and Jared Goff) don’t make Cal a “QB factory,” I get the point being made. But it’s worth noting that very few schools consistently churn out elite NFL quarterbacks over decades. Even the so-called “factories” often have long gaps between successes. The bottom line is that Cal has shown it can provide the foundation for quarterbacks to excel at the highest level, which is something any recruit or player should consider.
That said, college football today is about finding the right fit for each player’s unique situation, and Mendoza clearly believed his path might be better pursued elsewhere. Whether that’s true remains to be seen, but the decision doesn’t diminish Cal’s status or ability to produce top-tier talent. Facts don’t lie, no matter what the naysayers might believe and beyond what even Cal fans may think.
One thing about Cal (and may be the west coast in general) seems to be the type of Pro-sets we run, may be. Cal has only really succeeded when we've had a good to great quarterback so when the team succeeds it usually does so with a quarterback as the "star player". Not to say Alabama, etc don't do the same but they ALSO have an insanely good defense or other star receivers/runningbacks. But at CAL, even when we had those, we had to have a Quarterback as the headliner and he better throw for a bunch of yardage. I wish Fernando the best as I understand these are kids and it's now a business decision more than it ever has been. I think he would have been a very popular quarterback here and if we had tripped into some success it would be amplified because it was unexpected.
That being said - on to the next one as we are all Cal fans before individual fans, or at least most of us are.
Pursuing a high school recruit and backup QBs seem to be very normal ongoings in the runnings of a football team. Trying to attribute such routine and established necessity as justification for his leaving makes Mendoza look worse, considering he himself was a 3rd string QB and should understand the need of the team to have a serviceable and deep QB room.
You make a fair point that pursuing high school recruits and backup QBs is standard operating procedure for any football program. Depth is critical, and Mendoza, having been a third-string QB himself, should understand the importance of maintaining a strong and deep quarterback room.
That said, nobody’s job is truly secure in college football, especially at quarterback, where competition is constant. Unless Mendoza had a guaranteed starting position next year written into his agreement with Cal, it’s hard to fault him for exercising his option to explore better opportunities. The transfer portal exists for players to shop around and find the best fit for their personal and professional goals.
Of course, there are no guarantees at Indiana—or anywhere else for that matter—but it’s a risk he clearly felt was worth taking. In this “wild west” era of college football, players are acting as free agents, and Mendoza’s decision, while disappointing for Cal fans, aligns with the broader trend of players prioritizing their own futures.
Oh, I don't fault him for leaving. He is free to do whatever. I am saying using "Cal bringing in other QBs" as a reason for him leaving as an established QB1 is a bad look for him, whether it's said by his side or from fan speculation.
No one's job is safe, every player competes. That is one thing Wilcox had been consistently clear about since he's been here. And as you said, that is standard procedure. To say our pursuit of other QB is a driving reason for him to leave makes him look rather negative in my eyes. Now if the reason is him playing behind a porous line, or bad play calling or just bags of green, I'd get it completely.
From Scott Ostler's column in the S.F. Chronicle (12/22/2024):
"Poet Laureate Award, to former Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Upon entering the transfer portal and opting out of Cal’s bowl game, Mendoza delivered a lovely, flowery thank-you message to Cal, via social media. Sincere, no doubt, but here’s a word of advice to all you collegiate portal travelers: When you skip town, skip the poetry. The teammates and fans you leave behind don’t want to hear it."
Yes indeed. I REALLY didn't want to hear it. Hollow to say the least.
I stopped responding to those posts after the Femi-to-UCLA experience, and opted to only comment if the player was graduating/grad transferring, retiring, or declaring for draft. But I was actually so impressed by the brevity of Josiah Martin's transfer post that I actually considered breaking that rule. I respect him not dressing this up as anything more than a business decision.
“That being said…” X infinity
*vomit
Guys, please chill. He’s a kid. And he’s made his choice. Let’s respect it and move on. Don’t blame him. Blame the system.
I blame both. I thought Fernando had integrity, that he was above the "me first" mentality of college sports now. Boy, was I wrong.
As for the NIL and the Transfer Portal, I abandoned the NBA and NFL when money became the only factor in a player's career. I thought I would be safe in college sports as a Cal Bears fan. Boy, was I wrong... again.
Welcome to NFL Junior.
If only the NFL partnered and took some of the risks, like MLB farm systems.
He’s old enuf to be tried as an adult….lol
Moving on is one thing. Purposely doing damage to the program on the way out, as he did, is what has a lot of people pissed.
Do we know for a fact he did this sabotage?
It would be a very primadonna thing to do and is not terribly hard to imagine, but sources?
“I blame society. Society made me who I am.”
What a tragedy all around. This one’s on Wilcox and Bloech for not appreciating the golden goose. And on Nando for having such thin skin and shitting on the carpet as he left. And the family for misinterpreting Nando’s best interest. Barring success at IU he goes from legend to next qb up. What a waste. For me at least, 98 yards with the boys will never hit the same. Just reminder that talk is cheap and real heros are hard to come by.
My take was that he wasn’t the best or even his own best, but he he was engaging and held enough promise that most of us, I imagine, looked past the flaws.
Now, he leaves us wondering if we were played.
What a serious downgrade in everything but maybe football! Crap, moving to Indiana from the Bay? From UC Berkeley to Indiana? I realize this was a football decision, but boy, it's not like you can't pipeline to the pros from Cal and have a high quality of life along with it!
I wish him well, but will never really understand players leaving all that UC Berkeley offers for some downgraded experience elsewhere. We don't know the $ difference, but I've never been purely $ motivated even in my own life. I soaked up all the Bay had to offer, sea kayaking and sailing and hiking and The City and Yosemite and Tahoe and Henry Coe State Park and so on and did most of it living on Mac and Cheese. Happiest years of my life. And connected me with my inner self that has been my guiding light forever after. That's just me, but the Bay is so special and I'm horrified at the thought of living away from the mountains and pacific and the West Coast culture that I shudder at the prospect. I lived in Boulder for one year, and that was enough to convince me I need saltwater!
Cool take. I love the diverse cuisine I’m able to hit up at any time here in Oakland. I can go hiking in Joachin Miller Park and Reinhardt Redwoods right above my neighborhood. I’m a jump and a skip from the bay. I need to be close to salt water and mountains, and a drive down Hwy 13 from the #1 university in the universe.
I went to Alabama for 9 weeks to take some courses at the US Sports Academy and WOW did I learn that there is no place like Northern California, especially Berkeley. I live in the low Sierra foothills and it is great too. Going to Indian? lWhat a boring nothing to do state.
These guys don’t get to really enjoy much of the same experiences you or I did. They’re here for work, and are loaded up with obligations of their time. Plus, the overwhelming majority now are just here for a year or two. Modern college athletics is transactional and transitory.
I am thinking, as college football progresses into a full-on, professional farm system for the NFL, we may be better served and be more academically honest, if we do away with the NCAA requirement that players be full-time students. Why not give the players a voucher scholarship which they may use later, perhaps after a professional career, or just their college career?
That way, athletes can, if they deem it fit, choose to be full time athletes while at school. Much more honest than taking soft classes during the season and scheming that way.
The first time I went to Indiana, I was like, what does everyone do around here. Work and watch the sun go up and down! If Mendoza choose UCLA or Georgia I would say ok but Indiana, wow!
Don't waste time thinking about Mendoza. We got the Jet and Uluave back. They're more valuable players. Unfinished Business! 2025 Bears the offensive line may be better
The QB position is the most important position in the game of football and also the hardest to replace.
But an average QB can overachieve with an higher graded OLine.
I'm mostly pushing up against the idea that Mendoza was mid or overrated and is somehow easily replaceable. He is not. He's the best QB we've had in a decade. There were a handful of QBs in the portal that I'd grade better than or even with Nando and they are all going elsewhere. Maybe we can come out even in the wash with an improved o-line and a lesser QB, but that leaves us where we are: a mediocre at best team. I just don't see us winning 9-10 games with a merely serviceable QB.
I won't argue about Nando's quality. While he overachieves, he has some great skills that he willed himself into improving. His quick reads and release; his short to mid range accuracy; and his surprising, serviceable mobility. I rate him ahead of Garbers but much behind Goff. Of course, I am contrasting him with Senior Goff, not the deer-in-the-headlights, trial-by-fire Goff of his first or even second years. No doubt, Nando has yet to hit his ceiling, but how much more could he have done this year with better protection? The game is, mostly, won or lost in the trenches and a better Oline performance will prove that.
Another diamond-in-the-rough is our best hope. Someday, I hope, we'll be taking stock from the top shelf, not the well, the hoping for a jolt.
During the Portal Age, all kinds of churn will happen. I'm thankful we had Nando to lead the Golden Bears for the past 1 1/2 years and deliver 2 wins over Furd. As for the QB room, Harris looked just ok, and EJ Caminong looked really bad in the Gronk Bowl. We need help at QB for 2025...
agree on all your points.
From the get go, the “he’s going to Miami to be closer to his sick mother” was always a complete fabrication. Total BS.
It was always Indiana…and a complete miscalculation by a player that could have been a Cal legend. He’s going to have to learn to read a defense in the B1G or he’s gonna find himself on the bench or injury report.
I think he will be fine. The only real tough defenses he will face next season are Oregon and Penn State.
He could be an Indiana legend as well if he takes Indiana back to the playoffs and wins a playoff game.
We’ll see. You’ve always thought he was a better QB than I have. And he’s gotta go to Iowa - Ferentz is gonna baffle him.
Let's see - "could have been a Cal legend" vs "You’ve always thought he was a better QB than I have". My head is spinning.
Your head is always spinning.
I don’t think he’s a bad QB…he’s a good college player who could have become a Cal favorite if he’d stayed all 4 years. It’s pretty simple really.
Would be tough to justify 'legend'.
I dunno ~ if he’d stayed another year and won the Big Game a third time, and made a 3rd consecutive bowl game….that probably would have put him up towards the top 5 of the list…even if he can’t really read a defense.
I wouldn’t elevate Ferentz that highly but Fernando did have his hiccups reading coverages to get picked although he’s improved.
I dunno - the one thing Iowa does every single year is defense. And at Kinnick…they’ll throw things at him he’s never seen.
Still Hoosiers could win 9-6 ha.
I get it, but it still sucks.
Fernando, good luck with Indiana preparing you for the NFL- . Cal has a history of success to do just that, which you are walking away from.. See Aaron Rodgers, Jared Goff, Rich Campbell etc.
IU has had virtually no one play QB in the NFL per a Google search.
Especially with the new offensive coaching hires, but he left to go to Indiana.....Damm!
C'mon, Gibran Hamdan threw for seven yards in the NFL!
with an asterisk. We can't forget Antwaan Randle El, who had much success as IU QB, and did play in the NFL. Just as a receiver though.
None of those QBs played or were developed under Wilcox and his hapless band of OCs.
Wilcox/OC did play a major role in developing Mendoza.
Fair enough.
Meh. Second most defensible option, imho. Let’s his folks make just one trip a week to see both their boys. Done and gone. Next man up, next legacy to make. Roll on…
Bros going to disappoint he's not a winner
I was just thinking of how much of this whole drama may have been amplified by a blood-sucking agent. Fernando has some really good skills and talents, but he's sort of in-between Goff and Garbers (more on the Garbers side), but, Hell, he will likely get better and better.
Who knows?
I'm glad the waiting is over.
Next man up. The Bears move on.
I can only think it is about the money. Word is Indiana offered $2 mil. College sports are so broken.
Word is sitting at SMU was part of the deal.
Maybe he just wants to hang out with them Indiana boys on an Indiana night…
Nice call! Rolling into Bloomington along with Mary Jane for that last dance? ;-)
I miss Tom Petty.
Same, I miss Tom Petty but at least he left us with plenty of great music to enjoy and remember him.
By the way, Merry Christmas JC!
Merry Christmas to you and your family, my friend!
That really sounds exciting.
LOL. One of my favorite TV shows was The Middle, which is full of love and self-deprecation of the Midwest and Indiana.
Hey, I'm a newcomer to full-fledged Cal football misery (daughter's a junior, so I'm sure there's more to come) but not a newcomer to Cal's history as a longtime Pac-10/12 honk. I absolutely loved this kid's moxie on the field - and the way he conducted himself on and off it - but that "illness" was just such a tell, and I'm pissed I didn't recognize it sooner instead of ending up a blindsided optimist. I don't know if what truly happened during those final weeks will ever come out, but from 98 yards and my boys to this in such a short amount of time was one of the most dispiriting things I've experienced this year.
It would have killed me if he ended up at UCLA (I live in Long Beach, so that locality would have been a killer, and my UCLA truthers told me BRO was lit up about how it was happening), so I'm feeling a bit better about the distance of Indiana, the blow to UCLA, and maybe, just maybe, finding out this move was something more legitimate than $$$. Either way I'm going to continue to follow his story, but in reality I never, ever saw NFL quarterback in him, so ultimately if that's what this is and it actually comes to fruition, maybe I can see rooting for him again.
Plus I loved that burrito. :( )
Welcome, Heino!!
The only pro attribute Mendoza currently has is NFL size. He has a right to continue to improve with more reps, and he’s going to have to if he is going to compete in the B1G.
He’s also accurate and has consistently improved. He’s not an NFL QB now, but it’s not farfetched given his growth trajectory. Clearly the staff never bought into him or showed him they bought into him until the damage was already done. But he sees himself as having an NFL future or at least he wants to pursue that over everything else, and doesn’t feel the staff has his best interests in mind. I can’t criticize him for that. I just wish he had the maturity to leave the house in order as he left so that the fanbase had something to fall on and he could retain our good will.
Totally agree with that, P. I don’t begrudge FM for moving on…just with how it went down.
If we are not good enough for Nando (good name for under arm spray) bye, bye. I am shocked at his lack of loyalty.
Good for Nando, get the bag while you can. Nando does not owe anyone anything and should do what’s best for him. It’s nothing personal, this is business now. “Don’t hate the player, hate the game.” I don’t understand all the old heads groaning, these kids make great money, play football, and are leveraging their skillsets; as they should. The Overton window of capturing your value is small, so take advantage while you can. Don’t be mad because Cal is not the belle of the ball. I only wish Cal can get it’s act together and be a destination and not a stepping stone. I love Cal and it taught me so much while I went there, but sometimes the insitution can be it’s own enemy.
Props for the use of the Overton window... 🧐 👏🏼😉
Tbf, I recall the predominant and immediate responses to his transfer announcement were quite supportive and understanding, because majority of people understand the financial part and where Cal stands in the greater CFB environment. I think the feelings soured when some accounts of how he left the program surfaced. I would say it's not so much his leaving, but what impressions Mendoza seem to have given when he left that contributed to some of the "groanings".
Exactly. Not all transfer situations are the same, and Wilcox/Bloesch certainly bear some responsibility…but FM can GTFO.
His actions actually hurt the program, way beyond just leaving.
His agent probably had a lot of influence on his decision also.
No doubt.
Apart from rumors and the confusing Go Bears Forever signal, what abhorrent actions do we know of?
Depending on the actions of anyone, that person can be hated. We don't know what was represented on both sides.
do you have any reason to believe he's getting more at Indiana than he would if he stayed?
Cal offered him a similar bag…
I don’t blame him. He would have been on his 3rd OC in 3 years ant Cal and potentially playing behind another bad OL. Most of his WRs are leaving through the portal, Cal is going to be a major rebuild next season on both offense and defense.
Indiana offers him better offensive coaching, more exposure, a better OL and a chance to actually win. Plus a nice bag and he gets to hangout with his brother.
I have no problem with Mendoza moving on from Cal, for whatever reasons…they’re all valid, and Wilcox/Bloesch certainly are worthy of plenty of blame. In this CFB landscape, transfers happen all the time, to every program. Wish most of the players the best…Nyziah in Nebraska, Mathews and Josiah, Morris, etc…best of luck.
I have an issue with Mendoza sabotaging Cal’s recruitment of Jaron Sagapolutele, and for him quitting on the team in Dallas, despite being medically cleared to play.
Are the "sabotage facts" out? Or is this still a rumor? How the F does Fernando get the phone # of JKS to menace him? I'm pretty sure JKS was mostly lured by his father's advice to go to Oregon, which he stated on Twitter.
There was absolutely more to it. DJU’s dad was also involved, as you probably saw.
Wow. DJU's dad holds a grudge?
Because his son gave us a beat down while at OSU?
LOL.
Okay, I just had a horrible thought that dovetails with this timeline and your sabotage storyline. JKS decommits and chooses Oregon after the Big Game and the "Go Bears Forever" show. Once JKS signs with Oregon, then, and only then does FM sit out the SMU game. Damage done, he saves himself for the Portal and presumably IU.
Sound about right?
I've been holding off on swallowing the sabotage story, but FM has a wild, insecure side that makes it easy to imagine. If my added scenario is right, then most of what we saw this year in pressers and, of course, lots of media sound bites, was political theater. If this pans out to be true, then this is not a talent or skill issue, it's a character issue.
Harsin and Rolovich are the real deal when it comes to a high potent offense. If Wilcox can't get anything out of this group its just not in the cards. I really think having a major market QB in the Bay Area is a step above being a QB at Indiana.
If any university can currently be considered a “quarterback factory,” it’s Cal. With Aaron Rodgers and Jared Goff among the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL, the program’s recent track record speaks for itself. No, I’m not outright calling Cal a QB factory, but the facts are the facts.
As for Fernando Mendoza’s decision to transfer, it’s impossible to know exactly what transpired on a personal or financial level between him and Cal. However, the university’s pursuit of other quarterbacks, such as Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele, may have played a role in his decision.
The broader reality is that college football has entered a new era. Last year, approximately 3,300 players entered the transfer portal, and that number could very well be surpassed this year. It’s truly a “wild west” scenario where players function as free agents, making moves based on what they perceive as the best opportunities for their future.
It’s unfortunate that Mendoza left, as things seemed to be working relatively well for both him and the program. However, this is the nature of the game today, and adaptability is key.
Two generational talents playing in systems geared to their strengths at Cal 10 years apart, and little before or since does not a QB factory make.
I agree with your point as I already said, but I think it’s a stretch to say Mendoza has a better chance of making the NFL by transferring to Indiana—or anywhere else, for that matter. The fact remains that Cal has proven it can produce NFL quarterbacks, and few programs can boast having two of the highest-paid QBs in the league as alumni. While systems and coaching regimes certainly evolve, the track record speaks for itself.
As for the argument that two generational talents (Aaron Rodgers and Jared Goff) don’t make Cal a “QB factory,” I get the point being made. But it’s worth noting that very few schools consistently churn out elite NFL quarterbacks over decades. Even the so-called “factories” often have long gaps between successes. The bottom line is that Cal has shown it can provide the foundation for quarterbacks to excel at the highest level, which is something any recruit or player should consider.
That said, college football today is about finding the right fit for each player’s unique situation, and Mendoza clearly believed his path might be better pursued elsewhere. Whether that’s true remains to be seen, but the decision doesn’t diminish Cal’s status or ability to produce top-tier talent. Facts don’t lie, no matter what the naysayers might believe and beyond what even Cal fans may think.
One thing about Cal (and may be the west coast in general) seems to be the type of Pro-sets we run, may be. Cal has only really succeeded when we've had a good to great quarterback so when the team succeeds it usually does so with a quarterback as the "star player". Not to say Alabama, etc don't do the same but they ALSO have an insanely good defense or other star receivers/runningbacks. But at CAL, even when we had those, we had to have a Quarterback as the headliner and he better throw for a bunch of yardage. I wish Fernando the best as I understand these are kids and it's now a business decision more than it ever has been. I think he would have been a very popular quarterback here and if we had tripped into some success it would be amplified because it was unexpected.
That being said - on to the next one as we are all Cal fans before individual fans, or at least most of us are.
Pursuing a high school recruit and backup QBs seem to be very normal ongoings in the runnings of a football team. Trying to attribute such routine and established necessity as justification for his leaving makes Mendoza look worse, considering he himself was a 3rd string QB and should understand the need of the team to have a serviceable and deep QB room.
You make a fair point that pursuing high school recruits and backup QBs is standard operating procedure for any football program. Depth is critical, and Mendoza, having been a third-string QB himself, should understand the importance of maintaining a strong and deep quarterback room.
That said, nobody’s job is truly secure in college football, especially at quarterback, where competition is constant. Unless Mendoza had a guaranteed starting position next year written into his agreement with Cal, it’s hard to fault him for exercising his option to explore better opportunities. The transfer portal exists for players to shop around and find the best fit for their personal and professional goals.
Of course, there are no guarantees at Indiana—or anywhere else for that matter—but it’s a risk he clearly felt was worth taking. In this “wild west” era of college football, players are acting as free agents, and Mendoza’s decision, while disappointing for Cal fans, aligns with the broader trend of players prioritizing their own futures.
Oh, I don't fault him for leaving. He is free to do whatever. I am saying using "Cal bringing in other QBs" as a reason for him leaving as an established QB1 is a bad look for him, whether it's said by his side or from fan speculation.
No one's job is safe, every player competes. That is one thing Wilcox had been consistently clear about since he's been here. And as you said, that is standard procedure. To say our pursuit of other QB is a driving reason for him to leave makes him look rather negative in my eyes. Now if the reason is him playing behind a porous line, or bad play calling or just bags of green, I'd get it completely.