Fernando Mendoza Tried to Call Kirby Smart to Commit to Georgia

The story of how Fernando Mendoza tried to call Kirby Smart to commit to the Georgia Bulldogs.

The Georgia Bulldogs are coming off yet another successful season under Kirby Smart. The Dawgs won their second consecutive conference title, went 11-1 in the regular season but fell short in the quarterfinals against Ole Miss. The biggest story of the 2025 college football season, though, was Fernando Mendoza and the Indiana Hoosiers.

Mendoza, a transfer from Cal, led the Hoosiers to a national title, an undefeated season and ended up winning the Heisman trophy. All of that could have never happned though had a call to Kirby Smart from Fernando Mendoza gone through.

In a recent interview with The Ticket, Mendoza details how his transfer decision came down to Georgia and Indiana, and at one point, the Heisman winner was ready to play in Athens.

Fernando Mendoza Tried to Call Kirby Smart to Commit to Georgia

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart looks toward the field during the Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff quarterfinals at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La., on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“Really, what it came down to was Indiana and Georgia,” Fernando said. “Kirby (Smart), great recruiter, great coach, great program. They were this close to making a national championship. I was really going back and forth between the two. And honestly, I was really confused. I was lost in the sauce because they were both great situations. It was a win-win. It was a really tough decision."

Mendoza then goes on to say that he at one point tried to call Coach Smart to commit to Georgia, but the call didn't go through, and that ended up delaying his decision.

“I think there was one time even where I was about to call Kirby to commit to Georgia and the call didn’t go through," said Mendoza. "And I thought, ‘Alright, let me sleep on it tonight.’ I really believed God helped me with that."

Eventually, Cignetti sold Mendoza on the message that he would be the best quarterback he could become at Indiana, and that he develops quarterbacks. That was what ended up leading to Mendoza committing to the Hoosiers, and now, the rest is history.

Gunner Stockton ended up being the starting quarterback for the Bulldogs this past season, and overall, had a very successful season as a first-year starter. Now, Stockton is set to return to Georgia and lead the Bulldogs to a third national title under Kirby Smart.

All in all, it's safe to say Georgia is happy to have Stockton as their starting quarterback, but it's crazy to think that Georgia was a connecting call away from Mendoza finsihing his college career in the red and black.

Fernando Mendoza Tried to Call Kirby Smart to Commit to Georgia

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