$2.6 million QB shares blunt advice from NFL legend Peyton Manning

A quarterback from a major college football program shared words of wisdom he learned from NFL great Peyton Manning.

Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) reacts after the 2025 Peach Bowl | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The 2025 college football season wrapped up on Jan. 19 with Indiana's defeat of Miami (27-21) in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.

One of the many dominant storylines leading up to the national championship game was the play of Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The 6-foot-5, 225-pounder won the Heisman Trophy while guiding the Hoosiers to a 16-0 overall record and their first-ever national championship victory, feats that were considered impossible in the past.

The Big Ten recognized Mendoza as its Most Valuable Player and as a member of the All-Big Ten First Team. He earned the Maxwell, Walter Camp and Davey O'Brien Awards to go with consensus All-American recognition on the national level.

The 2025 season catapulted Mendoza to stardom, but the beginning of his college football career was a humble one. He was recruited to California in 2022 as a three-star quarterback, ranking No. 130 among quarterbacks in the class. He used a redshirt that season as he did not see the field.

California Golden Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) carries the ball against the Stanford Cardinal | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Mendoza played in nine games for the Golden Bears in 2023, passing for 1,708 yards 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. California finished the season 6-7 with a loss to Texas Tech in the Independence Bowl (34-14).

Between the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Mendoza made a critical move for his development as a quarterback by attending the Manning Passing Academy in the summer of 2024. Founded in 1996 by Archie Manning, the Manning Passing Academy has served as a training ground for numerous quarterbacks looking to make their way into the NFL.

In a recent interview on WISH-TV in Indianapolis, credited NFL Hall of Famer Peyton Manning for a piece of advice he learned to enhance his technique while at the Manning Passing Academy.

"That's what makes the Manning's great... It's the fine details"

I asked Fernando Mendoza what the best piece of advice he received from Peyton Manning when he attended the Manning Passing Academy. 🏈

Trust me - This is worth watching ⬇️@IndianaFootball | @WISHNews8 pic.twitter.com/cRSr0XT33Z

— Andrew Chernoff - WISH-TV (@ADChernoff) January 30, 2026

"I took my drop, did my fake, I threw a strike. All the quarterbacks are like, 'Let's go Fernando, good throw!' and I'm just feeling great, I just made a great throw in front of Peyton Manning," Mendoza said.

"He rips into me and is like 'that's the wrong footwork' and I think the advice with play action and how that translates to the NFL and the Indiana offense was a shock to me. You made a good throw, but the throw won't be there if the defenders don't come up and get attracted to the run."

The production from Mendoza increased significantly after his time at the Manning Passing Academy, ending 2024 with 3,004 pass yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. He finished his historic Indiana campaign with 3,535 passing yards, 41 touchdowns and six interceptions to go along with 276 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.

Mendoza's heroics from 2025 have made him a virtual lock for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. Barring a trade in the next two months, the Las Vegas Raiders will have the pick and will draft Mendoza as their first quarterback selection in the first round since JaMarcus Russell in 2007.

Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) runs with the ball during the fourth quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images