How Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza celebrated Heisman Trophy win

Individual awards are a team effort — and so are the celebrations.Shortly after winning the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza was surprised by his teammates upon entering the room for his post-Heisman Trophy ceremony press conference.The Hoosiers cheered and embraced their junior field general, celebrating his historic accomplishment in a poignant scene.“That was all you,” said one of Mendoza’s teammates amid the scrum.Mendoza, 22, became the first Heisman winner in Indiana’s program history after prevailing in a finalist field including Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, Ohio State signal caller Julian Sayin, and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. The former Cal quarterback fought back tears upon hearing his name called, embracing his teammates and family members as he made his way up to the stage.In a moving acceptance speech, Mendoza acknowledged that his accomplishment reflects the work of many — and expressed his sincere gratitude for his family, teammates, and coaches.“This moment is an honor — it’s bigger than me,” he said.“It’s a product of a family, team, community, and a whole lot of people who believed in me long before anybody knew my name.”The former Cal quarterback completed 71.5 percent of his passes for 2,980 yards and an NCAA-leading 33 touchdowns with just six interceptions during his first season in Bloomington. With Mendoza under center, the Hoosiers completed a perfect 13–0 season, captured the Big Ten title, and clinched the No.1 seed heading into the College Football Playoff. “Congrats to all my teammates, my brothers—this is our trophy,” Mendoza said.

“I love you guys more than you know.To my linemen who protected me, every single receiver and tight end that bailed me out, to every running back who fought for more yards and to our defense that gave us that heart, swagger and more second chances than we definitely deserved, this trophy might have my name on it,...