By Matt St. Charles
A lot was made of Fernando Mendoza’s postgame comments last Saturday after Indiana’s win in the Big Ten Championship. When asked about the brutal hit from Ohio State’s Caden Curry on the very first play of the game, the Heisman finalist’s response was about what you’d expect.
“Although I got hit, I was never going to stay down,” Mendoza said in the postgame presser. “I say it, and it can be interpreted as a little crazy sometimes, but I will die for my brothers on that field. No matter if it’s a gut punch or a head punch, I’m always going to get back up. There was 100% confidence I was going to play the rest of the game. We’ve worked so hard to get to this point that no hit could take me out of that game. One thing about the Indiana Hoosiers football team is when they hit, we hit back harder.”
Sitting on the other end of the table was Aiden Fisher, a Curt Cignetti disciple in his second season with the Hoosiers and fourth with the head coach. While some members of the media found Mendoza’s comments funny in a way, Fisher knows they’re an embodiment of this team and its leader.
“I was sitting next to him in the postgame interview, and he said he would die on the field to play this game,” Fisher said. “People laugh and chuckle about it, but he is dead serious. He will do anything it takes to win; he cares so much about his team and his teammates, and whatever it takes to win, he’s going to do it. Maybe that’s taking a big hit to reach for a first down on third down; he’s going to do that. He’s been such a great leader and so selfless. He’s been a seamless fit since he got here, and I think that’s why he sacrifices everything to win.”
In many ways, Fisher brings a similar style of leadership to the defense as Mendoza does to the offense.
He’s obviously proud of everything this team has accomplished, constantly praising his teammates on that side of the ball. He knows how special this season is and everything it’s meant to the University and community–13-0 and the first outright Big Ten title since 1945. But he’s not complacent.
Like Mendoza, he walks that line between appreciating how great the Hoosiers are while still pointing out ways for them to get even better ahead of the College Football Playoff.
“Defensively, I think we did a good job getting pressure on the quarterback,” Fisher said. I think Isaiah Jones and Rolijah Hardy played phenomenal football games. I think our defensive line did a great job. The secondary did a great job. I think we gave up a couple [of] explosives, but I think we did a good job after that. The one touchdown we gave up, [there were] scramble mechanics; we have to do a better job of plastering. [There’s] still some cleanup we have to do. I know, as a defense, we kind of give up some excess shots, like little out routes. [Jeremiah] Smith had a couple of those to get him going. Ultimately, I think we came out physical with bad intentions, and I think we did a good job for the most part in doing our job and limiting explosive plays from a really good offense.”
Fisher has also been vital in helping his compatriots to do the same. A lot of that mentality comes from Cignetti, but Fisher is an extension of that on the field with the defense.
The impact both of those leaders have had is even instilled in Tyrique Tucker, who’s taken a big leap this season. The junior defensive lineman has 33 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks this season after 24, 4.5, and 2.5, respectively, last year.
That kind of jump comes from always looking to get better, never being satisfied with where you are.
“Talking to him this spring, it’s been different for him,” Fisher said of Tucker. “Throughout his career, he’s had somebody to chase that was in a starting spot ahead of him. [When] I talked to him in the spring, he said it’s been [different], but [he still has] that feeling like [he’s] still chasing somebody. That’s why I think he’s seen such steady improvement. Everything that he’s done this year has been phenomenal. His pass rush has been great. His run blocking has been amazing, getting off blocks and making tackles. He’s been essential for us to make any run that we’ve made. His leadership has really come a long way. He’s just done everything right, and I can’t say enough about him; he’s done a great job.”
Awaiting the winner of Alabama and Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl on January 1, Indiana has a lot of time to regroup and, in their case, reassess. Undefeated and the top seed in the College Football Playoffs, the Hoosiers are never daunted, but they’re also never satisfied.
And that may prove to be what puts them over the top in this historic season.