After striking gold with a transfer quarterback, Indiana is eager to do it again. While Fernando Mendoza’s Heisman Trophy is still fresh in Bloomington, Curt Cignetti is quietly evaluating transfer portal options to ensure stability at quarterback moving forward. If Mendoza elects to leave early, Indiana doesn’t want to be caught reacting. It wants its next move ready before the moment arrives.

“A source tells me two programs are trending for North Texas QB Drew Mestemaker: Oklahoma State and Indiana,” CFB analyst Wilson F. Ball reported Sunday. “His relationship with Eric Morris is a major factor with OSU, but Indiana is heavily in the mix following Fernando Mendoza’s Heisman win and other key factors.”

Meanwhile, Oklahoma State sees the same formula as its ticket from Big 12 bottom-feeder to playoff contender. Mestemaker’s connection to Oklahoma State is rooted in more than convenience, largely because of his history with former North Texas head coach Eric Morris. For Curt Cignetti and Indiana, that reality sharpens the challenge.

Morris was the first to place real trust in Mestemaker, elevating him from an overlooked walk-on into the centerpiece of his offense and building a system around his strengths before the quarterback carried national recognition. That familiarity inevitably lingers as Mestemaker weighs his future, and it raises the bar for Indiana as they hope to bring him in.

While Mestemaker’s connection to Eric Morris remains significant, Indiana’s recent success may prove difficult to ignore. Mendoza’s Heisman season has become a powerful endorsement of Curt Cignetti’s approach, especially considering that the quarterback himself arrived in Bloomington as a transfer.

During the portal move, Mendoza said he viewed IU as the best place for growth, choosing the program over traditional ‘blue bloods’ because the head coach promised to help turn him into the ‘best Fernando Mendoza possible.’ That vision is now clearly visible, and those same factors could play a major role in landing their next QB, Mestemaker.

In fact, that search for a steady hand with a proven track record has become a necessity for Cignetti.

And the Green QB has that potential too. When he arrived at North Texas as a walk-on, quarterback was barely part of the plan. He filled roles across the field: defense, special teams, wherever he was needed. Until an unexpected opportunity emerged in the First Responder Bowl. Despite a loss, Mestemaker announced himself with a breakout performance, throwing for 393 yards on 26-of-41 passing and adding a rushing touchdown.

That night sparked curiosity. Was it a one-off moment, or the beginning of something real? By the end of the following season, the answer was clear. Mestemaker finished the year as the nation’s most prolific passer, racking up 4,129 yards and 31 touchdowns while pushing the Mean Green to the American Athletic Conference Championship Game, just one win shy of a College Football Playoff appearance.

For Indiana, the appeal is obvious. Curt Cignetti has already shown he can take a transfer quarterback and turn him into college football’s biggest star, and potentially a first-round NFL Draft pick. Be as it may, Mendoza will be a tough act to follow. The IU QB steered the Hoosiers to a Big Ten title and a 13-0 record while piling up 33 TDs and 2980 passing yards, picking up a Heisman trophy on the way to enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed.

With Indiana making two playoff trips in two seasons under Curt Cignetti, the focus shifts squarely to a national title chase, a feat that Cignetti would be hell bent to continue in the coming years. And if the stars align, Mestemaker wouldn’t want to pass on the sea of opportunities that this program has to offer.

Still, Indiana’s path forward is not without resistance.

Eric Morris has an advantage over Curt Cignetti

Drew Mestemaker didn’t arrive with stars. Fresh off his senior year at Vandegrift High School as a safety and punter, he was searching for a chance. That’s when QB trainer Jeff Christensen, known for working with Patrick Mahomes, picked up the phone and called Eric Morris. But initially, Morris didn’t seem inclined to take that QB at North Texas, since he never started a varsity game as a QB in high school.

“He (Christensen) started laughing and said, ‘That’s the thing. He (Mestemaker) didn’t play last year,’” said Morris to USA TODAY. “And I’m like, ‘Come on. You want me to take a kid that couldn’t even play in high school?’”

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But later, Morris took the leap and offered Mestemaker a walk-on spot at North Texas. That leap changed everything. From there, the bond between Mestemaker and Morris runs deeper than stats. While Morris saw something no one else did, Mestemaker felt it too.

“I was just happy to finally have the opportunity to prove myself,” said the walk-on QB. “It felt like a fresh start… to prove that I belong here.”

From high school backup to national leader, his rise wasn’t overnight. All he needed was belief, and Morris was the one who trusted him. In 2025, the once-overlooked QB is lighting up the country. Mestemaker had North Texas ranked and chased a CFP spot against Tulane in the AAC title game. But now, with his transfer portal move, that close relationship with Morris could become an obstacle for Cignetti in landing this talent.