Alabama's defensive coordinator Kane Wommack and his defensive minds know they'll be faced with their biggest challenge of the season when the Crimson Tide lineup across from 2025 Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza and the No.1-seeded Indiana Hoosiers next Thursday at the Rose Bowl.
Mendoza has been sensational this season, completing 71.5% of his passes for 33 touchdowns and 2,980 yards, alongside 6 rushing scores. These numbers by the 6-foot-5, 225-pound gunslinger led the Hoosiers to their best season in program history, going 13-0, en route to knocking off the college football defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big Ten championship.
These feats by Mendoza have NFL general managers salivating at the idea of taking him as the first quarterback off the board next April, and this is also why Wommack and Alabama's defensive staff are preparing themselves for their biggest task on offense yet.
Kane Wommack knows Fernando Mendoza and Indiana present a tremendous challenge
“You know, I want to stop quarterbacks whether they’ve won the Heisman trophy or not,” Wommack said to reporters on Sunday following practice. “But, I certainly think, if they’ve won the Heisman, it’s a tremendous challenge for us. I mean, he is operating at a really high level. He’s executing at a really high level. So, when you watch the tape and the challenge really, the rally cry for our guys, is you’re going to have to operate at a really consistent level, and you’re going to have to take away those windows that he’s wanting to get the ball to.
"That means it’s not just the coverage; we have to be able to rush. We’ve got to be able to affect the quarterback some. And ultimately, we have to be able to finish on the ball against a receiving corps that, in my mind, has competed for the ball at the top of routes all season long, and they tend to step up in big moments. So, this will be a big moment for us; it will be a big, great opportunity, one that, if there’s anything this team has been, it’s battle-tested. So, we’re excited for just another challenge at hand.”
Wommack and company will look to have their ducks in a row on New Year's Day when the Alabama defense takes the field against Mendoza and the Indiana's offensive attack at the Rose Bowl on January 1st.