A drive-by-drive look at Indiana’s 2025 spring game
Indiana football held its second spring game of the Curt Cignetti era Thursday night inside Memorial Stadium.
The “glorified practice,” as Cignetti calls it, marked the second consecutive season the Hoosiers have held a spring game for fans and media under his leadership. It was also the Hoosiers’ first time tackling this spring.
Here’s a drive-by-drive recap of the game.
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Drive 1
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza led the first-team offense to open the game. After a short run by Kaelon Black and an early sack by linebacker Isaiah Jones, Mendoza bounced back with a 26-yard completion to tight end Holden Staes.
Black and Roman Hemby shared backfield duties, with Hemby converting a key fourth-and-short to keep the chains moving. Later, Mendoza found E.J. Williams for 23 yards on a fourth-and-four, beating freshman cornerback Byron Baldwin.
On the next play, Mendoza connected with Omar Cooper on a 13-yard bubble screen to the left side, where a key block from Charlie Becker helped spring the score.
Drive 2
Quarterback Alberto Mendoza opened the drive with a 9-yard completion to Camden Jordan down the left sideline, followed by a 7-yard run from Lee Beebe to move the chains.
After stepping up in the pocket on first down, Mendoza was sacked for a 3-yard loss by William Depaepe. Beebe added six yards on second down, but a third-down pass was tipped by Byron Baldwin on an out route.
Facing fourth-and-seven, the offense was forced to punt, as the defense held firm after the early first down.
Drive 3
Fernando Mendoza’s second drive started with an incompletion, but Roman Hemby followed with an explosive 18-yard run around the left side, going untouched for most of it.
On the next play, Mendoza’s pass was tipped at the line and picked off by Rolijah Hardy, who returned it 43 yards for a pick-six.
Drive 4
Alberto Mendoza led a steady offensive drive, opening with a 5-yard run by Solomon Vanhorse followed by a 16-yard strike to Camden Jordan down the right sideline.
After a pair of short gains and an incompletion, Mendoza faced fourth down and delivered, hitting Myles Kendrick for 18 yards down the left hash.
Lee Beebe then took over, grinding out a first down with three straight runs. The drive stalled inside the red zone after defensive back Jaylen Bell blew up a bubble screen and running back Khobie Martin was brought down for a loss in the backfield.
Mendoza found LeBron Bond for a short gain on third down, setting up a 32-yard field goal from Nicolas Radicic, which he knocked through to cap the drive.
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Drive 5
Fernando Mendoza opened the drive with a pair of short completions to Kaelon Black and E.J. Williams, followed by a 7-yard bubble screen to Omar Cooper to move the chains.
Black added a 2-yard run up the middle before the drive unraveled.
Mendoza was sacked for an 18-yard loss after a missed pass block by Roman Hemby, and an incompletion on third down forced a punt.
Drive 6
Khobie Martin opened the drive with a strong 13-yard run around the right side, but disaster struck on the very next play. Martin fumbled, and freshman Seaonta Stewart recovered for the defense, ending the possession abruptly with a turnover.
Drive 7
Fernando Mendoza got the drive rolling with a 24-yard pass to Lee Beebe out of the backfield to the left side. Beebe stayed hot, following it up with runs of seven, four, and eventually a 5-yard score as Indiana methodically moved the ball down the field.
Drive 8
Solomon Vanhorse opened the drive with back-to-back 3-yard runs up the middle, setting up a manageable third down. Quarterback Grant Wilson’s pass on third was incomplete, and the offense was forced to punt after a short series.
Drive 9
Grant Wilson’s next drive started with an incompletion, followed by a false start that pushed the offense back.
On second and 15, Wilson overthrew receiver LeBron Bond on a quick out, then checked it down to Khobie Martin for four yards on third down.
The drive stalled quickly, leading to another punt.
Drive 10
Roman Hemby started the drive with a 4-yard run to the left side, followed by a 5-yard catch out of the backfield after quarterback Fernando Mendoza avoided pressure.
On third down, Hemby was stopped for just 1 yard, but he converted a fourth-and-inches with a 1-yard run up the middle to keep the drive alive.
The momentum shifted as Kaelon Black ripped off a 45-yard run. However, a false start penalty backed the offense up.
Mendoza quickly bounced back, connecting with Omar Cooper for a 12-yard touchdown on an RPO down the right seam.
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Drive 11
Alberto Mendoza started the drive with a 17-yard completion to LeBron Bond down the left hash, but a snap issue led to a 3-yard loss on the next play.
Mendoza quickly recovered, finding Lee Beebe for 11 yards to the left side, followed by a 4-yard run from Beebe on the next play.
The offense kept moving as Mendoza connected with Beebe for a short gain out of the backfield, then Kaelon Black powered up the middle for 1 yard.
Mendoza later found tight end Riley Nowakowski for a 9-yard connection down the left hash.
After a few more runs from Black, including a 6-yard gain to the right and a loss of one up the middle, Mendoza hit Bond again, this time over the middle for a 7-yard touchdown, capping off a methodical drive.
Drive 12
The drive began with a run by Kyler Kropp to the left side for no gain. Grant Wilson then connected with Andrew Barker for a 7-yard gain over the middle.
On third down, Wilson took a shot deep down the left side for Myles Kendrick, but the pass fell incomplete as time expired.
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