Fernando Mendoza, Columbus High grad and Indiana Hoosier, favored to win prestigious Heisman Trophy

It s impossible to ignore South Florida native Fernando Mendoza Mendoza a Christopher Columbus High School graduate and current Indiana Hoosiers football quarterback has been making waves back home and beyond as a front-runner for the Heisman Memorial Trophy Considered the bulk prestigious award in college football the Heisman Trophy goes to the top athlete in college football I would love the opportunity to get the invite to New York which would be fantastic But I think it s really a testament to the band Mendoza disclosed during a press conference And it s not a competitor award it s a crew award And I think it just speaks a testament to how much that this unit has had that never-ending process of learning and getting better and that has culminated to this point Not only is the Indiana quarterback a Heisman finalist the former Christopher Columbus Explorer is one of the favorites to win college football s most of prestigious award Sylvie Galvez-Cuesta was Mendoza s guidance counselor while he was at Columbus Seeing the success that Fernando is having at IU it just brings me so much ecstasy because he s such a deserving young man And you know it s just very inspiring to see someone who worked hard who is goal oriented achieve their goals she explained This season at Indiana University Mendoza has thrown for almost yards and touchdowns while scoring another six on the ground I saw the prospective for him to be a really good Division I quarterback reported Dave Dunn Mendoza s high school football coach Dunn the head football coach at Christopher Columbus mentioned Mendoza has earned his success Just because of his work ethic his mindset he s an over preparer He s unfailingly hunting That and with the skill set he had he s a big tall kid strong arm amazing touch in the football so I knew he d be a really good college performer noted Dunn I think the coaching he s gotten at IU and the season that they re having those things all combined it s kind of been the perfect storm for him being a finalist for the Heisman Trophy Mendoza may have bolstered his chances even more by not only beating Ohio State in the Big Ten title championship on Saturday night but also picking up the MVP in the process The rise of Fernando Mendoza is something even he couldn t have predicted back at Christopher Columbus High School It s still kind of surreal to me that not that he s had this success but that you know the phenomenon of Heisman-Doza has caught on the way it has explained Dunn And I inevitably thought he was an amazing quarterback and an amazing person Now on a national stage he s proven the same thing And being able to see him as a finalist and hopefully win this award which is you know the the majority prestigious award in college football it s amazing That one individual will go down in history forever I mean you can t take a Heisman away right I mean we might have to have statues all over campus Who knows But the sense of pride for all of us is just you know it s hard to describe what it means to this public announced Galvez-Cuesta It s been such an exciting ride This is ostensibly one of the greatest football seasons for all of us who have watched you know in current history Just watching one of our own accomplish the unthinkable and now have a chance to truly earn a Heisman and to be the front-runner for it it s a dream come true for all of us While Mendoza is a special talent on the field he may be an even better person off of it The quarterback has been using his newfound spotlight to fight a cause close to his family s heart My association and I have just gotten our Mendoza Mania gear and swag And what makes it so exciting is that all the proceeds are going to fight multiple sclerosis commented Galvez-Cuesta disclosed as she held up her red Mendoza Mania sweatshirt This is a charity that s so major to both Alberto and Fernando Their mom has been fighting this illness for a number of years now so the boys have been really instrumental in raising goals and doing so much to make this cause known to fund raise So yeah people in South Florida promotion the cause Mendoza Mania The ceremony for the Heisman Trophy will take place Saturday You can catch it live on ABC Miami Channel