For Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, it takes a lot to be impressed. Yet, in a recent reflection on the 2025 season, Patricia revealed the exact second he knew that Fernando Mendoza wasn’t just another quarterback: He was a nightmare.
Ohio State DC Matt Patricia Gets Honest About Fernando Mendoza
Patricia appeared on “Good Morning Football” on Friday and talked about the moment that came early in the game against Indiana. Caden Curry, Ohio State’s ferocious edge rusher, broke through the line and delivered a bone-shattering hit on Mendoza.
“Caden Curry hit him so hard on the first play of our game; he goes down and I was like, ‘Okay, all right, here we go,’” Patricia recalled.
“Uh oh. We got a problem.” 😳
Matt Patricia recounts when Ohio State went against Fernando Mendoza this past collegiate season@IndianaFootball | @Raiders pic.twitter.com/8g16SiWzXK
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) May 1, 2026
In Patricia’s mind, the game was already trending toward a defensive shutout. He expected a rattled quarterback. He expected a long day for the opposition.
Instead, he got a reality check.
“Then he got up, and I was like, ‘Oh, we got a problem.’ I was like, ‘Oh, here we go.’ But he’s an unbelievable guy,” Patricia continued.
Earlier, Patricia had confirmed that Mendoza was the “most challenging” quarterback they had faced all year. It’s no wonder that he ended up with a 93.3 score on PFSN’s CFB QB Impact.
“I mean, I love this guy. I think he was really probably one of the most challenging quarterbacks we faced all year. He’s a guy that can make all the throws on the field. That’s what you see first and foremost. He’s very smart and really good in the pocket.”
That resilience changed the math for the Ohio State defense, and Indiana eventually defeated the Buckeyes with a 13-10 score. In the same interview, Patricia also revealed the interaction he shared with Mendoza at the NFL Combine.
Fernando Mendoza Left Matt Patricia Impressed at the NFL Combine
“He (Fernando Mendoza) actually grabbed me during the combine and we talked for a little while; I was just so impressed by him. I know for a fact he’s been working really hard, getting ready for his moment,” Patricia said.
The qualities that left Patricia impressed on the Ohio State sideline are exactly why the Las Vegas Raiders made Mendoza a centerpiece of their 2026 NFL Draft class.
For the Raiders, Mendoza represents a blend of old-school toughness and modern-day processing. He is the type of player who fits the “Raider Way.” As Patricia noted, “I think that’s a great pick for the Raiders.”
Coming from a coach who has seen the greatest of all time up close, that isn’t just praise; it’s a warning to the rest of the AFC West. Fernando Mendoza was a problem for Matt Patricia and the Buckeyes. Now, he’s the NFL’s problem to solve.
