Plough’s influence on Indiana’s Mendoza ‘ Heisman Trophy favorite Fernando Mendoza was a redshirt freshman and Cal’s third-string quarterback at the start of the 2023 season when he walked into the office of tight ends coach Tim Plough.
“Would you be willing to meet with me?” Mendoza asked. “Would you be willing to teach me the offense and talk to me about quarterback play, go through the game plan with me?”
Mendoza knew that Plough had spent virtually the entirety of his career as an offensive coordinator or quarterbacks coach.
“He has this insatiable desire to be a great player. And when you’re the third-string guy, you’re not getting a lot of one-on-one time with the quarterback coach or the OC,” Plough said this week. “So he was kind of looking for some guidance, some mentorship.”
Thus began what tutor and pupil labeled the Midnight Meetings. For the rest of the season, Mendoza arrived at Plough’s office nightly at 9 p.m. and the two spent as many as three hours watching film, talking fundamentals and mechanics of the position and studying that week’s game plan.
Even though Mendoza had no shot yet at getting onto the field.’