Indiana football gets 60 Minutes treatment. The news program went to Bloomington to learn more about Hoosiers turnaround.
BLOOMINGTON — The CBS newsmagazine show 60 Minutes traveled to Bloomington to trace Indiana football's rise from also-ran to powerhouse.
The award-winning program known for its in-depth reporting ran a 13-minute piece on Sunday that featured interviews with the likes of coach Curt Cignetti, quarterback Fernando Mendoza, athletic director Scott Dolson, longtime broadcaster Don Fischer and famed musician John Mellencamp.
Here's a recap of the segment that was reported out by Jon Wertheim, a sports journalist and author who is a Bloomington native:
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza feels "imposter syndrome"
After noting Indiana football's turnaround compared to famed sports movies in the state — "Hoosiers," "Rudy," and "Breaking Away" — Mendoza spoke about the team's sideline being filled with "overlooked" coaches, players and staff.
He became IU's first Heisman Trophy winner on Saturday night told Wertheim that he sometimes feels "imposter syndrome."
"Human nature is like, wow, like, how did I get here? " Mendoza said in an interview conducted prior to Heisman weekend. "And there's a little bit of an imposter syndrome from that point. Whoa, am I supposed to be here? I was a two star recruit. I wasn't a five star. Who's supposed to be in this position, who's supposed to be on the number one team in the nation."
John Mellencamp stayed a fan of the Hoosiers through "thick and thin"
Mellencamp started going to IU games as a kid and later donated the funds for an indoor practice facility the team still utilizes. Wertheim noted his contributions to point out he's not a "bandwagon" supporter of the team.
"No, no, I've been around through thick and thin," Mellencamp said with a smile.
Mellencamp, who was shown watching a game at Memorial Stadium from a suite at the top of the press box that allows him to smoke during games, traced Cignetti's success to the fact that he does not show emotion.
"Not outwardly. Not outwardly," Mellencamp said. "Jon, I've made my worst decisions being emotional. And I bet you have, too."
New era of college athletics ushered in Indiana football's success
Wertheim highlighted the changes in college athletics, from the transfer portal to name, image and likeness opportunities for players, that fueled Indiana's transformation. Cignetti brought 13 players over with him from James Madison — six of them are starters on this year's team — and Mendoza was a highly sought after quarterback transfer from Cal.
"There's so many different dynamics that were never there in college football," Mendoza said. "And I think that's why you see so many teams either rising or fizzling."
Mendoza, who reportedly makes $2 million, revealed that he had actually written a paper in high school that athletes shouldn't be paid.
Wertheim asked Dolson about IU investing $60 million into football while the university cuts academic jobs and programs.
"The market is what the market is," Dolson said. "And it costs a lot of money. But we earn that money. We make it through our revenue streams. And at the same time people understand if we can get football going, the impact and the consequences for the rest of the university are-- are significant."
60 Minutes highlights Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti's greatest hits
Wertheim walked viewers through Cignetti's resume and him landing his first Power Four head coaching opportunity "beyond the usual sell-by date." He recapped his early days on the job, from him calling out IU's rivals at Assembly Hall to uttering his famed "Google Me" catchphrase.
Cignetti explained those moments were all related to his overall frustrations with the vibes in Bloomington surrounding the football program at the time.
"As soon as I walked in the building," Cignetti said. "Facilities that had been neglected. The stadium banners that looked old. The offices that looked like they were from 1980. And then-- you know, just the general attitude of the people I met, the lack of excitement."
He continued.
"I was-- furious, pretty much. 'Cause all we did was win conference championships year in, year out as a staff — and I mean, we — we win. And so it was a clashing of two worlds. And I wasn't gonna lower my standards."
He wanted to see if the fans were "just dead or on life support" when he called out Purdue, Michigan and Ohio State.
Did he accomplish that mission?
"Little bit," Cignetti said with a smile.
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: 60 Minutes traces IU football's evolution from losingest program to powerhouse
Category: General Sports
