The Las Vegas Raides have a new rookie quarterback, and Fernando Mendoza is seriously tackling the learning process.
If there’s two things we know about new Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza, it’s that he’s all about saying the right thing and having the right work ethic. The first part of that combination can be a bit of an eye-roller at times, but there’s no doubt about the work ethic part.
Mendoza’s going through the typical rookie learning process right now, but the way he’s going about it is anything but typical. Sam Warren of The Athletic did an update on Mendoza’s process so far, and it does show some ways in which his approach is unique.
Start with the information he’s being asked to absorb and learn. Mendoza knows he’s being overwhelmed to at least some extent, but he does seem to have the ability to take it all in stride.
“As a rookie, you just try to learn the most possible,” Mendoza said. “So right now, there’s a lot of information. It’s coming like a fire hose, but at that time, I’m just trying to take it all in to get better every single day.”
Right now there’s a lot of focus on Mendoza’s ability to take snaps from under center, which he hasn’t done much so far. He took just three percent of his total snaps at Indiana from under center, but Kubiak’s Seattle offense featured the quarterback under center on 534 snaps, which was second-most in the league.
He’s getting feedback and instructions from Kubiak, offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko and quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan after each rep, and he’s doing all he can to get as many as possible.
“I need more work under center,” Mendoza said. “And it’s great when we can be in the hotel getting 25 to 50 snaps each last night and the night before Day 1 to really get that timing. And I still have a long way to go, but those centers are phenomenal, consistent snaps, and the offensive line did a great job.”
His partner at center is fellow rookie Trey Zuhn, who’s also new to the role. Zuhn played guard at Texas A&M, but he also has the versatility to play across the line.
“It’s cool spending that extra time with him, getting to know each other,” Zuhn said. “I’m getting a connection with him, and it’s been awesome.”
The eye-rolling part of Mendoza’s ability to say the right thing came through in his comments about Kubiak. He tends to lather it on thick at times, and that was definitely the case when he talked about his new coach.
“To have such a genius offensive mind running such a coherent and complementary system is a really good place and a really good situation to be in as a quarterback,” Mendoza said of Kubiak. “So I’m blessed and I’m ready to get to work.”
Reality will hit soon when the veterans arrive, but Mendoza probably knows that, too. At the very least, it’s reassuring that if he does struggle and fail, it won’t be because he didn’t put the time and the work in first.