Trump Hosts Champion Hoosiers, Notes Absent QB Mendoza

President Donald Trump hosted the Indiana University Hoosiers football team at the White House on Monday to celebrate their undefeated 16-0 season and first College Football Playoff National Championship, won in January after Mendoza's standout performance.

The Las Vegas Raiders' rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza, whom Indiana coach Curt Cignetti called the program's first Heisman Trophy winner, did not attend. All eight Hoosiers drafted into the NFL last month also missed the 30-minute South Lawn ceremony due to professional commitments.

Trump drew attention to Mendoza's absence during his remarks, describing a phone call from the 22-year-old quarterback. "He was so nice, he called," Trump said. "He's been great and he's at spring training, like his first day or something. I said, you better go there." Trump added that Mendoza is "a great guy actually, and he's actually a big fan of what we're doing for our country."

The president said he approved of the decision and predicted success for Mendoza, who led the Raiders' top draft pick. "He's gotta win. I think he's going to win pretty early," Trump said. He praised the Hoosiers' accomplishments under Cignetti, whom he called a...