The Las Vegas Raiders have a head coaching vacancy, and one prominent possibility is Indiana’s Curt Cignetti. The Hoosiers’ coach has orchestrated a historic turnaround, leading Indiana to a College Football Playoff championship game against Miami (Fla.). While Cignetti signed an eight-year, $11.6 million annual deal with Indiana in October and has not expressed interest in the NFL, the Raiders should at least make the call.

The appeal is clear: the Raiders hold the No. 1 pick in the draft, and Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is a prime candidate. Mendoza has completed 86% of his passes with eight touchdowns and only five incompletions in two CFP wins. Cignetti, a longtime quarterbacks coach, knows Mendoza better than anyone. Pairing them in Las Vegas could accelerate the rebuild.

The Raiders have interviewed several candidates already, and more are scheduled. As general manager John Spytek indicated after Pete Carroll’s firing, this is not a quick fix for a 3-14 team. The franchise needs an offensive-minded coach who can develop a young quarterback. Cignetti fits that mold.

Former Alabama coach Nick Saban, who hired Cignetti as an assistant, told ESPN: “I’ve never talked to Curt about going to the NFL. I don’t really know that he has any interest in doing that. I will say this, though, it is a fairly difficult transition to go from college to the NFL if you’ve never been in the NFL before.” Saban himself went 15-17 in two seasons with the Miami Dolphins.

Tom Brady, now effectively running the Raiders, would have to weigh the risk of hiring a college coach with no NFL experience. But if Cignetti wins the national title, and with Mendoza available at No. 1, he might reconsider. The odds are long, but the Raiders should dial the number.