Before Michael Penix Jr. ever became the Atlanta Falcons ’ quarterback, he made an impression on a little-known freshman quarterback at Cal, simply by remembering his name.  Fernando Mendoza – now a Heisman Trophy winner, national champion, and the first-overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders – had a lot of nice things to say about the Falcons’ incumbent starter going back to their shared time in the Pac-12.  The year was 2022, and Fernando Mendoza was the then third-string quarterback for the California Golden Bears. It was his first season as a collegiate athlete, and he was destined for a redshirt season.…