Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover has the biggest shoes to fill in Bloomington after succeeding star Fernando Mendoza, who won the Hoosiers their first national championship title alongside a Heisman Trophy win. Hoover transferred to Indiana from the TCU Horned Frogs and was the crown jewel of the No. 1-ranked transfer portal class in the country.
Curt Cignetti Details Josh Hoover’s Progression at Indiana
While speaking to reporters after Thursday’s practice session, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti detailed Hoover’s progression so far while revealing the setbacks facing the new Hoosiers quarterback in Bloomington.
“We’re putting new stuff in still, so he’s learning the offense,” Cignetti said. “He’s probably about where most of the other quarterbacks have been at this point in the spring. We’re a little thin on the offensive line, so when we go to team periods, the protection isn’t the best in the world. So he doesn’t have a lot of time to get rid of the ball.”
Two weeks ago, TCU head coach Sonny Dykes threw shade at Hoover’s turnover numbers with the Horned Frogs, leading to a stern defense of the quarterback by Cignetti. Hoover was a two-year starter at TCU, finishing his career at the program with 9,629 passing yards on 65.2% completion, resulting in 71 touchdowns and 33 interceptions.
In addition, he tallied nine lost fumbles and 14 total fumbles in his Horned Frogs career, which he finished at No. 3 in passing yards, No. 4 in total offensive yards, and No. 4 in touchdowns in the program’s history.
Indiana Star Reveals Josh Hoover’s Intense Work Ethic
While speaking to reporters last week, Indiana wide receiver Charlie Becker revealed Hoover’s intense work ethic and how the quarterback was fostering a connection with the Hoosiers’ wide receivers during the offseason.
“Josh is one of the hardest workers that I’ve met, and he throws so much,” Becker said. “I don’t know how he does it, my arm would fall off. He texts me probably every day asking if we want to throw, just to be able to build that connection, which is good.
“As soon as last season was over, me and Josh were texting, being like, ‘Hey.’ We had a little break, so he was like, ‘As soon as you guys get back, let’s get right to it.’ After every workout, we’ve been throwing and just trying to build that connection that me and Fernando (Mendoza) had.”
Hoover tallied 3,472 passing yards on 65.9% completion, resulting in 29 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, while adding four rushing yards and two scores for the Horned Frogs last season. He earned a PFSN College QB Impact score of 86.0.
