Former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover committed to transfer to Indiana on Sunday. Over three seasons at TCU, he played 36 games, recording 9,629 passing yards, 71 touchdowns, and 33 interceptions. Following Hoover’s departure, the staff, led by Sonny Dykes, quickly shifted focus to the transfer portal. Within days, they identified Harvard transfer Jaden Craig as their next quarterback.
TCU Secures Jaden Craig’s Commitment, Replacing Indiana-Bound Josh Hoover
Josh Hoover left for Bloomington soon after the season ended, giving Curt Cignetti an elite weapon at center next season, as sensational first-choice quarterback Fernando Mendoza is set to leave after this season for the NFL. Hoover’s transfer prompted Dykes and his coaching staff to quickly explore the transfer portal for the best available quarterback for the team.
Among the potential candidates was Harvard star Jaden Craig, the Crimson’s all-time leading passer. The 6’3″, 230-pound graduate transfer earned attention for his elite accuracy, film room commitment, and versatility. TCU secured Craig, who will now test his talent in the Big 12 Conference with programs like Texas Tech, BYU, Utah, Houston, and Colorado.
According to ESPN college football senior writer Pete Thamel, Craig visited the TCU campus in Fort Worth this weekend after entering the transfer portal and made his decision without scheduling any second visits. He has a year of eligibility remaining that the Horned Frogs hope to maximize as they aim to contend next season.
In two seasons, Craig completed 60.9% of passes, threw 52 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and holds Harvard’s record for total yards at 6,074. In 24 games that Craig started at Harvard, his quarterbacking exploits earned him a share of the Ivy League title in all three years that he was active.
MORE: PFSN’s CFB Transfer Portal Tracker
TCU Expects Craig-Jordan Dwyer Combo To Carry the Team Next Season
The Horned Frogs will have a lot of expectations after finishing the 2025 campaign with a 9-4 mark, which was capped off by a 30-27 win over No. 16 USC in the Alamodome on Tuesday. Their strong performance included wins over No. 23 Houston, SMU, and Cincinnati during the season.
Building on last season’s strong performance, Sonny Dykes and his coaching staff, bolstered by the experience of a 2022 national championship final, have the capability to lead TCU to the College Football Playoffs if they find the right mix of elite players.
As a result, Craig will be in good hands next season as he joins a big-time offensive crew that was one of the strongest units in the Big 12, having recorded nearly 4,000 passing yards this season.
Looking at offensive weapons, the Harvard transfer QB will benefit from having Jordan Dwyer in the receiving corps. Dwyer is expected to step up from a WR2 last season to become the premier wideout in his senior year with the Horned Frogs. His receiving stats were not too shabby either, as he finished with 730 yards and seven TDs.
Expect to hear a lot of Craig-to-Dwyer passes next season, as Dykes will try to maximize the capabilities of the two standouts.
Both are destined to be top picks in the NFL draft next year ,and they will work together to boost their draft stocks and power the Horned Frogs to a possible Big 12 title and college football playoff entry by the end of the 2026-27 season.
