Written by: TJ Inman
What Curt Cignetti and theIndiana Hoosiers were going to do about the quarterback position for the 2026 season was the hot topic of conversation during the past few weeks as fans eagerly awaited the Rose Bowl showdown with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Early rumors surrounded players like Sam Leavitt and Brendan Sorsby but it certainly appeared Indiana never had real interest in either player.
Career Stats
9,629 passing yards, 71 passing touchdowns, 33 interceptions
2025 Stats
272-413 (8.4 yards per attempt) for 3,472 yards with 29 touchdowns and 13 interceptions plus 2 rushing touchdowns.
As the calendar turned from 2025 to 2026, only one name continued to be bandied about on social media and by industry insiders and on January 4th those rumors turned to fact as the nation’s current active leader in career passing yards made his commitment to Indiana official. Josh Hoover, once an IU commit while Tom Allen was the head coach, will finish his collegiate career in Bloomington after starring for three seasons in Fort Worth for head coach Sonny Dykes. Hoover now becomes the heavy favorite to beat out Alberto Mendoza for the starting quarterback job after Fernando Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy and will almost certainly be a top five draft pick in April’s NFL Draft.
Hoover is originally from Heath, Texas and he redshirted for the Horned Frogs in 2022 before eventually taking over as the starting quarterback during the 2023 campaign. Hoover was 185 for 298 (62.1%) with 2,206 yards and 15 touchdowns as a redshirt freshman and was named the full-time starter for 2024. He completed 66.5 percent of his passes for just shy of 4,000 yards (3,949) with 27 touchdowns and 11 interceptions and earned some Heisman Trophy buzz for his play. The Horned Frogs had to replace much of their offense in 2025 but Hoover was still highly productive with 3,472 yards and 29 touchdowns. In total, Hoover has 9,629 yards in his career and he now joins a coaching staff with a proven track record of getting the very best out of the quarterback position.
Josh Hoover is not a scrambling quarterback but he does have the ability to extend plays in the pocket and he’s certainly not a statue. Few quarterbacks are more experienced and few have operated in the “RPO” game as much as the Texan has so he should be able to quickly pick up Mike Shanahan and Curt Cignetti’s offense and be ready for a very strong senior season. With the weapons expected to be at his disposal in Bloomington, Hoover should have a chance to contend for the Heisman Trophy in 2026.
Hoosier Huddle will have ongoing coverage of the transfer portal as IU builds their roster for the 2026 season while we also continue to focus on the upcoming Peach Bowl and IU’s semifinal clash with the Oregon Ducks.