The memories of IU’s unprecedented and historic unbeaten run to the National Championship are still fresh in our minds but the work is just beginning for the 2026-2027 Indiana Hoosiers. As Curt Cignetti and his staff gear up for year number three in Bloomington and embark on a quest to become repeat champs, Hoosier Huddle’s Countdown to Kickoff rolls on! Thank goodness, we are just a mere 10 days away from the return of Indiana Hoosiers football!
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 200
Hometown: Heath, Texas (Rockwall-Heath) – Transfer from TCU
Class/Position: Redshirt Senior/Quarterback
Curt Cignetti and Mike Shanahan have a history with quarterbacks. Throughout their time together, the two have churned out top-quality seasons regardless of who is starting at quarterback. Once they arrived in Bloomington, the duo brought in Kurtis Rourke to lead the IU attack and the “Maple Missile” had a fantastic season despite operating with an injured thumb and one effective leg.
When Rourke graduated and they brought in Fernando Mendoza from Cal and got the absolute best out of him. Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy and led the Hoosiers to a 16-0 campaign before being selected as the number one pick in the NFL Draft. The focus of today’s countdown profile is the “next man up” at quarterback for Indiana: TCU transfer Josh Hoover.
Josh Hoover originally committed to Tom Allen’s Indiana program as a high school prospect at Rockwall-Heath High School in Texas. He didn’t like the direction of the offense under Allen and switched his commitment to stay close to home, attending Texas Christian University. Hoover started six games as a redshirt freshman in 2023 and then became team captain for the 2024 season and he threw for just shy of 4,000 yards and averaged 303.8 yards per game. Hoover started all 12 games of the 2025 season and threw for more than 300 yards in five different games before entering the transfer portal and quickly committing to Cignetti’s IU program.
He ended his TCU tenure with a completion percentage of 65.2 while throwing for 9,629 yards for the Horned Frogs. Hoover comes to IU as the active career leader in passing yards and he was the top choice by Cignetti during this top portal cycle.
A player with Josh Hoover’s pedigree and statistical body of work would no longer be in college if there were not some limitations and concerns about how his game would translate in the NFL. For Hoover, the concerns revolve around turnovers as well as his size. He is listed at 6’2” but it seems likely that is a bit generous and his frame is just not as thick and stout as NFL executives would like to see. That size is not a disqualifier but it does narrow his path to NFL success.
The bigger concern for Indiana fans is the 13 interceptions he threw last season while playing for TCU. Taking care of the ball is essential and that many turnovers will be a major hurdle for Indiana to contend for a Big Ten Championship and National Championship. Of course, Fernando Mendoza had turnover issues before being mentored by Cignetti and Shanahan and that worked out quite splendidly for IU and Hoover will now be working with a great defense and a strong running game. Those things were not aiding him in Fort Worth and Curt Cignetti referred to them as Hoover’s “new best friends” as he swiped back at criticism levied against Hoover by TCU head coach Sonny Dykes.
There is pressure on Josh Hoover because the standard of quarterback play on Curt Cignetti’s teams is so high. The transfer from TCU has so many tools to work with though. He has a fantastic arm and excels on RPO plays and back shoulder throws. Those two things are staples in IU’s offense and Hoover should be immediately comfortable in the system. He will get to operate behind the best offensive line he’s played with and it’s a near certainty this will be the best defense and running game he’s had accompanying him. Nick Marsh, Charlie Becker and Tyler Morris are among the weapons at Hoover’s disposal and an All-Big Ten season is very within the realm of possibilities for IU’s new QB1.
The countdown continues each day on Hoosier Huddle until IU kicks off the 2026 season against the North Texas Mean Green!
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