Josh Hoover Will Go Back to the Lab to Put Team in Better Situations

Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover has a pretty clean start to the season. After coming over from TCU with concerns about turnovers, he has 10 touchdown passes and no interceptions. However, there are throws that he wants back. There were a few of them in Saturday’s win over Western Kentucky that would have put IU in better situations had he completed the pass.

“Today there (were) a couple that I would love to have back. There was the fourth down to Nick (Marsh), where I just threw it behind him. And there was a vertical I threw off of his fingertip, and there was one of Tino down here where I thought I could have put out about a foot further and maybe had a chance to score.” Hoover said in his postgame press conference.

Those incompletions ended IU drives early and caused IU to leave some points on the field. It also caused some consternation in the stands.

Hoover has been really good. He has completed 37-of-51 passes, which is 72.5 percent, for 649 yards, 10 touchdowns and most importantly zero interceptions. Has Hoover been perfect? No, but nobody expected him to be.

“I know I am an accurate guy, and I know I am going to make those adjustments, and I am going to put our team in better situations on some of those third downs to continue to prolong drives. And I have to do a better job of that, and I will.” Hoover said.

One of Hoover’s misfires came on a third-down pass to Charlie Becker that sailed high and resulted in IU missing a long field goal attempt. Becker told the media that Hoover has acknowledged his mistakes to the receivers.

“Josh brought in all the receivers together,” Becker said. “He said that he hasn’t played nearly as well as he needs to be playing. But as a receiver, I think we have his back. He’s a tough kid. We believe in him, and that’s our QB1.”

The Hoosiers need the best version of Josh Hoover to reach their full potential and Hoover will get back to work to make sure that happens.

“I think we always talk about it’s back to work, and I know I can make those throws, and I think the coaches know that as well. And that is why the standard is so high for me, especially for myself.” Hoover said. “I know I can make those plays. I have made those plays over the last couple of years. It is just something I have got to get back to work and figure out maybe what I did wrong there and what I can improve.”

The Hoosiers open Big Ten play at home on Friday night against Northwestern.