Floating a test balloon on a new theory/metaphor I just conjured up.
A QB and Football Passing Offense at a certain Pass Attempt level becomes like a starting pitcher during a hot summer ballgame getting into the 7th inning or later, an elevated pitch count, and the third or fourth time through the batting order.
The opponents Secondary has seen and played every route tree combo and every passing game wrinkle the Offense has to offer.
The WRs become increasingly fatigued and prone to mental mistakes and sloppy routes as that Pass Attempt number of snaps increases.
Saying all that.
It's a Stark difference, reviewing the last two seasons, the number of Indiana games getting only about 30 pass attempts or significantly less as compared to Hoover at TCU going well over 30, 40, or even 50 pass attempts.
If my memory of Google AI searches is correct.
3 out of 16 games, Mendoza went slightly over 30 PAs.
4 out of 12 starts, Rourke was at 33 PAs.
Hoover in both '25 and '24 had only two games each season under the 30 PA mark.
Hoover in '23, six or seven out of 9 games was over.
It's my contention that IUs Offensive System will naturally position Hoover to lower his interceptions in '26 from the low teens at TCU to cutting at least 25% and maybe up to 50% off his recent seasons.
Best friends, run game and defense agree.
All this of course supplemented even further by his development and the IU coaching upgrade.
Hope Hoover shoves it up everyone's asses saying he's interception prone and he tears through the regular season with three or fewer picks.
Floating a test balloon on a new theory/metaphor I just conjured up.
A QB and Football Passing Offense at a certain Pass Attempt level becomes like a starting pitcher during a hot summer ballgame getting into the 7th inning or later, an elevated pitch count, and the third or fourth time through the batting order.
The opponents Secondary has seen and played every route tree combo and every passing game wrinkle the Offense has to offer.
The WRs become increasingly fatigued and prone to mental mistakes and sloppy routes as that Pass Attempt number of snaps increases.
Saying all that.
It's a Stark difference, reviewing the last two seasons, the number of Indiana games getting only about 30 pass attempts or significantly less as compared to Hoover at TCU going well over 30, 40, or even 50 pass attempts.
If my memory of Google AI searches is correct.
3 out of 16 games, Mendoza went slightly over 30 PAs.
4 out of 12 starts, Rourke was at 33 PAs.
Hoover in both '25 and '24 had only two games each season under the 30 PA mark.
Hoover in '23, six or seven out of 9 games was over.
It's my contention that IUs Offensive System will naturally position Hoover to lower his interceptions in '26 from the low teens at TCU to cutting at least 25% and maybe up to 50% off his recent seasons.
Best friends, run game and defense agree.
All this of course supplemented even further by his development and the IU coaching upgrade.
Hope Hoover shoves it up everyone's asses saying he's interception prone and he tears through the regular season with three or fewer picks.
Long story short: IU has a more balanced offense due to utilizing the run game better than TCU.
That should definitely lead to fewer interceptions simply because there are less throws to be intercepted as you mention.
However, it would be better to compare the percentage of times Hoover throws an interception when making a pass attempt from TCU to IU. We are hoping that percentage drops with better coaching.
@hurryinghoosiers - I think it's even deeper than that.
If he's throwing that many passes, that means they are relying on him to try and do more than he should. Especially if he is playing in a well-oiled offense. The opposing defense being fearful of the run, is going to get his WR open more. The talent at WR is going to provide better catch radius. The 4 grad senior OL is going to allow him to have less pressure in his face, more often. All of these things should allow the pace to feel like a cheat code after his last 3 years at TCU.
Lastly, I thought I read a statistic where out of his 13 INT's last year, 7 were off the hands of the receivers or due to incorrect WR routes. Assuming that is even accurate, I also understand that doesn't always mean the QB has no blame. Still, I think it's much easier to teach a QB to be more cautious, than it is to be more talented.
In addition a good run game keeps the LBs and safeties honest and their eyes in the backfield just enough to make a difference. He will have fewer ints.
Hope Hoover shoves it up everyone's asses saying he's interception prone and he tears through the regular season with three or fewer picks.
Wasn't one of the questions about Fernando his interceptions at Cal?
Our QB Whisperers are gonna make Hoover a Heisman candidate.
Hope Hoover shoves it up everyone's asses saying he's interception prone and he tears through the regular season with three or fewer picks.
Wasn't one of the questions about Fernando his interceptions at Cal?
It was his sack rate that was the issue but it was his OL. He had a 1.6% INT rate his last year at Cal and a 1.6% INT rate last year. He threw for 273 ypg that season at Cal and 220 ypg at IU. The difference is he had to throw 386 times in 11 games at Cal, while he only threw for 379 times in 16 games at IU. Its programs not being able to run or establish the line that yucks these guys yums! 
To me, it truly comes down to Fernando being a great talent, which people could see while he was at Cal, coupled with him being on a multi-dimensional team that plays fundamentally sound and predictable football. As a QB, if you know where your guy is going to be every time, it makes the game so much easier. Josh Hoover will succeed if he simply plays within the system and I fully believe he will.
@unclemark He wasn't bad. He had 6 ints his last year at Cal, whereas Hoover had 11.
@middawg wasn't that just a lot of words to say Hoover had to be counted on to win games at TCU where he'll most likely have to do a lot less at IU with a solid run game, better receivers, better line and better defense?
I'm not buying that a college QB is getting winded throwing the ball 35x a game vs 25x (with your summer baseball pitcher analogy), so it really comes down to just being on a much better overall team.
I'll put it differently. IU's offense last season was kind of boring. And I mean that in the most complimentary way possible. It's not flashy splash play after splash play (at least until Charlie earned is way onto the field and started catching bombs). It's just relentless drives that keep chipping away at the other team. Paired with a outstanding defense that makes the other team work like crazy, stops drives, and causes turnovers.
Like, I think the Wisconsin game last year really exemplifies it. the Mendozas were a combined 23/25 for 305 & 4 TDs. Run game was 37 for 83 yds.
Wisconsin was 9/15 for 98 yrds 1-1. And ran 30 times for 70 yds.
Indiana won TOP 34 minutes to 26.
IU had drives of:
- 9 plays, 72 yards, 4:25 (TD)
- 6 plays, 27 yards, 3:36 (Punt)
- 9 plays, 56 yards, 2:47 (FG) * right before halftime
- 9 plays 75 yards, 4:41 (TD)
- 10 plays, 42 yards, 6:30 (punt)
- 7 plays, 48 yards, 4:21 (TD)
Just freaking relentless. Even that game was only 10-7 at half. But kept on grinding Wisconsin until they couldn't hang any more. Basically what more talented teams did to IU F-O-R-E-V-E-R. Also, since Mendoza was basically perfect on the day and there were only 2 penalties called, it was probably the fastest college football game I've ever watched. It went by QUICK.
I suspect we will get a bad pick or two more than we have gotten used to after Rourke and Mendoza. Those guys were both elite.
I also think Hoover's ability to sling it will make us more explosive when we need to overcome a turnover. Against Iowa last year I was not so confident after the pick Mendoza tossed. Came through though. And the Penn State game had a bit of that too. So while I expect more turnovers, I think the offense will have the firepower to overcome.
Of course we will still play a balanced game, so hopefully we won't need to put more onto the passing game, under Cig often running it has been our way back after setbacks. But I think we will have that explosiveness in our hip pocket.