Curt Cignetti has knocked it out of the park when it comes to finding transfer quarterbacks in the portal. Both Kurtis Rourke and Fernando Mendoza delivered career years in Bloomington, with Mendoza taking the college football world by storm en route to winning the Heisman Trophy and helping deliver a National Championship for the Hoosiers.
Next up is Josh Hoover. The former TCU gunslinger fits Cignetti's profile for portal QBs: He's experienced, has thrown a lot of touchdowns, won a lot of games, and is familiar with the RPO-heavy offense the Hoosiers want to run.
Following in the footsteps of Mendoza is a tough task, but Hoover is up for it. Indiana doesn't need Hoover to be Mendoza, but it goes without saying that if the Hoosiers want to compete for another national title, Hoover needs to shine.
Here are three bold predictions for Hoover this season. If these come true, the Hoosiers will be in great shape, and Hoover could even find himself in New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist.
1. Josh Hoover leads the Big Ten in completion percentage
This one is pretty bold, but it's not outside the realm of possibility. Efficiency has been the name of the game for Indiana QBs under Cignetti's leadership. The Hoosier offense thrives on quick, high-percentage throws. Rourke completed 69.4% of his passes in 2024 and Mendoza posted a completion percentage of 72.0% last season. Hoover owns a career completion percentage of 65.2%, and is primed to increase that number in 2026.
Ohio State's Julian Sayin paced the country with a stellar 78.4% completion percentage last season. However, I expect that number to dip now that opponents have a year of film on him, as well as the fact that he will face a much tougher schedule this season.
Oregon's Dante Moore and USC's Jayden Maiava figure to be near the top of this stat category, so Hoover would likely need some help. But if Hoover does his job and doesn't force the issue, his completion percentage should see a stark uptick and put him near the top of the Big Ten.
2. Josh Hoover cuts his interceptions in half from last season
If there's one knock on Hoover, it's turnovers. He threw 33 interceptions in 31 starts at TCU, and he led the Big 12 with 13 interceptions last season. However, he is entering a much better situation in Bloomington in 2026.
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During his time at TCU, Hoover was asked to do a lot. The Horned Frogs didn't have a reliable rushing attack and their defense routinely ranked near the bottom of the Big 12. Thus, Hoover was routinely playing from behind and asked to throw the ball a ton. Now playing for an IU team that has a much more complementary approach, Hoover needs to cut down on the INTs in a major way.
Rourke tossed just 5 interceptions in 2024 and Mendoza threw 6 over the course of 16 games last year. After throwing 13 picks last season, it would be great to see Hoover get down to 6 or 7 interceptions this season.
3. Josh Hoover throws 35+ touchdown passes
Hoover has yet to eclipse the 30-touchdown pass mark in his collegiate career. He tossed a career-high 29 last season, and I expect that number to increase by a decent amount in 2026.
Now in a much more complementary system that features a reliable running game and elite defense, Hoover should find himself with plenty of red zone trips. He won't be asked to carry the load like he was at TCU, and he could often be working with a short field.
Add in the fact that Indiana's offensive line features four 5th-year seniors, and a WR group that is among the deepest in the country, and Hoover is in a great position to succeed. Don't be surprised if he sets a career-high in touchdown passes and pushes for 35+.
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