Josh Hoover has a tough job ahead of him. Hoover brings plenty of talent and experience to Bloomington, as he has started 31 games, thrown for nearly 10,000 yards, and accounted for 79 total touchdowns in his collegiate career. However, following in the footsteps of Fernando Mendoza is no easy task.
Mendoza took the Indiana football program to new heights last season. He threw for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns while tossing just 6 interceptions. He also added 276 yards and 7 scores on the ground. The Heisman Trophy-winning QB delivered plenty of clutch moments during Indiana's CFP title run, and firmly cemented himself in Hoosier sports lore in the process.
Heading into the 2026 season, Indiana fans are wondering how the offense will look without Mendoza leading the way. The baton has now been passed to Hoover, and a recent viral clip from fall camp has Hoosier fans fired up for what Hoover can do this season.
Josh Hoover and Charlie Becker forming strong connection in fall camp
Fall camp is now into its third week, meaning Hoover has been seeing ample time with his new teammates while leading the first-team offense. Hoover has plenty of strong receiving targets to choose from, as Indiana's WR depth is the envy of just about every program out there. But not surprisingly, one target has emerged as a favorite: Charlie Becker.
Becker returns for his junior season after a breakout 2025 campaign. He didn't make his first start until October 25 against UCLA, but was among the best wideouts in the country the rest of the way. The Nashville native racked up 27 catches for 522 yards and 3 touchdowns over Indiana's final 7 games of the season, and delivered plenty of clutch catches in the postseason. Most notably, Hoover thrived at bringing down contested catches and back-shoulder throws from Mendoza.
In fall camp, Hoover and Becker are developing a similar chemistry. Take a look at this play from earlier this week:
Whoa.
— David Pollack (@davidpollack47) August 19, 2026
👀 @IndianaFootball pic.twitter.com/TvVrGSrH2s
Look familiar?
Sure, it's just one play from a fall camp practice. But it's hard not to get excited about getting a glimpse at what the Hoover to Becker connection could look like this season. Based on that play, it looks a lot like what we saw from the Mendoza/Becker connection last season.
Josh Hoover should transition smoothly into leading the Indiana offense
While expecting Hoover to have the kind of season that Mendoza had is a tough ask, Hoover is still in a great spot to thrive in Bloomington. He brings plenty of experience to the table, which has proven to be a beneficial factor for Indiana's transfer QBs under Curt Cignetti. Both Kurtis Rourke and Mendoza took massive steps forward under Cignetti's leadership, and Hoover is primed to do the same.
Hoover is also extremely familiar with the RPO-heavy style that Cignetti and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan want to implement. That bodes well for a seamless transition from TCU to Indiana.
Lastly, Hoover won't be asked to carry the offense single-handedly. While at TCU, the Horned Frogs didn't have a strong rushing attack and ranked near the bottom of the Big 12 in terms of total defense. Now in a much better situation at Indiana, the Hoosiers' complimentary style of football should put Hoover in a position to thrive.
Our first look at Hoover and Indiana's new-look offense comes in just a couple weeks on Saturday, September 5 against North Texas.
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