Josh Hoover came to Indiana with some big shoes to fill. Fernando Mendoza became a college football legend last season, as he led the Indiana Hoosiers to a perfect 16-0 season and their first-ever National Championship. He also won the Heisman Trophy along the way. Taking over for a player of Mendoza's caliber isn't easy, but Hoover is already showing that he is more than capable of carrying the torch and leading Indiana into its next chapter.
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Hoover looked great in his Hoosier debut on Saturday against North Texas. He was in firm control of the offense, was poised, and didn't take unnecessary risks. That led to an ultra-efficient day, as he completed 13 of his 16 pass attempts (81.3% completion percentage) for 231 yards with 4 touchdowns and no interceptions.
That stat line alone is enough to get excited about, but Hoover's season opener becomes even more impressive when you consider that is was the best debut by an Indiana quarterback of the Curt Cignetti era.
Josh Hoover’s Indiana debut bests Kurtis Rourke, Fernando Mendoza
There's no denying that Cignetti knows what he's doing when it comes to transfer quarterbacks. The performances of Kurtis Rourke and Fernando Mendoza over the past two seasons have been sensational, and played vital roles in leading Indiana's remarkable turnaround.
But it took both Rourke and Mendoza some time to ease into things. That wasn't the case for Hoover. Rourke and Mendoza put forth strong debuts in Bloomington, but they didn't dominate like Hoover did. Here's a look at how each Indiana transfer QB has fared in their respective debuts. It's clear that Hoover had the best showing:
Kurtis Rourke vs FIU: 15/24 (62.5%), 180 yards, 1 TD, 139.3 passing efficiency
Fernando Mendoza vs Old Dominion: 18/31 (58%), 193 yards, 1 TD, 110.4 passing efficiency
Josh Hoover vs North Texas: 13/16 (81.3%), 231 yards, 4 TD, 285.0 passing efficiency
Of course, it's just one game against an inferior opponent in which Indiana was expected to dominate. However, it's hard not to be excited about what Hoover did. Plus, IU looked a little shaky at times in their Week 1 games over the past two seasons. Hoover's performance played a big part in IU's dominant 52-16 victory on Saturday.
The sky is the limit for Josh Hoover this season at Indiana
Over the course of his four seasons at TCU, Hoover was asked to do a lot. The Horned Frogs never had strong defenses or a reliable running game during Hoover's tenure, which put a lot of pressure on him to carry the load. He was often playing from behind, and forced to take risks. He still posted strong numbers, but that wasn't a winning formula.
Hoover now finds himself in a much better situation to thrive. The Hoosiers pride themselves on playing complimentary football, leaning on strong defensive play and a dangerous rushing attack. While the defense needs some work, that complimentary style was evident in the season opener. Hoover wasn't asked to do too much, and made all the throws he needed to make when called upon. He also showed extreme grit and toughness in his viral "football guy" moment, which is already making him a fan favorite for Hoosier fans everywhere.
All in all, Hoover's debut couldn't have gone any better, and the sky is the limit for what he can do this season. Hoover and company have a pair of manageable non-conference games up next, as Howard and Western Kentucky come to Memorial Stadium over the next two weeks. Indiana's Big Ten opener is slated for Friday, September 25 vs Northwestern.
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