Josh Hoover Arrives at Indiana with Heisman Hype-and Big Shoes to Fill
After capturing their first national championship in program history, the Indiana Hoosiers are back on the grind, aiming to prove that last year wasn’t a one-off. But this time, they’ll be doing it with a new face under center-Josh Hoover, the former TCU quarterback stepping in for Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza. And if the early Heisman odds are any indication, Hoover isn’t sneaking up on anyone.
According to FanDuel, Hoover enters the 2026 season tied for the third-best Heisman odds at +1100. He shares that spot with some serious Big Ten firepower-Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin, and Oregon’s Dante Moore.
The only names ahead of them? Notre Dame’s CJ Carr (+800) and Texas’ Arch Manning (+850), two quarterbacks who’ve already been anointed as the faces of college football’s next wave.
A New Chapter in Bloomington
Hoover’s arrival in Bloomington marks the next chapter in Indiana’s remarkable rise. He’s not walking into a rebuild-he’s stepping into a program that now expects to win double-digit games, compete for a Big Ten title, and punch a ticket to the College Football Playoff. That’s the bar, and it’s been set by the likes of Mendoza and Kurtis Rourke before him-both transfers who brought stability and star power to the quarterback position.
Much like his predecessors, Hoover brings experience. He was a three-year starter at TCU under Sonny Dykes, logging meaningful snaps and developing a reputation as a poised, high-IQ passer.
That matters. He’s not a freshman phenom or a one-hit wonder-he’s a battle-tested veteran coming into a system that’s already proven it can elevate quarterback play.
The expectation isn’t for Hoover to replicate Mendoza’s Heisman-winning, title-clinching campaign step for step. That’s a tough ask for anyone. But if he can land somewhere between what Rourke accomplished in 2024 and what Mendoza pulled off in 2025, Indiana fans should feel good about where this team is headed.
Heisman Hype: Too Much, Too Soon?
Let’s be clear-Hoover deserves to be in the Heisman conversation. He’s got the resume, the system, and the stage.
But there’s a difference between being a legitimate contender and being expected to run the table and go No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft. That’s the kind of pressure that’s already swirling around guys like Arch Manning and Dante Moore.
Hoover’s in a different category. He’s more accomplished than some of the younger names like CJ Carr and Julian Sayin, but he’s also facing stiff competition from quarterbacks like Georgia’s Gunner Stockton and LSU’s Sam Leavitt-both of whom could make serious noise this fall.
So yes, Hoover as a top-10 Heisman candidate makes sense. But let’s not crown him just yet.
He’s walking into a high-stakes situation, replacing a legend, and trying to maintain a level of excellence that Indiana fans are still getting used to. That’s a tall order, even for a veteran like Hoover.
The Bottom Line
Josh Hoover has the tools, the experience, and the opportunity to make a major impact at Indiana. He’s stepping into a program that’s no longer content with moral victories or bowl eligibility-they’re chasing rings now. And with early Heisman odds putting him right in the thick of the national conversation, the spotlight is already burning bright.
But as we’ve seen before, preseason hype is just that-hype. What matters is how Hoover performs when the lights come on.
If he can steady the ship, make the right reads, and lead Indiana back to the Playoff, the Heisman talk won’t feel premature. It’ll feel earned.