Indiana center Bray Lynch didn’t need much time to figure out what kind of quarterback Josh Hoover is.
The two have been working together all season, and Lynch said Hoover’s edge was obvious from the start of his time in Bloomington this offseason. So when Hoover pushed through an arm injury against Ohio State and Michigan, Lynch wasn’t shocked one bit.
If someone had asked him in the preseason whether Hoover would gut it out like that, Lynch said his answer would have been plain and immediate: “hell yeah.”
“He’s a dog like that,” Lynch said. “You saw it in spring ball, you see it in the weight room and you see it now on Saturdays.”
That toughness has shown up in more than one spot this season. In the opener against North Texas, Hoover stayed in after a facemask grab left him with a nose injury and blood pouring down his face. He has also thrown himself into the action as a blocker on critical runs for Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe Jr., including against Northwestern.
His most striking display came against Michigan. Hoover played through the injury, then came through in overtime with a pass to tight end Brock Schott before diving into the endzone himself for the go ahead touchdown that ended up winning the day.
For Lynch, that kind of performance is exactly why Hoover has earned so much trust in such a short time at Indiana. Even in his first and only season in Bloomington, his teammates believe in him and are ready to go to work for him, too.
“We have full confidence in him,” Lynch said. “We knew that when the time arose to make a play, he was gonna find a way to get it done.”
In Other News...
Indiana Win Exposed One Hoosiers Question Fans Can't Ignore
Indianas overtime win over Michigan gave the Hoosiers plenty to celebrate, but it also did what close games often do: it sharpened the questions. There was enough individual production to go around, from defensive end Tobi Osunsanmis disruptive night with two sacks and two tackles for loss to quarterback Josh Hoover doing just enough to help Indiana escape with the win, even if the passing game never really found a steady rhythm.
Brock Schott and Jacob Savage both had moments that suggested real value going forward, while Davion Chandlers usage seems to be sliding in the other direction. For a team trying to sort out its identity, that mix is what makes the film worth watching after a victory, because the headline result was clear even if the rotation questions underneath it were not. [Read more 🡒]
Indianas New-Look Roster Is Already Fueling A Huge March Debate
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For Indiana, that makes the next step more interesting than the ranking itself. The Hoosiers are sitting in that familiar space where optimism and skepticism can coexist, with some polls keeping them just outside the top 25 while still treating them as a team on the tournament bubble rather than on the outside looking in. The debate now is less about whether Indiana is relevant again and more about how quickly this group can turn projection into something sturdier once the games start. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Faces A Dangerous Letdown Spot After Michigan Escape
Indiana walked away from its overtime escape against Michigan with plenty to feel good about, but the calendar hardly gives the Hoosiers much time to exhale. Curt Cignettis team now turns to Minnesota, a matchup that comes with the kind of danger every good season eventually brings: a letdown spot after an emotional win. Both programs have already shown they can handle pressure, and this one arrives with a little more weight because Minnesota has its own rsum of notable victories, including wins over ranked opponents such as Iowa.
The Gophers have drawn respect from both sidelines, with the coaches acknowledging the strengths each team brings into this meeting and the challenge that still sits ahead on the schedule. For Indiana, the task is simple in theory and tricky in practice: carry the energy from the Michigan game without letting it spill into fatigue or complacency. For a team trying to keep its momentum rolling, this is the kind of test that can tell you whether a breakthrough win becomes a turning point or just a memory. [Read more 🡒]