Josh Hoover didn’t just walk into Indiana with a new jersey and a new offense. He walked into a breakup.
A couple of months after Hoover transferred to Bloomington, his former coach at TCU, Sonny Dykes, took aim at the quarterback’s ball security, saying, “Josh started 31 games here as a quarterback, and (HE) turned the ball over 42 times.”
That line hasn’t aged all that well.
Through six games, Hoover still hasn’t thrown an interception for Indiana, and the Hoosiers have gotten more than just clean quarterback play. He’s putting together a 17-0 TD-INT start that has plenty of substance behind it, including a comeback win at Nebraska that looked every bit like the kind of poised, late-game drive Indiana needed from him.
The turnover numbers are eye-catching, but they’re not telling the whole story on their own. Hoover has only one turnover-worthy play all season, and it came against FCS Howard, according to PFF.
Among 68 Power Conference quarterbacks with at least 100 drop-backs, only six have one or fewer turnover-worthy plays. Hoover and Cincinnati’s JC French IV are the only two in that group who have yet to throw a pick.
And this isn’t some check-it-down operation, either. Hoover is tied for No. 3 among qualified Power Conference quarterbacks with an average depth of target of 11.7 yards. He’s been efficient at 10.6 yards per attempt, and he’s doing it while pushing the ball downfield.
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti had the perfect reply when asked about Dykes’ criticism: “When Josh got here, he met his two new best friends: Great defense and a really good run game. "And he was never the same after that.”
That’s been mostly true. Indiana ranks No. 5 in FBS in both scoring defense and yards per rush, and those two advantages have helped Hoover settle in. The optics look even better when TCU, now 2-3, still doesn’t have a Power Conference win and has only managed a 14-point showing in those games, while also coughing up eight turnovers in its first five post-Hoover games in 2026.
But Saturday also showed what Hoover can do when those crutches aren’t there. Indiana managed just 65 rushing yards against a Nebraska run defense that ranks No. 18 nationally, its worst rushing output since the 2024 semifinal loss at Notre Dame. Hoover answered by taking over late and delivering with precision, poise and patience.
Both Indiana touchdowns in the comeback came on accurate throws to Nick Marsh, who finished the job after the ball arrived. The go-ahead score came on a 4th-and-1 play, with Indiana’s ground game struggling and Hoover having to sell the play-action before finding Marsh in stride.
Hoover will have a much tougher test Saturday when Ohio State comes to Bloomington. If his run of 129 straight pass attempts without an interception ends there - Darian Mensah is the only Power Conference quarterback with more attempts without a pick this season - some will probably drag Dykes’ old quote back out and try to make it sound prophetic.
That would miss the bigger picture.
Hoover hasn’t been flawless during Indiana’s 6-0 start. His mobility isn’t a real strength, and the deep-ball chemistry with Charlie Becker still has room to grow.
At some point, that could matter. But for now, he has answered the criticism that followed him out of TCU and helped keep Indiana in the Big Ten title picture.
So far, the breakup belongs to Hoover.
In Other News...
Former Hoosiers Just Gave Indiana Fans Two New NFL Reasons To Watch
Week 5 of the NFL season gave Indiana fans a fresh reminder of how many former Hoosiers are still finding roles on Sundays, even if those roles look different from player to player. Fernando Mendoza finally got into the mix for the Las Vegas Raiders in his NFL debut, seeing 10 offensive snaps and going 6 of 8 for 48 yards, while Myles Price kept carving out a place with the Minnesota Vikings on offense and special teams.
For Indiana supporters, it is the sort of scattered but meaningful NFL footprint that makes the weekly scoreboard worth checking beyond the college game. Mendozas first action offered a small but notable milestone, and Prices continued usage as a returner and depth piece shows the Hoosiers pipeline is still sending talent into places where it can help right away, even if the bigger breakout moment is still waiting to come. [Read more 🡒]
Indianas Biggest Ohio State Concern Just Became Hard To Ignore
Indiana football got a useful road win at Nebraska, but Curt Cignetti made it clear the Big Ten grind does not ease up from here. With Ohio State next on the schedule, the focus has quickly shifted from celebrating one hard-earned result to preparing for a far bigger test, and Cignetti pointed to the kind of details that tend to decide games at this level. He praised Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith as an exceptional player, a compliment that comes with plenty of weight when a coach starts game-planning for one of the conferences most dangerous offenses.
Cignetti also used the Nebraska game as a reminder of what Indiana still needs to clean up before facing Ohio State. He cited missed defensive assignments and a limited running game, noting that the ground attack was affected by the conditions and by Nebraskas defense. For Indiana, the challenge is now less about carrying momentum and more about proving it can sharpen the rough edges quickly enough to hang with a Buckeyes team that punishes hesitation. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Faces One Harsh Reality Ahead Of Ohio State
Indiana has made real progress on the recruiting trail, and the 2025 and 2026 rosters reflect a program that is climbing, even if the climb is still steep. A position-by-position look at the 247Sports composite data shows a more competitive Indiana group than in years past, the kind of roster construction that suggests the Hoosiers are not standing still as they head into a marquee matchup.
Still, the comparison with Ohio State drives home the gap Indiana is trying to close. The Buckeyes simply have more highly ranked prospects across the board and far fewer unranked players, which is the harsh reality facing Indiana as it prepares for the game. For the Hoosiers, the next step is not just recruiting better, but building enough roster depth and high-end talent to make these kinds of meetings feel less lopsided. [Read more 🡒]