TCU spent the offseason trying to move on at quarterback. So far, the guy it let walk is the one looking comfortable.
Josh Hoover, now at No. 7 Indiana, is putting together the best season of his career while the Horned Frogs continue searching for answers under center. Through five games, Hoover has piled up 1,101 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and no turnovers, all while completing 71% of his throws and sitting No. 9 nationally in ESPN’s QBR metric.
That clean stat line stands out even more because of the way the conversation around Hoover played out before the season. TCU coach Sonny Dykes drew attention in the offseason when he appeared to take a swipe at Hoover’s turnover issues.
“Numbers are numbers and stats are stats. You look, for us, I think Josh started 31 games here as a quarterback, and he turned the ball over 42 times in those 31 starts,” Dykes said.
There was truth in that critique. Hoover’s giveaways, especially on the road, had been a problem. But the comment also carried the feel of a coach trying to justify a breakup, especially after Dykes had previously said he didn’t expect Hoover to leave.
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti answered that line of thinking in spring practice, and the early returns have backed him up.
“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,” Cignetti said during spring practice.
That’s been the formula in Bloomington. Indiana is allowing just 10.8 points per game, good for fifth in the country, and is running the ball for 252.6 yards per game, which ranks ninth nationally.
The Hoosiers have also leaned heavily away from the pass, ranking 123rd in pass rate. TCU, by comparison, was 47th in pass rate last season.
Still, this hasn’t been a perfect fit for Hoover. He is replacing Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza, and the expectations around Indiana’s offense remain massive.
“I think the biggest difference is Mendoza and Hoover,” Fox college football analyst Joel Klatt said last week about Indiana. “I think that is a very good football team, and Hoover hasn’t been what some of us have anticipated him being in the passing game. That passing game should be elite with a couple of guys that will be selected fairly high in the NFL draft.”
Cignetti has already felt the need to defend his quarterback publicly.
“I think there is too much scrutiny on Josh Hoover right now. Unfair scrutiny,” Cignetti said ahead of Indiana’s Big Ten opener against Northwestern on Sept.
- “I’m glad he’s our quarterback.”
The contrast with TCU is hard to miss. While Indiana is pushing toward what could be its third straight College Football Playoff appearance, the Horned Frogs are simply trying to become more reliable on offense against Power Four competition.
Hoover’s replacement, Harvard transfer Jaden Craig, has thrown for 1,400 yards with eight touchdowns, four interceptions and a lost fumble. He is 80th nationally in ESPN’s QBR metric. Against Power Four opponents, Craig has managed just one touchdown and has committed all five of his turnovers.
Craig was never brought in as a clear upgrade over Hoover, but the hope was that his decision-making and athleticism would make the offense more efficient. Instead, he has battled the same turnover issues Hoover once did, and he has rushed for fewer yards than Hoover.
TCU has a bye this week before heading to Baylor on Oct. 17.
Indiana goes to Nebraska at 11 a.m. Saturday and then returns home to face No.
5 Ohio State on Oct. 17.
In Other News...
TCU Has Found A Reliable Weapon As Baylor Week Arrives
As Baylor week arrives, TCU has a clear reminder of the kind of weapon it can lean on in Ashley. He has emerged as one of the Horned Frogs most dependable offensive pieces this season, and his production has stood out even as the team has had its share of struggles. The value goes beyond simple targets, too, because Ashley has been able to move around the formation and still find ways to affect the game.
Against BYU, that versatility was on display again. Ashley lined up in multiple spots and delivered one of the biggest plays of the night with a touchdown, reinforcing why he has become such a steady option in the passing game. For TCU, the broader question is whether that kind of reliability can keep creating openings as conference play tightens and the rivalry spotlight turns to Baylor. [Read more 🡒]
TCUs Bye Week Now Centers On One Offensive Problem
TCU heads into its bye week with a familiar kind of frustration for an offense that has moved the ball well enough to look dangerous, yet not well enough to finish drives the way it needs to in Big 12 play. The Horned Frogs are averaging 405.4 yards per game overall, but that production has not translated cleanly into points against conference opponents, where the offense has managed just 23 points in two losses.
The bigger issue has been getting a running game that can settle the unit down and keep the offense on schedule. Sack yardage has eaten into the rushing totals, and pass protection has been shaky enough to complicate everything else around it, which is why the break comes at a useful time before Baylor. For TCU, the next week is less about installing something flashy than finding a cleaner, sturdier version of an offense that has shown volume without enough payoff. [Read more 🡒]