Meet Josh Hoover, the TCU transfer who will follow Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza as Indiana QB

When Fernando Mendoza walks off the field of the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday, it's expected to be his final time in an Indiana jersey. 

Mendoza put together one of the greatest transfer seasons in college football history, a Heisman Trophy campaign leading to the national title game. It was an unbelievable rise for the former two-star quarterback, and should end with his name called first in the 2026 NFL Draft. 

However, Indiana already has its eyes on its future at the position. And like Mendoza, he is another underdog story. 

Josh Hoover has always been a little different. From the time he was a sophomore in high school, he carried himself like a politician or CEO, complete with the strong handshake. Despite playing at heralded Heath High School in Rockwall, Texas, Hoover was named a team captain as a sophomore, an honor he carried all three years on varsity. 

"He's just the real deal in every form, not just his ability," Hoover's high school coach Mike Spradlin told CBS Sports. "He loves football, he loves teammates, he loves coaches, I'm serious. He loves looking at film, loves playing the game. It's not something where he's just trying to get to the next thing, he genuinely loves ball and raises that expectation level for those around him." 

Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza looks to join elite group as both Heisman winner, CFP national champion

Brad Crawford

Hoover was originally headed to Hoosiers before signing with TCU

Like many during the pandemic recruiting process, Hoover was largely overlooked out of high school. He ranked as the No. 42 quarterback in the Class of 2022 and largely lacked major college offers. Ironically, he committed to Tom Allen's staff at Indiana initially -- because the Hoosiers were among his only power offers. 

When Sonny Dykes moved from SMU to TCU, he offered Hoover to follow. Ultimately, Hoover took the chance to play in the Big 12 and stay close to home. 

From the day he got on campus, Hoover impressed with his work ethic and dedication, even as he sat behind two older quarterbacks. Hoover watched up close as Heisman runner-up Max Duggan led the Frogs to the national title game in 2022. 

Chandler Morris was slated to be the starting quarterback in 2023. However, Morris suffered injuries, clearing the way for the redshirt freshman Hoover to get on the field. Ultimately, he never left, emerging as a rising star in the sport. 

In 36 appearances for the Horned Frogs, Hoover completed 65% of his passes for 9,629 yards, 71 touchdowns and 33 interceptions. His 8.4 yards per attempt last season led the Big 12. As a junior, he threw for 3,472 yards and 29 touchdowns while leading the Horned Frogs to a second consecutive nine-win season. 

"We say it all the time, playing football is about being in the right place at the right time," Dykes told CBS Sports in September. "It's really that simple. Now some guys do it by just running past people, some people do it with technique. The flashy guys are the speed guys, but the other guys are sometimes just as effective. It just doesn't look as easy." 

Bloomington becoming a hot destination for QBs

After their success with Mendoza and Kurtis Rourke before, Indiana has become perhaps the top destination for transfer quarterbacks. Hoover is rated the No. 10 quarterback, rated well but not among the elite. However, Hoover checks many of the boxes of Indiana's top transfer successes. 

For one, he has a tremendous amount of film. Hoover's 1,183 returning pass attempts ranks near the top of the sport. 

The piece that Indiana will have to cement is decision-making. Hoover is calm and collected in the pocket, but frankly, too much was asked of him at TCU. He threw more than 30 pass attempts nine times in 12 games. Mendoza only did so twice, and once was the FCS opener as he built chemistry with his teammates. 

On that level of volume, Hoover threw 24 interceptions over the past two seasons. Offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan could be a perfect mentor to get Hoover back on schedule and elevate him into a top NFL Draft pick. In Shanahan's offense, Mendoza had an interception rate of only 1.7% while his touchdown rate jumped from 4.1% to 11.6%. 

Indiana is set to play for a national championship on Monday. Like at TCU, Hoover is set to take over for a Heisman finalist quarterback who played in the national title game, from Duggan to Mendoza. According to those around him, he embraces that. 

"He's special," Spradlin said. "I've been fortunate in my career to get to coach some really special kids, but he's certainly at the top of the list. He's the real deal, not only a great athlete, but a great kid, great leader, great person… he's not interested in all his stats and those things. He's a winner. He's a winner."