Curt Cignetti Compares Josh Hoover, Fernando Mendoza and Explains Hoover's Next Step

Entering the 2026 campaign as Indiana’s starting quarterback, TCU transfer Josh Hoover is going to be compared to Fernando Mendoza.

It’s inevitable. Mendoza just won the Heisman Trophy and led the Hoosiers to an undefeated season, which culminated in a national title. It may be unfair, but Indiana fans – and the entire country – want to know: can Hoover match Mendoza's success?

At Big Ten Media Days, head man Curt Cignetti broke down the differences and similarities between Hoover and Mendoza:

Curt Cignetti details similarities and differences between Fernando Mendoza and Josh Hoover

“They both play quarterback,” Cignetti said, kicking it off with the concrete, inarguable similarity. “They’re both starting quarterbacks where they came from.”

“Josh Hoover has won a lot of football games, thrown for a lot of yards, lot of touchdown passes. He has an innate ability to play the position of quarterback."

"[He’s] kind of a natural passer, very accurate, processes very quickly. The things we’ll ask him to do are different than the things TCU asked him to do. We’re not going to put the ball in his hands and say go out, win the game, outscore people. We’re going to give him a running game, defense and special teams.”

In 2025, TCU rushed for 131.4 yards per game – good for No. 100 out of 134 FBS teams. The Horned Frogs weren’t just a low-volume rushing squad, they were also quite inefficient on the ground, managing just 3.92 yards per tote. Defensively, they allowed 378.7 yards per game, which ranked No. 72 in the country.

Yet TCU still finished the regular season 8-4. Why? Because Josh Hoover, who registered 3472 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, was the Horned Frogs’ quarterback.

As Cignetti alluded to, Hoover will be on a better-rounded club in 2026, as Indiana should boast one of the premier rushing attacks, defenses and special-team units in the country. Presumably, Hoover will win a lot more games next season than he did in 2025.

“Fernando Mendoza was a little taller,” Cignetti said, jumping into the direct comparison. “Maybe had a little bit of a stronger arm, but he was probably more raw fundamentally and just playing the position of quarterback, still learning.

“The thing I’ll say about Fernando only is that from a preparation standpoint, he did everything within the realm of possibility to become the best he could be. And I think what separated Fernando was, when the game was on the line, those fourth-quarter wins, the last three minutes, four minutes – that’s when he played his best football. He was a tremendous competitor.

“I’m really anxious to see Josh and the progress he has made in practice, starting on Wednesday in Fall camp. All the one-year quarterbacks have followed the same line, and I expect him to, as well.”

Two questions arise from Cignetti’s comments: 1). If Hoover is seemingly more advanced fundamentally than Mendoza was at this stage last year, how high is Hoover’s ceiling? 2). Can Hoover, in his own way, match Mendoza’s extremely thorough preparation?

Only time can answer both of those questions. Nevertheless, although Hoover appears to be in a solid spot entering the Fall, there is still room for improvement – and it’s in a not-so-unexpected realm. (Hoover led the Big 12 with 13 interceptions in 2025.)

What is the next step for Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover entering 2026?

“He’s had a good summer,” Cignetti also said of Hoover at Big Ten Media Days. “They do a little seven-on-seven with the weight staff. And I’m looking for a guy, second time now through the system, that is more comfortable with the system.

“When I say comfortable, he knows it, he understands it and he reacts. And he’s not thinking as much and he’s pushing the right buttons. And when he’s put in a bad situation, he’s cutting his losses and protecting the ball. He did a pretty good job of protecting the ball in the Spring, but there were still a couple. Let’s cut those out completely.”

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