Curt Cignetti Responds to Sonny Dykes Criticism of QB Josh Hoover

Curt Cignetti responded to the criticism from TCU head coach Sonny Dykes of his new starting quarterback, Josh Hoover, with a smile and his signature wink.

"When Josh (Hoover) 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 after IU's fourth spring practice on Thursday.

The comment was in response to what Dykes said on March 25th about his former starting quarterback. "Josh started 31 games here as a quarterback, and he turned the ball over 42 times,” Dykes said about Hoover.

Cignetti has never shied away from a microphone during his time at IU, and his words are always calculated. The lighthearted comment came after Cignetti's own evaluation of how Hoover has performed so far this spring.

Join the Spring Football Discussion on the Hoosier Huddle Message Boards

How Has Josh Hoover Looked in Cream and Crimson?

Hoover has a tough act to follow in Bloomington. His predecessor, Fernando Mendoza, won the Heisman Trophy and led the Hoosiers to a 16-0 record en route to being the odds-on favorite to be the number one overall pick in April's NFL Draft.

So far, he has taken to the job. However, there is and always will be work to be done.

" I think the thing is. I am excited about Josh, first of all, be clear about that, and he's got a body of work in terms of winning football games, passing yards, touchdown passes. Got to clean up some of the turnovers," Cignetti said.

While Hoover did turn the ball over 42 times in 31 games for the Horned Frogs, he did account for 79 touchdowns, and he did throw for nearly 3,500 yards in 2025.

Cignetti has his standard, and he hunts complacency, so he had his own critique of Hoover.

"We would like to see him play a little faster at practice, a little more urgency, drive every ball. I don't know what was asked of him. You know where he came from in terms of practice. But you know, no plays are like a throw off." Cignetti said.

During the open portions of spring practice, both Cignetti and quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri have been heard reiterating that point to Hoover.

Other Indiana Football Notes

- True freshman defensive lineman Kevonte Hugan has left the program.
- Indiana hosted 5-star wide receiver Monshun Sales for an unofficial visit on Thursday.