Indiana Football Has Its 2026 QB: TCU Transfer Josh Hoover Commits to Hoosiers

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana football appears to have found Fernando Mendoza's replacement for the 2026 season.

The Hoosiers secured a transfer portal commitment from quarterback Josh Hoover, ESPN insider Pete Thamel announced Sunday evening on X. Hoover spent the first four years of his career at TCU and has one season of eligibility remaining.

Hoover, who stands 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, was viewed as one of the top signal callers in the portal. He figures to take the place of Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback who's projected to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft in April.

Hoover is Indiana's fourth transfer portal pickup Sunday alone, joining Wisconsin safety Preston Zachman, Michigan State receiver Nick Marsh and Kansas State edge rusher Tobi Osunsanmi.

Josh Hoover brings experience, pedigree to Bloomington

The Heath, Texas, native is no stranger to Power Four football — nor to Bloomington.

Hoover, who attended Rockwall-Heath High School, initially committed to Indiana in June of 2021 as a member of the 2022 recruiting class. But he rescinded his verbal pledge in December, which ultimately led the Hoosiers to land quarterback Brendan Sorsby while Hoover took his talents to Fort Worth.

A three-star recruit, Hoover redshirted in 2022 before taking over as the starter midway through his redshirt freshman season. Hoover started the Horned Frogs' final six games in 2023 while playing in 10 total. He completed 62.1% of his passes for 2,206 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Hoover enjoyed a strong 2024 campaign. Voted a team captain as a redshirt sophomore, Hoover set TCU's single-season passing record with 3,949 yards, while his 66.5% completion rate was the third-best and his 27 passing touchdowns ranked fourth-best in program history. He was one of only four signal callers to average over 300 passing yards per game and have a passer rating above 150.

Hoover cemented his spot amongst TCU's all-time leading passers with a quality, albeit turnover-filled, 2025 season. He completed 65.9% of his attempts for 3,472 yards and 29 touchdowns, though he led the Big 12 with 13 interceptions while starting all 12 games before transferring.

Across 31 starts at TCU, Hoover ranks second in program history in completion rate at 64.8%, third in completions (771) and fourth in passing yards (9,629) and passing touchdowns (71).

Hoover is known for his strong arm, willingness to attack — and thread — tight windows and his ability to create explosive plays. His aggression has led to a profile littered with turnovers, as he's tossed 33 interceptions in 36 games, and he's averaging one interception per every 36 attempts in his career.

Indiana has a talented, explosive gunslinger in Hoover, but the Hoosiers will need to prioritize improving his decision making.

Hoover is headed to the right spot for development. Dating back to 2021 at James Madison University, four of the five quarterbacks who have played under Indiana coach Curt Cignetti and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan have earned conference player of the year and/or offensive player of the year honorees, capped by Mendoza's Heisman-winning season in 2025.

The lone exception came in 2024 at Indiana with Kurtis Rourke, who still received second-team All-Big Ten recognition behind Oregon's Dillon Gabriel, the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in 2024.

Cignetti and Shanahan's track record of quarterback development is perhaps the best in the country. Now, Hoover is their next project.

If not Hoover, who else starts for Indiana in 2026?

The Hoosiers have additional options on the roster behind Hoover. Redshirt freshman Alberto Mendoza, Fernando's younger brother, impressed the coaching staff with his development as the team's backup this season.

Alberto went 18-for-24 passing for 286 yards, five touchdowns and one interception across nine appearances. He also proved athletic and capable of making plays on the ground, rushing for 190 yards and one touchdown on just 13 attempts.

Indiana didn't bring in a quarterback in the 2026 recruiting class, but the Hoosiers have a pair of freshmen who redshirted this season in Jacob Bell and walk-on Maverick Geske.

Alberto Mendoza is the best bet to challenge Hoover, but the TCU transfer certainly appears likely to be Indiana's starter this fall.