Following Fernando Mendoza was always going to be a tough act to follow, and Josh Hoover is finding that out firsthand. Curt Cignetti brought the quarterback to Indiana through the transfer portal in January, handing him the unenviable task of succeeding the Heisman winner. Four games later, Hoover has shown flashes of promise. Cignetti, however, thought the noise had gone too far.
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“I think there is too much scrutiny on Josh Hoover right now,” Cignetti said ahead of the Big Ten opener. “Unfair scrutiny.”
With Cignetti firmly standing in his corner, the young QB has finally addressed his head coach’s public defense following the growing criticism surrounding his performances.
“You know, I don’t look much at things like that. You know, but for me, this is a long season, and I know that where we want to be as a team in the future is not where we’re at right now, and that’s how football is. That’s how this goes. Our job is to get better each and every week,” said Hoover, per Indiana Hoosier beat writer Michael Niziolek.
Hoover has faced scrutiny since joining the Hoosiers as their starting QB, but the buzz intensified when Indiana’s offense seemed to have it difficult against Western Kentucky, a team that has been struggling for years.
The Hoosiers scored just one touchdown before the final minute of the first half before exploding for 31 points to cruise to a 38-0 win. Hoover completed 18 of 24 passes for 273 yards and two touchdowns, but what stuck with the fans were those six misses.
Hoover’s performance drew sharp criticism from the fanbase, with many questioning his ability to deliver. Back-to-back incompletions on third and fourth down, followed by another incompletion and a pressured scramble on the next possession, were enough to put the young QB under the microscope.
Despite the criticism, Cignetti stood firmly behind Hoover, revealing that his postgame film review uncovered just one missed throw from the quarterback, while several other incompletions stemmed from receivers running poor routes.
“I’m glad he’s our quarterback,” Cignetti said.
The head coach’s words meant a lot to the young QB, especially with the pressure of Heisman Trophy expectations weighing on him. However, a closer look at his numbers suggests he has the credentials to contend for the award. Through four games with the Hoosiers, Hoover has completed 70% of his passes for 850 yards, 11 touchdowns, and zero interceptions.
A closer comparison with Fernando Mendoza’s numbers through his first four games with the Hoosiers last season reveals that the two quarterbacks are not as far apart as the criticism might suggest.
Mendoza completed 76 of 99 passes (76.8%) for 974 yards, 14 touchdowns, and no interceptions through his first four games. The head coach understands these numbers, which is why he has pushed back against the scrutiny Hoover is currently facing. However, the QB isn’t letting the criticism get to his head either.
“You’re going to get scrutinized, and you’re going to get talked about. You know, it is what it is. We’ve got to move forward and focus on what really matters, and that’s this team, this football team, our locker room, and our constant improvement to try and do every day,” said Hoover.
The defending champions have outscored their opponents 174–39 through four games, reinforcing their status as national title contenders. Indiana’s defense has recorded consecutive shutouts for the first time since 1993, extending its scoreless streak to nine quarters.