A Quiet Preparation
Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover is entering the 2026 season with a deliberate plan to refine his game, spending countless hours reviewing film from the past two years.
He has amassed 9,629 career passing yards, the highest total among all returning FBS quarterbacks, and he is acutely aware that cutting down on turnovers will be essential for the next step.
Coach Curt Cignetti and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan have praised Hoover’s mechanics and accuracy, but they have also highlighted the need for greater decision‑making under pressure as a focal point of his development.
The Hoosiers’ offense has ranked among the nation’s top three scoring units for the last two seasons, a testament to the scheme’s effectiveness and the talent surrounding the quarterback.
Studying the Greats
Hoover says he models parts of his preparation after successful signal‑callers such as Kurtis Rurke and Fernando Mendoza, both of whom posted elite passer ratings in recent seasons.
Rurke finished 2024 with the second‑best passer rating in the country at 176.01, while Mendoza captured the Heisman Trophy last year with a rating of 182.91, the highest in FBS.
During the summer, Hoover is focusing on becoming more comfortable with the playbook, practicing with a sense of urgency and using spring ball as an experimental laboratory to test new reads and footwork.