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The Indiana football program is currently gearing up to defend its national championship from a year ago, which they won in narrow fashion over the Miami Hurricanes. The Hoosiers will look quite a bit different this year, with the most notable loss being Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who was drafted number one overall by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Replacing Mendoza at quarterback will be Josh Hoover, who transferred in from TCU for his final year of college eligibility. However, not everyone is sold on Hoover’s ability to keep Indiana in contention, including one anonymous Big 12 defensive coordinator.
“It’s going to be a step down. He’s not going to be [Fernando] Mendoza,” said the coordinator, per Adam Rittenberg of ESPN. “I wasn’t a hater of his, but I thought he was a pretty average to slightly above-average guy. I don’t think he’s going to go there and win the Heisman.”
Of course, the coordinator didn’t put his name to the quote, so it’s impossible to know how many times he coached against Hoover in the Big 12 when he was a member of TCU. However, if nothing else, the quote should give Hoover even more fuel to go out and keep the Hoosiers atop the college football landscape this year.
Most pundits view Indiana as still being an elite team heading into the 2025 season, although few think they will be able to replicate the heights of the 2025 season, when the stars seemed to align perfectly for Curt Cignetti and company, helped out by Mendoza’s brilliant performance throughout the year.
Hoover will get his first test as Indiana’s quarterback on September 5 at home vs North Texas.
The Indiana football program is currently gearing up to defend its national championship from a year ago, which they won in narrow fashion over the Miami Hurricanes. The Hoosiers will look quite a bit different this year, with the most notable loss being Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who was drafted number one overall by the Las Vegas Raiders.
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