Replacing a Heisman winner and No. 1 draft pick is one of the toughest jobs in college football. For Indiana’s new QB, Josh Hoover, the challenge isn’t just on the field but also in how he addresses the legacy of the man he’s replacing, Fernando Mendoza.

“Obviously, I’ve got so much respect for Fernando and what he did last year,” Hoover said after Indiana’s spring game on Thursday. “Coming in, and obviously, won Heisman, won national championship, Big Ten championship; he did it all.

“Anybody [who] does that, you have the utmost respect for someone who obviously went number one overall. That’s awesome for him, awesome for his family. I’ve had a couple of interactions with him; he seems like one of the best guys in the world. He’s going to do well at the next level.”

Thursday was a big day for the Indiana Hoosiers. They had their first No. 1 draft pick in 88 years and also wrapped up their spring practice with their annual spring game at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium. In a spring game where he completed 6 of 13 passes for 94 yards, Hoover had his first taste of what it means to fill Mendoza’s shoes.

Mendoza’s Heisman-winning 2025 season was remarkable, as he threw for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns against just six interceptions, adding another seven scores on the ground to cap off a national championship run. During that campaign, he repeatedly showed his potential in clutch moments. One, in particular, will be etched in every Indiana fan’s memory when he scored the game-winning touchdown in the national championship game on a QB draw.

When it was time to select his predecessor, head coach Curt Cignetti chose Josh Hoover, despite his having recorded too many interceptions during his time with the TCU Frogs. Regardless, Cignetti’s choice is backed by Hoover’s impressive resume; he ranks among the top returning quarterbacks in the nation after throwing for 9,629 yards and 79 touchdowns over three seasons at TCU, where his 64.8% completion percentage was second-best in program history.

The quarterback is not doing himself badly, knowing exactly what is expected of him in the 2026 season.

“For me, coming in here, it’s all about just trying to be the best version of myself and trying to kind of come in and just be who I am everyday. Fernando is obviously an unbelievable player and an unbelievable person. And I’ve got to come here and just be myself and try to be the best I can be in IU and make guys around me better.”

Cignetti defends Hoover’s spring game performance

Cignetti has consistently defended his decision to bring in Hoover, especially after TCU coach Sonny Dykes took a shot at the quarterback’s high interception rate. And once again, after an average spring game performance, the Indiana head coach is out to defend him.

“Well, it’s early, I mean, you know all these quarterbacks that we’ve had, they have good days and bad days in the spring,” Cignetti said. “And I’d say Josh is right where Fernando [Mendoza] was last year and Kurtis [Rourke] the year before. He knows how to play quarterback; he’s thrown for a lot of yards and touchdown passes. He’s a quick thinker, nice touch, accurate with the ball, so I like where he’s at.”

Should Cignetti’s prediction come true, Hoover’s spring performance will mark him on the path of his predecessors. And if he treads that path to the end, then Indiana has another Heisman winner in their hands again.