Indiana’s spring game featured two quarters with half the roster either limited or sidelined. The bigger takeaway was Josh Hoover’s adjustment. More than the final score, his toughest spring test was reading an Indiana defense that kept changing the picture before and after the snap.

“That defense has made me so much better this spring,” Josh Hoover told the media after the game. “I’ve never played against anything that was as complex, and was able to disguise and do things like they do. So I have a lot of respect for that side of the ball, a lot of respect for our defense coordinator, Coach Haines, and all those coaches on defense.”

Hoover was not talking about a general learning curve. He was pointing to one specific problem, which involves Indiana’s defense forcing him to process faster, read disguises quicker, and stay calm when the look changed late. The issue was not just a missed rhythm. It was how fast the defense made him diagnose pressure, trust protection, and throw on time.

“It’s really good for me to be able to go against that every single day,” Hoover added. “Play against a great top defense in the country. Again, it’s good players, good pass rush, it’s only gonna make us better. So I’m definitely appreciative and got a lot of respect for those guys on defense.”

Josh Hoover’s first-quarter stat line (2-for-8, 33 yards) was rough. The timing was off, the rhythm wasn’t there, and the pocket collapsed before it even formed. But after fumbling to find consistency early on, he adapted in the second quarter with quicker decisions and better anticipation. He also formed a growing connection with WR Tyler Morris. 

By the end, his stats read 6-of-13, 94 yards. You might still raise your eyebrows, but the point here is that Josh Hoover got better as the defense kept dominating. IU’s defense is led by veterans like Tyrique Tucker and Mario Landino. Curt Cignetti also brought in key portal additions in Chiddi Obiazor, Tobi Osunsanmi, Joe Hjelle, and Joshua Burnham. If anything, Curt Cignetti, unsurprisingly, wasn’t impressed.

Curt Cignetti’s blunt truth sets the stage

There are positives to take away from Indiana’s spring game. But Curt Cignetti sees a long road. 

“We got a lot of work to do,” he said. “Got to have a great summer. And we’re not a great football team. We’re not a good football team right now.”

What makes the slack understandable is that this is a new roster. Josh Hoover is replacing Fernando Mendoza, who became the No. 1 overall NFL pick, and he felt that pressure firsthand at the spring game. But Curt Cignetti still sees progress from the QB. 

“I thought as it went along, he made a couple of plays,” he said. “We’ve got to protect him. It’s been an issue kind of all spring. We’re not game-planning anybody. He’s got some things he’s got to clean up. But he finished on a positive note.”

But three months from now, what will matter is whether this spring lesson will really build something. For Josh Hoover, the challenge is not just learning a new offense but getting sharpened by a formidable defense. And if that edge holds, Indiana’s offense might look very different when it finally counts.