Leinart Says Indiana's Hoover Deserves Heisman Attention

Leinart Says Indiana's Hoover Deserves Heisman Attention

Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover has kept the Hoosiers' winning streak alive at 21 games, and Fox analyst Matt Leinart believes the fifth-year senior deserves far more Heisman Trophy consideration than he's currently receiving. Leinart made the case on Saturday's edition of "Big Noon Kickoff," ahead of Indiana's matchup against Nebraska.

"No one's talked about Josh Hoover," Leinart said. "Fernando Mendoza came out of nowhere last year toward the second half of the season [for Indiana]. Hoover's got better stats than Mendoza, hasn't turned the football over and is a really talented player." Leinart added that Hoover's upcoming schedule - starting with Nebraska and followed by Ohio State - gives him a platform to make his case. "I think it's time to start putting some respect on Josh Hoover's name. He's one of the best players in the country." futsal betting odds

Through five games this season, Hoover has thrown for 1,101 yards and 15 touchdowns without an interception, completing 71.0% of his passes for a 203.7 passer rating. His touchdown total and passer rating both lead the Big Ten. Indiana's offense ranks second in the conference in rushing yards per game (252.6), third in total offense (489.6) and scoring (44.2), and 11th in passing yards (237.0). Hoover transferred to Indiana after four seasons at TCU, where he started for three years and averaged 3,209 passing yards, 23.7 touchdowns and 11 interceptions per season with a 147.8 rating and 65.1% completion rate.

Hoover now follows the path of Mendoza, who led Indiana to its first national championship with a perfect 16-0 season in 2025, throwing for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns en route to winning the Heisman and becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. With unbeaten Nebraska and Ohio State next on Indiana's schedule, Hoover has a chance to build his own Heisman resume in the weeks ahead.