A mere two days after the opening of the notorious January transfer portal window, news alerts began lighting up smart phones.
Former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover had found a home. Moreover, TCU had found a new quarterback out of the Ivy League, of all places.
Terms of the deals were not disclosed. (You have to say that now. Rest assured, it’s more than a large Mama’s pepperoni.)
As we suspected, Indiana — which has as good a chance as anybody to win the College Football Playoff championship this year — has welcomed Hoover into the program with the open arms of a warm embrace, according to numerous reports, including the New York Times.
He appears to be a ready-made fit to step into a role likely to be vacated by Fernando Mendoza, the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner and projected No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. (Well, maybe. ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has Mendoza at No. 2 on his Big Board. Mel Kiper Jr.’s Big Board is hitting about 50% on his best days these days. Don’t tell him I said anything; he’s very sensitive about it.)
Suffice to say, it’s a great spot for Hoover, who initially committed to Indiana as a high school senior, only to switch to TCU when Sonny Dykes became head coach. The Hoosiers he committed to and the Hoosiers of today bear no family resemblance.
Hoover will be the third consecutive transfer to play the position under coach Curt Cignetti. In addition to Mendoza, Kurtis Rourke also led Indiana to the CFP playoffs last year.
Hoover, who has one year of eligibility left, threw for 3,472 yards and 29 touchdowns with 13 interceptions in 2025. A year ago, he set a TCU school record with 3,949 passing yards.
Good luck to Josh Hoover. We’ll miss you.
So, just a few hours later, Harvard transfer prospect Jaden Craig said he was coming to TCU. I hadn’t heard of him, either, but worry not. Mel Kiper Jr. had. Kiper had Craig — 6-foot-2, 215 pounds — ranked among the top 10 QBs on his Big Board for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Craig wants to move up that board.
“Just one of those gut feelings,” Craig told Harvard’s The Crimson. “Going somewhere to get developed and get better and prepare yourself that much more for the next level — I think that was the ultimate decision.”
He was also likely tired of having to sing the alma mater — “10,000 Men of Harvard” — in both English and Latin.
Craig arrives in Fort Worth as a mid-year graduate transfer with one remaining year of NCAA eligibility and is expected to be the starter this fall.
Hoover’s backup Ken Seals, who led the Horned Frogs to victory in the Alamo Bowl, has used up his eligibility. Matt Schobel, a highly rated QB out of high school a year ago who did not play as a freshman, returns. So, too, does David Potter, another freshman who didn’t play, from Texarkana.
Craig joins a TCU program that went 9–4 last season. Luckily, as a Harvard man, Mr. Craig is a high achiever. The expectations here — enough to make one break out in hives — will be tantamount to putting a man on Jupiter. Welcome to Texas.
The Frogs’ offense will operate under a new coordinator. Gordon Sammis was hired to replace Kendal Briles, who took the same job with South Carolina. The Frogs also found out today that they’re losing wide receiver Eric McAllister, who will try his skills in the NFL.
“First and foremost, I want to thank God for His faithfulness throughout this journey,” McAllister said in making his decision Instagram official. “Through every challenge and every opportunity, He’s given me the strength, discipline, and clarity to keep moving forward. I trust His plan and His timing completely.”
Craig entered the transfer portal in early December, opting to forgo the NFL Draft after drawing interest from multiple Power Four programs. He visited Fort Worth on Saturday.
He was sold on the place.
A two-year starter at Harvard, Craig leaves Cambridge as the program’s career leader in passing yards (6,074) and passing touchdowns (52). Harvard went 19–5 in the 24 games he started and won a share of the Ivy League title in each of his three active seasons.
Craig graduated in the fall with an economics degree, allowing him to enroll immediately at TCU and participate in spring practice. (Craig’s grandmother, by the way, has a master’s degree and Ph.D. from Harvard.)
“The Ivy League doesn’t get a ton of credit for how high-quality the football really is,” Craig said to The Crimson. “What you get on tape is pretty translatable.”
Says Horned Frogs faithful: From your lips, Jaden Craig, to God’s ears.