The worst kept secret in this year’s transfer portal was finally made official on Sunday. Ahead of a huge national semifinal contest against Oregon, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti appears to have found his next star quarterback.
For the third season in a row, the Hoosiers have added a veteran starting quarterback. Josh Hoover will be the new QB1 in Bloomington.
Kentucky and Louisville were recently mentioned as contenders for Hoover. However, Indiana was always considered the heavy favorite once the multi-year starter in the Big 12 entered the transfer portal. Josh Hoover was a former Indiana commit during the 2022 high school cycle who flipped once SMU head coach Sonny Dykes skipped town to take the same job at TCU.
Josh Hoover took over as TCU’s starting quarterback in 2023 under offensive coordinator Kendal Briles. The young player would never look back.
SeasonCompletion PercentagePassing YardsPassing TouchdownsInterceptions202362.1% (185-of-298)2,206159202466.5% (313-of-471)3,9492711202565.9% (272-of-413)3,4722913Career65.2% (771-of-1,183)9,6297133
Hoover ranked in the top 15 nationally in pass attempts per game both in 2024 and 2025. Briles asked a lot of his quarterback and that led to some big numbers. Interceptions (2.8% career interception rate) have been a problem, but the quarterback has been consistent and has shown that he can carry an offense. TCU struggled to run the football, but Hoover played a key part in helping this unit play at a top-25 level in both 2023 and 2024 before there was some slippage in 2025. Hoover will be leaving an RPO-heavy offense in the Big 12 for an RPO-heavy defense in the Big Ten.
A huge name is officially off the board.
Where transfer QBs have committed
These are the power conference programs who have landed quarterbacks to this point in the transfer portal cycle.
PlayerFormer SchoolNew SchoolOn3 RankDrew MestemakerNorth TexasOklahoma StateNo. 4 overall (QB2)Josh HooverTCUIndianaNo. 15 overall (QB6)Rocco BechtIowa StatePenn StateNo. 28 overall (QB9)Kenny MincheyNotre DameNebraskaNo. 44 overall (QB10)Cutter BoleyKentuckyArizona StateNo. 75 overall (QB12)Lincoln KienholzOhio StateLouisvilleNo. 88 overall (QB15)Colton JosephOld DominionWisconsinNo. 133 overall (QB18)Billy Edwards Jr.WisconsinNorth CarolinaNo. 151 overall (QB20)Alex ManskeIowa StatePenn StateNo. 248 overall (QB28)Alonza Barnett IIIJames MadisonUCFNo. 399 overall (QB36)Jaylen RaynorArkansas StateIowa StateNo. 754 overall (QB52)
The quarterbacks are starting to come off the board in the first commitment wave but there are still plenty of options available. Sam Leavitt (Arizona State) and Brendan Sorsby (Cincinnati) remain the top available options while some others work through the recruiting process.
Head on a swivel.