Josh Hoover transfer: Pete Thamel reveals three P4 schools interested in ex-TCU QB

The Transfer Portal is set to open on January 2nd. Already, however, several big names announced that they’re planning on entering. That includes TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Josh Hoover.

On3’s Pete Nakos recently reported that one team to keep an eye on for in the Hoover sweepstakes is Indiana. After all, the expectation is that the Hoosiers will likely be on the market for a new quarterback with Fernando Mendoza eligible to enter the 2026 NFL Draft.

Ahead of Indiana’s College Football Playoff game at the Rose Bowl, ESPN’s Pete Thamel appeared on College GameDay. There, he broke down the Power Four options that Hoover is going to have as a transfer. That starts with Indiana, contingent on the Mendoza decision.

“The final domino that will unfold on the grass behind me today is Fernando Mendoza,” Thamel said. “The widespread expectation in the NFL is that Mendoza is going to go pro after the season. He obviously just won the Heisman Trophy. To replace him, I’ve been told Indiana is expected to target Josh Hoover, the former TCU quarterback. Hoover was initially committed to Indiana out of high school.”

In his two seasons as the Indiana head coach, Curt Cignetti has leaned on the Transfer Portal to find his quarterbacks. In 2024, that was Kurtis Rourke. He played well, but didn’t touch the success that Indiana found under Fernando Mendoza, who went on to win the Heisman Trophy and the Big Ten. So, it’s easy to see why the Hoosiers would be back in the portal for next season.

Indiana isn’t the only Power Four team expected to be all in on Hoover. Louisville and Kentucky were also teams worth keeping an eye on that Thamel felt compelled to bring up in the conversation.

“Also in the market for Hoover are Louisville and Kentucky,” Thamel said. “So, those are the big moves that are going to dictate the chaos in the portal.”

Hoover is a Texas native who went to TCU out of high school. He had been a three-star recruit in the Class of 2022. There, he had been the 714th-ranked player overall and the 41st-ranked quarterback in that recruiting cycle.

For the past three seasons, Hoover has been the primary starting quarterback for the Horned Frogs. In 26 career games at TCU, he completed 65.2% of his passes for 9,629 yards and 71 touchdowns to 33 interceptions. He also has eight rushing touchdowns, though that’s not a key piece of his game.

In 2022, Hoover used his redshirt. That gives him one season of eligibility remaining as a veteran and experienced player.