Matt Leinart: Josh Hoover Ready For Heisman Push

Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover has pushed his program's winning streak to 21 games and handled the offense with ease. Yet, despite that success, he remains quiet in national conversations about the Heisman Trophy.

Matt Leinart believes it is finally time for that silence to end. On Saturday's edition of "Big Noon Kickoff," the former star receiver noted that nobody has been talking about Hoover lately. Fernando Mendoza arrived from nowhere last year, making a splash toward the second half of the season at Indiana. By comparison, Hoover holds better stats than Mendoza did back then. He has not turned the football over and possesses genuine talent.

"He's got a chance with this schedule," Leinart stated on Saturday. "Starting today against Nebraska and then Ohio State next week in the Big Ten, he could make a run at this thing."

The numbers back up that claim. Through Indiana's first five games, Hoover has thrown for 1,101 yards, recorded 15 touchdowns, and notched zero interceptions. His passer rating sits at 203.7 while he completes 71.0% of his passes. Those passing touchdowns and his passer rating each lead the Big Ten conference.

The Hoosiers offense ranks second in rushing yards with an average of 252.6 per game. They sit third in both total yards at 489.6 per game and points scored with 44.2 per game. Their passing yardage sits at 237.0 per game, placing them 11th in the conference for that category.

Hoover moved to Indiana after four seasons at TCU, where he spent three years as the starter. Between 2023 and 2025, his averages included 3,209.0 passing yards, 23.7 touchdowns, and 11.0 interceptions per season. His passer rating was 147.8 with a completion rate of 65.1%.

Now he follows in the footsteps of Mendoza, who guided Indiana to its first national championship during a perfect 16-0 season in 2025. That year, Mendoza threw for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns while managing just six interceptions. His rating hit 182.9 with a completion percentage of 72.0%. He also rushed for 276 yards and seven touchdowns before winning the 2025 Heisman Trophy. Mendoza went on to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, selected by the Las Vegas Raiders.

Two unbeaten opponents loom ahead in Nebraska and Ohio State. Hoover has a real shot to enter the Heisman conversation as he faces them. "I think he's exceeded expectations so far," Leinart added. "Obviously, the schedule picks up starting today and next week, and then in the second half of the season."

"But I just want to say this," Leinart continued. "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.