Indiana football QB Josh Hoover’s ‘dog mentality’ gives Hoosiers a winning edge

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football's locker room erupted in cheers at Michigan Stadium when coach Curt Cignetti called out Josh Hoover's name.

After every win, Cignetti hand picks top performers to sing the team's fight song. He saved his starting quarterback's name for last in the wake of an emotional 13-6 overtime win over Michigan.

They all let Hoover know how much they appreciated his effort.

While the No. 4 Hoosiers (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) didn't need another remainder of Hoover's toughness, they got one anyway.

Hoover battled through an undisclosed injury to his throwing arm to help IU pull out its first victory at Michigan Stadium in 59 years . Indiana players first described seeing Hoover's "warrior spirit" back in the season opener against North Texas when he finished off a drive with blood pouring down his face.

While Cignetti considered a quarterback change in the second half , Hoover's teammates never expected him to come out of the game. Indiana players were still singing Hoover's praises days after the game.

"It's the dog mentality," Indiana center Bray Lynch said on Tuesday night. "And if you asked me if he were to get hurt before the season started and played, I would have told you, hell yeah, he would have. He's a dog like that."

Lynch also expected the TCU transfer to eventually come through with a winning play.

Hoover shrugged off a poorly timed second half interception by throwing a dart across the middle to open overtime. His 21-yard completion — IU's longest gain of the afternoon — to tight end Brock Schott set up a go-ahead score.

On the next snap, Hoover fought through a would-be tackler at the goal line for the 4-yard rushing touchdown.

"You saw it in spring ball, you see it in the weight room, and you see it now on Saturdays," Lynch said. "And we have full confidence in him, and we knew that when the time arose to make a play, he was gonna find a way to get done."

The post-game celebration that followed highlighted the importance of Hoover's contributions.

"It's never easy, and you'll see all the stuff online about this and that," Lynch said. "But in that locker room over there, you got a bunch of guys that have sacrificed so much to be where they're at, and done so much in their life to be able to play in games like that, in a stadium like that. I think pulling out a victory like that is super special, it's not easy to win in the Big Ten."

Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek .