Cignetti keeping quiet about QB Josh Hoover's status as No. 6 Indiana prepares for No. 15 USC

Indiana Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti stayed true to form Monday.

He declined to provide a health update on quarterback Josh Hoover or whether the senior would start Saturday when No. 6 Indiana hosts No. 15 Southern California in one of this weekend's biggest games.

Grant Wilson replaced the injured Hoover at the start of the second half against Minnesota two weeks ago, completed a long pass to set up a game-tying 60-yard field goal as time expired in regulation before throwing a 25-yard TD pass to Charlie Becker on the first play of overtime to secure a 23-16 come-from-behind victory.

Indiana had its bye last weekend.

“We'll see how the week plays out, and we'll see who we trot out there,” Cignetti said Monday.

He didn't elaborate any further.

Hoover has not been the same since injuring his right arm and briefly leaving the Ohio State game in mid-October. He returned to the game and nearly rallied the Hoosiers (8-1, 5-1 Big Ten, No. 4 CFP) to victory. But Nick Marsh could not get his feet inbounds with 1:02 to play on what would have been the go-ahead score. Ohio State wound up ending Indiana's 22-game winning streak and 19-game home winning streak with a 19-15 victory.

Since then, Hoover has not been the same.

He was 8 of 18 for 81 yards and threw his first interception of the season in a 13-6 overtime victory at Michigan. Hoover also scored on a 4-yard run in overtime to give the Hoosiers their first win in Ann Arbor since 1967. He struggled so badly, Cignetti has since said he considered making a change during that game.

Then against Minnesota, Hoover was 8 of 19 for 110 yads with one TD pass and another interception when he took a big hit late in the first half. At halftime, Cignetti decided to make a change, and Wilson responded by going 9 of 17 for 156 yards with one TD and no turnovers in his most significant action since joining the Hoosiers last season.

Cignetti has defended Hoover against criticism multiple times this season and has acknowledged more than once his top quarterback hasn't been completely healthy lately.

“He got dinged up against Ohio State. Everybody saw that,” Cignetti said on his radio show last week. "Josh is on the mend. It’s a good time to have an off week. He should only get better, and right now, he’s resting.”

The defending national champions haven't looked like themselves either. After scoring at least 38 points in four of their first five games, Indiana has failed to top the 20-point mark in regulation in its last four games. The last two went to overtime and Indiana needed two fourth-quarter touchdowns to escape with a victory at Nebraska.

They'll need to be better with the high-scoring Trojans (7-2, 4-2, No. 20) coming to town for a high-stakes game. The winner will stay in contention to make next month's Big Ten championship game while the loser will essentially be eliminated.

While both teams are off of bye weeks, giving each extra time to prepare, Cignetti is hoping the Hoosiers come back as a fresher team.

“Nine in a row, that’s a tough hoe, but that’s what the schedule said to do, so we did it,” Cignetti said. “In some ways (against Minnesota) it looked like our 19th game in a row, but we found a way, (to win) another one that went down to the wire.”

If Hoover continues to struggle in practice, Cignetti could turn to his trusted backup.

Wilson stuck around for a seventh college season in part because he wants to become a coach. He also started for one season at Old Dominion and impressed Cignetti in a matchup with James Madison. He lost the job in 2024 because of an injury, then followed the two-time Associated Press Coach of the Year to Indiana.

And now Indiana's title hopes could rest in Wilson's hands — if Hoover can't play Saturday.

"I have a lot of confidence in him,” Cignetti said. “He’s a big, strong guy that can throw it down the field, and he’s mobile. I had total confidence that he would come in and get the job done the second half (against Minnesota). There wasn’t a doubt in my mind.”

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