There’s loyalty. Then there’s Josh Hoover loyalty. While college football’s transfer portal looks more like a Wall Street bidding war than a recruiting tool, Hoover went against the grain. The Texas gunslinger turned down a $2 million bag from SEC heavy-hitters this off-season. In an era where cash rules everything, that’s not just rare—it’s borderline mythical. So why’d he stay at TCU? Was it comfort? Culture? Maybe a little revenge arc after that 2022 title beatdown? Either way, Hoover’s not just staying put—he’s gearing up to run the Big 12.
After a disastrous 5–7 campaign in 2023 that had fans throwing up their hands, Hoover grabbed the QB1 reins in 2024 and flipped the script. The redshirt sophomore threw for 3,949 yards and 27 touchdowns under Kendal Briles and carried the Frogs to a 9–4 record. Suddenly, Fort Worth started to believe in hope. That’s when Tennessee came calling with a $2M NIL offer, hoping to replace the now-transferred Nico Iamaleava. But Hoover? Stone cold. “I just said, ‘No, that’s not what I want to do.’ It was pretty simple,” he told ESPN.
Not only did Hoover reject the money, he straight-up doubled down on what he already had on Big 12 media days: “I love TCU. I love Fort Worth. Said it before, that’s the place I want to be. And there wasn’t much thought behind it. I just—I wanted to be here with my teammates and go win a Big 12 Championship, and that’s what I’m focused on.” Just like that, Josh Hoover won the hearts of the Horned Frogs, while Tennessee eventually found their QB1 in UCLA transfer Joey Aguilar—the Sun Belt’s version of Josh Hoover.
Even his coach Sonny Dykes knows what he’s got: a QB who’s all in. Hoover’s presence has created a belief shift in the locker room. What was once a team struggling to recapture the 2022 magic is now a group marching toward redemption. And don’t be surprised if Hoover’s name pops up in the Heisman conversation. CBS Sports has him at +25000 odds—a long shot, but hey, Max Duggan came from nowhere in 2022 and nearly won it all.
Asked what the goal is this year, Hoover kept it as real as it gets. “Yeah, they’re high as can be. I mean, we’re planning on winning a Big 12 Championship. That’s our expectation. That’s our goal. Do that, and then we worry about getting in the Playoff and finishing it off the right way—uh, differently than we did in 2022.”
Let’s not forget, 2022 ended with a brutal 65–7 loss to Georgia in the National Championship. That stain hasn’t faded. And while another natty run might seem far-fetched, Hoover’s already got more tools than Duggan had. The offense is loaded. WRs Joseph Manjack (USC transfer) and Jordan Dwyer are stretch-the-field weapons. Plus, TCU brought in their highest-rated recruiting class ever. Vegas puts them at +1100 to win the Big 12. That’s not fantasy—it’s right within reach.
Big year for Sonny Dykes and Josh Hoover?
As TCU marches into 2025, the stakes aren’t just high—they’re boiling. Sonny Dykes is entering his fourth year at the helm, and there’s pressure to prove that 2022 wasn’t a fluke. The Frogs started hot under Dykes, but 2023’s 5–7 stumble felt like a punch to the gut. Now with Josh Hoover as the face of the program and both coordinators returning, Dykes sees something he hasn’t had before: continuity. “I thought he really finished the season last year,” Dykes said at media day. “I’m really excited about who he is, what kind of leader he is, what type of player he is.”
And there’s more. Defensive coordinator Andy Avalos is back for Year 2. The transformation on that side of the ball is already noticeable. In the last seven games of 2024, TCU gave up 13 points or fewer four times and held opponents to 24.6 points per game.
The roster is sneaky loaded. Cade Bennett returns to anchor the offensive line, and the WR corps is deeper than Texas oil well. On defense, continuity breeds confidence. Avalos has this unit humming like a V8, and Hoover finally gets time to operate without running for his life. Dykes didn’t mince words: “This might be the best roster I’ve ever coached.” That’s not coachspeak. That’s a declaration.
The bottom line? Josh Hoover is betting on himself. And Sonny Dykes is betting on Hoover. That’s a tandem Big 12 fans better respect or get steamrolled by. Because when a kid turns down two million bucks to stay and win with his brothers? That’s not just a quarterback. That’s a program-changer.
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