Monday Morning Quarterback: Josh Hoover Struggles Against Michigan, But Delivers When Indiana Needs Him Most

It certainly wasn't pretty, and it definitely wasn't the kind of offensive performance Indiana fans have become accustomed to seeing under Curt Cignetti. But when everything was on the line Saturday afternoon in Ann Arbor, Josh Hoover found a way to get the job done.

Indiana escaped Michigan Stadium with a 13-6 overtime victory over the Wolverines, improving to 7-1 on the season. And while Hoover's final statistics were far from impressive, his ability to deliver in the biggest moment ultimately made the difference.

Hoover finished the afternoon completing just 8 of his 18 pass attempts for 81 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. His 44 percent completion rate was easily one of the more disappointing aspects of Indiana's offensive performance, particularly considering how efficient he's been throughout the season.

But Michigan deserves plenty of credit for making his afternoon miserable.

The Wolverines consistently pressured Hoover, recording one sack while limiting Indiana's passing attack to just the aforementioned 81 yards. Michigan's experienced secondary also did an excellent job keeping Indiana's talented receivers from making explosive plays.

Charlie Becker finished with three receptions for 32 yards, while Nick Marsh managed just two catches for 25 yards. Neither receiver was able to consistently create separation or provide the kind of production Indiana has relied upon in previous weeks.

Even with those struggles, Hoover had the benefit of a productive-enough rushing attack.

Turbo Richard carried the football 19 times for 68 yards, while Lee Beebe Jr. added 56 yards on 12 attempts. Indiana finished with 131 rushing yards, providing some much-needed production while Hoover struggled to find consistency through the air.

Still, Indiana's offense managed just 212 total yards, converted only 4 of its 14 third-down opportunities and failed to score a touchdown during regulation.

That's not exactly a recipe for success against a talented Michigan defense.

But Hoover's afternoon ultimately came down to what happened in overtime.

After Indiana managed just six points through four quarters, Hoover immediately connected with tight end Brock Schott for a 21-yard completion, putting the Hoosiers in excellent position to finally break through.

Just two plays into overtime, Hoover took matters into his own hands, finding the end zone on a quarterback run to give Indiana its first touchdown of the afternoon and a 13-6 advantage.

Michigan couldn't answer, and Indiana walked away with another important victory.

There's no question Hoover needs to be better moving forward. His accuracy was inconsistent, the passing game lacked explosiveness and his first interception of the year was another disappointing moment for an offense that typically takes care of the football.

But, there's also something to be said for finding ways to win when things aren't going particularly well.

Hoover didn't have his best stuff against Michigan. In fact, statistically, it was his least productive performance of the season.

Yet when Indiana absolutely needed its quarterback to make a play, Hoover delivered.

For a team with championship aspirations, that kind of resilience matters.

Indiana will need considerably more production from its passing attack moving forward, but Saturday proved that Hoover doesn't necessarily have to dominate for the Hoosiers to win.

Sometimes, he just has to be at his best when it matters most.