BLOOMINGTON — Offensive lineman Nick Kidwell’s reported season-ending knee injury has thrown off Indiana football’s plans on the line heading into the regular season.
First reported by ESPN, Kidwell suffered the injury last week during fall camp. The sixth-year senior played in just four games last season at James Madison before suffering a season-ending injury. He recovered from that and followed head coach Curt Cignetti to Indiana in the offseason, and he was set to start at right guard this year.
After seeing everything Kidwell already went through, Cignetti couldn’t help but feel bad for the lineman.
“On a personal level, it’s really hard,” Cignetti said Monday. “Nick’s been with the program, really, since 2019, was actually there in 18 before I got hired. And he’s started a lot of games, played a lot of football, he’s a good player. He really put a lot of time in rehabbing, coming back. Was rounding back into form. Was a big part of our initial plans. And I feel bad for him because I know what his goals were coming into the season, and when you’ve been with a player that long, because of the COVID year, you’re with guys longer now. He’s 24 years old.”
Rather than turning to one player to fill Kidwell’s void, the Hoosiers will rely on a group of players to step in.
Cignetti said that fifth-year senior Tyler Stephens, redshirt sophomore Drew Evans, and redshirt sophomore Bray Lynch will share responsibilities of both the left and right guard spots.
Stephens, another JMU transfer, filled in for Kidwell after his injury last year with the Dukes. He provides much more experience than Evans or Lynch have: Stephens started 31 games through his career in Harrisonburg, with 12 at left tackle, 13 at left guard, and six at right tackle. He’s also lined up at center during fall camp, at times, which could provide IU with additional flexibility — the Hoosiers could put Stephens at center and slide Mike Katic over to guard, or it could open up heavy packages with an extra lineman on the field. Stephens is also the biggest of the three players, though they’re all pretty close in size.
Evans has yet to see game action during his college career, which began at Wisconsin in 2022 before he transferred to IU. Lynch has appeared in nine games between his two seasons in Bloomington.
“Well both those guys (Lynch and Evans) have played probably limited football up to this point. But it’s time, it’s their time. Bray Lynch is a year older. Drew Evans is a real smart guy, he’s got a good natural strength, Bray Lynch has good movement. Tyler Stephens has started a lot of games at tackle, guard, is working some center now. (Offensive line coach) Bob (Bostad) is working four or five different guys at center,” Cignetti said. “They’re all capable, and we need them to step up.”
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