Indiana has key players carrying a questionable tag as the attention turns to Penn State this week.
We may not know for sure the status linebacker Aiden Fisher and wide receiver Elijah Sarratt until pregame warmups at Beaver Stadium on Saturday.
One player who is definitively out is left guard Drew Evans. Coach Curt Cignetti said Saturday Evans would be out “a few weeks” and he confirmed Monday Evans won’t play at Penn State. Indiana plays Penn State, then Wisconsin, and then they have a bye before Purdue. That season finale at West Lafayette lines up with Cignetti’s timeline for a potential return for Evans.
Ohio State transfer Zen Michalski filled in for Evans against Maryland, and Indiana rushed for 367 yards and allowed just one sack.
As for Fisher and Sarratt and others?
“We’ll know more on everyone as the week progresses,” Cignetti said.
Cignetti says Fisher made good progress toward the end of last week. “Really optimistic on him,” says Cignetti of his All-American linebacker.
“Elijah we’ll know more day to day. He’s been dealing with something last two weeks, but has been able to play. He had a little tweak of something else early in the game (against Maryland), and we got him out for precautionary reasons.”
Wideout Charlie Becker saw a significant role in Sarratt’s absence, while linebacker Isaiah Jones filled in for Fisher in the 55-10 win at Maryland.
“Charlie Becker has done a good job. He’s taken advantage of his opportunities and saw more playing time on Saturday. Also a real key guy on our special teams,” Cignetti said.
Cignetti was asked whether the 12-team College Football Playoff field and protracted season impacts his thinking when it comes to managing injuries.
“I’m always thinking about the health of our football team, which is why we practice the way we practice,” Cignetti said. “And if you happen to notice at the end of the games, we’re running the clock and snapping the ball with two seconds to reduce the number of plays in the game which we’ve done in the games where we’ve gotten ahead.
“We take those things day-to-day and make the best decision. Starting with the individual’s health.”
No. 2 Indiana (9-0, 6-0) and Penn State (3-5, 0-5) kick at Noon ET Saturday (FOX).
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