The injury bug didn’t wait for the season to begin for IU.
Senior safety Raheem Layne will miss a meaningful portion of the 2020 season according to defensive coordinator Kane Wommack.
Wommack indicated in a video conference with the media on Friday that Layne had a procedure but did not elaborate on the nature of the injury. He suggested that Layne could return in the middle of the season.
The 6-foot-1 and 197 pound Layne is the second key piece of the IU secondary that has suffered a significant injury. Redshirt senior husky Marcelino Ball is out for the season after suffering a knee injury.
Layne started the first 5 games of 2019 and played in all 13 games. He posted 30 tackles (28 solo) including two for a loss and added three pass breakups.
For his career at IU, Layne has appeared in 37 games with 13 starts. He has 82 tackles over the last three seasons.
An impact player from day one, Layne was IU’s Defensive Newcomer of the Year in 2017.
The injury to Layne will be felt beyond just the defense. The Deland, Fla. product was IU’s 2019 special teams player of the year.
The Hoosiers will also miss Layne’s versatility. He moved from cornerback to safety during the spring.
Indiana has Devon Matthews, Juwan Burgess and Jamar Johnson as returning safeties with significant experience. The Hoosiers moved veteran Bryant Fitzgerald to the husky position.
Layne switched from No. 17 to No. 0 during the offseason. The NCAA recently changed its rules to permit No. 0 on football teams.
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