Indiana football’s Thursday availability report came with a surprise addition.
Starting right guard Joe Brunner is out for Saturday’s top-20 showdown against USC.
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg reported on X Brunner suffered an injury at practice on Thursday.
This is Indiana’s first setback along the offensive line this season. No one on the starting front has missed a game ahead of this weekend. Brunner has played a team high 542 snaps.
Where will Indiana turn in Brunner’s absence?
Freshman Sam Simpson has played 23 snaps at right guard this season.
Starting right tackle Adedamola Ajani played one snap right guard. He played on the interior some last year and at one point during the offseason was slated to play right guard this season. Baylor Wilkin has played some right tackle snaps and could fill in if Ajani were to be moved inside.
Matt Marek, Evan Parker and Austin Leibfried are other interior options. They have all played left guard snaps this year in limited action.
Leibfried has generally been IU’s sixth offensive lineman when they go with six up front. He leads all reserve offensive linemen with 49 snaps.
There was one bit of good news Thursday as cornerback A.J. Harris progressed from questionable to probable to play against USC.
Linebacker Rolijah Hardy remains questionable.
The full Thursday availability report is below.
