Offensive line is the big question mark surrounding IU’s revamped attack in 2024.
And that unit has suffered a major loss before new head coach Curt Cignetti’s first season in Bloomington gets started.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel is reporting anticipated starting right guard Nick Kidwell will miss the entire 2024 season with a knee injury. The Daily Hoosier can confirm the report.
Kidwell also suffered an injury four games into the 2023 season and received a medical hardship waiver that cleared him to play this season, his seventh year on a college campus.
On the opening day of fall camp, Cignetti said Kidwell was one of the best two offensive lineman in the Sun Belt Conference last year if he hadn’t suffered an injury.
The 6-foot-5 and 316-pound Kidwell arrived on the James Madison campus as freshman in 2018. He was named all-conference in both 2021 and 2022. Kidwell transferred in December, following Cignetti from James Madison to Indiana. He also missed spring practice as he continued to rehab.
Offensive line coach Bob Bostad takes pride in developing versatile players who can shift to multiple positions. He’ll now have to find a new solution with his remaining options.
Redshirt sophomore Bray Lynch and redshirt junior Vinny Fiacable are the two players on the roster who saw the field at guard or center last season. Both had very limited roles. Lynch could play guard or center, providing some flexibility with anticipated starting center Mike Katic. Cignetti has also mentioned this summer the potential of Drew Evans, who transferred in from Wisconsin following the 2022 season.
Trey Wedig, another Wisconsin transfer who is expected to start at tackle, also played some at the guard spot for the Badgers. That potential move could open a tackle spot for redshirt freshman Austin Barrett if the staff feels he’s ready. Barrett was highly regarded as a true freshman.
If Kidwell wants to return for eighth year in college he could likely get a second medical hardship waiver.
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