Cam Jones, D.J. Matthews, AJ Barner, Jaylin Williams Out For Michigan Game
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – As the Indiana football team took the field for pregame warmups on Saturday, a group of its veteran leaders were not dressed out.
Indiana linebacker Cam Jones, the Big Ten's leading tackler and a three-time captain, is out with a foot injury. Indiana's second leading receiver, punt returner and big-play threat D.J. Matthews is out with a hamstring injury. Another team captain and first-string tight end AJ Barner won't play due to a foot injury. All-Big Ten cornerback Jaylin Williams is sidelined with a shoulder injury.
With these losses, expect a larger workload for Bradley Jennings Jr., Jared Casey and Matt Hohlt at linebacker. Tight end James Bomba is out again, meaning Aaron Steinfeldt will be the main tight end against Michigan. Expect more targets for Emery Simmons, Andison Coby, Malachi Holt-Bennett and Donaven McCulley with Matthews out. Without Williams, Bryan Lanier, Christopher Keys and Lem Watley-Neely should see expanded playing time.
These are four huge losses for an Indiana team approaching its toughest opponent of the season. From both a production and leadership perspective, playing without Jones, Matthews, Barner and Williams will be major challenge to this team.
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