The Indiana Hoosiers entered Week 1 essentially at full health. However, the Hoosiers suffered injuries to multiple key players in their 52-16 win over North Texas on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium. Here's the latest on what is known.
Indiana Football injury update: Where things stand after the season opener
Indiana saw three key playmakers go down with injuries against North Texas. On the defensive side, both starting cornerbacks were forced to leave the game with injuries. Penn State transfer A.J. Harris and Jamari Sharpe both left the game with undisclosed injuries in the first half. They would not return.
On the offensive side, redshirt sophomore running back Khobie Martin suffered a fractured forearm early in the game. Entering what could be a breakout season, Martin did not record a single carry before suffering the injury. He did not return.
Key injuries are never what you want to see, especially this early in the season. Those are three big names that the Hoosiers lost early on in the season opener. Indiana was still able to win the game handily, but Harris, Sharpe, and Martin are all strong contributors with steady roles at their respective positions.
The good news is that Curt Cignetti stated after the game that the injuries to Harris and Sharpe are short term. "They will be back," Cignetti said to the media following the contest. "Those are not long term deals." That is certainly good to hear, as losing both starting cornerbacks in Week 1 could be a tough pill to swallow.
With Harris and Sharpe sidelined, Jaylen Bell and Ryland Gandy played cornerback for the Hoosiers. Bell is a second-year with limited experience, but performed well when called upon. Gandy was in a heated battle with Harris for a starting cornerback spot over the course of fall camp. He also put forth a strong showing in the opener, and that depth proved to be extremely valuable.
Cignetti didn't specify if Harris and/or Sharpe would be back next week against Howard, but it seems like they will return to the field sooner rather than later. If they are out, Gandy and Bell should be expected to take on leading roles.
Khobie Martin expected to miss some time
Cignetti said that Martin's injury is a bit more severe. “He might be out a little bit,” Cignetti said of Martin after the game. The Fishers, IN native was primed for a bigger role in 2026 after being Indiana's RB3 behind Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black last season. He ran for 505 yards, 6.5 yards per carry, and 6 touchdowns last year, and was a legitimate breakout candidate heading into the new season. That could still happen, but it might be more delayed than previously thought.
With Martin out, Boston College transfer Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe Jr. held down the Hoosier RB room. Both were great. Richard ran 15 times for 58 and scored a pair of touchdowns, while also providing some electric plays on special teams. Beebe ran 14 times for 33 yards, and thought he had a touchdown but it was called back for holding.
The strong performances from both Richard and Beebe was great to see, as they will be tasked with carrying the load with Martin sidelined. Hopefully Martin can make his return to the field without missing an extended period of time.
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