The Indiana Hoosiers have played just one game in the new college football season, but they are already dealing with several injuries. Several key playmakers went down early in the game against North Texas, leaving Curt Cignetti to make some in-game adjustments.
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The Hoosiers are set for their Week 2 matchup against Howard on Saturday, September 12 at Noon ET. They won't be fully healthy, so in a game where they are favored by 56.5-points, all the Hoosiers want to do in this contest is pickup a big win and avoid further injury.
Here is a look at Indiana's injury report for Week 2 against Howard. The final official availability report will be announced two hours prior to kick-off.
RB Khobie Martin: OUT
Redshirt sophomore running back Khobie Martin suffered a broken forearm in the 1st quarter against North Texas. The injury occurred before he was able to see a single rushing attempt. It was a tough blow for Martin, as he entered the 2026 campaign on breakout watch after racking up 505 yards and 6 touchdowns last season. Cignetti stated that Martin is expected to be out until sometime around midseason, which causes a bit of a shake-up in the Hoosier backfield.
Replacement: Lee Beebe Jr.
The Hoosiers entered the season with a three-headed monster in the backfield that included Martin, Boston College transfer Turbo Richard, and Lee Beebe Jr. With Martin out of the picture, Richard and Beebe will be tasked with creating a 1-2 punch for the IU rushing attack. Richard figures to be the starter, while Beebe should be tasked with taking on a bigger role. After averaging just 2.9 yards per carry over the course of 14 attempts against North Texas, this matchup against Howard is a great chance for Beebe to see significant opportunities and further himself as a dependable threat.
CB AJ Harris: Game time decision
AJ Harris transferred from Penn State to Indiana after earning Honorable Mention All-Big Ten recognition last season. However, his Hoosier debut did not go as planned as he suffered an undisclosed injury in the 1st quarter of the season opener. He was not able to return, but earlier this week Cignetti that he is considered day-to-day. At this point in time he can be viewed as a game time decision for Week 2 against Howard.
Replacement: Ryland Gandy
Ryland Gandy was in a heated battle with Harris for a starting cornerback spot over the course of fall camp. Harris ended up winning that battle, but Gandy is more than capable of taking on a bigger role if needed. He appeared in all 16 games last season, and provides some valuable depth in Indiana's CB room.
CB Jamari Sharpe: Game time decision
Indiana's other starting cornerback, Jamari Sharpe, also suffered an early injury against North Texas. Like Harris, Sharpe was unable to return to the action the rest of the way. But also like Harris, Sharpe's injury is also not considered to be serious. He is also listed as day-to-day and will be a game time decision on Saturday.
Replacement: Jaylen Bell
Jaylen Bell is a second-year player with limited experience, but he performed well in the season opener when his name was called. Bell played in 55 of Indiana's 71 defensive snaps on the day, and collected 4.0 tackles (3 solo). He should see an increased role once again if Sharpe is unable to play or limited in any way.
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