Is Drew Evans out for the season? Exploring Indiana guard's injury update

Drew Evans is the starting left guard for the Indiana Hoosiers. The redshirt sophomore is the Hoosiers' top-rated pass blocker, according to PFF.

As we count down to the end of the regular season, let's examine Evans's availability.

Is Drew Evans out for the season?

Yes, Drew Evans is out for the season. According to Sports Illustrated, Evans sustained a significant Achilles injury this week during practice. The Hoosiers have subsequently listed him as out for the season via the Big Ten's pregame availability report for Week 11.

This injury comes as a blow to the unbeaten Hoosiers, as they'll now be without one of their best players for the business end of the season. Evans has started all nine games this season as the starting left guard. He has amassed an 85.3 pass-blocking grade and 66.7 run-blocking grade on one of the best offensive lines in the country.

What to expect of the Indiana Hoosiers without Drew Evans?

The Indiana Hoosiers' formidable offensive line is a major reason for their unbeaten start to the season. Carter Smith, Mike Katic, Bray Lynch, Trey Wedig, and Drew Evans protected whoever started for the Hoosiers with remarkable skill, and their performances are a major reason for their No. 8 rank in the AP Poll.

However, Evans's injury puts a spanner in their works as the regular season concludes. The team must now elevate a bench player to the starting lineup.

The program will likely utilize Adedamola Ajani or Tyler Stephens as the replacement player. Ajani is the more natural replacement as he's a career left guard, while Stephens is more natural at center but could do a job at left tackle.

Furthermore, while Ajani is slowly getting into the Hoosiers' rotation, Stephens leads Indiana's non-starting offensive linemen with 68 total snaps in 2024. He has extensive experience playing left tackle, left guard, and right tackle.

The Indiana Hoosiers have a pivotal fixture against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the penultimate game of the season. It'll be interesting to see how they shuffle the offensive line to contain a rapid Buckeyes pass rush.