Indiana Starting Left Guard Drew Evans Out For Season

Indiana starting left guard Drew Evans is out for the season.

Indiana announced Saturday afternoon that Evans suffered an achilles injury this week during practice. He is also listed out for the season on the Big Ten's pregame availability report.

Evans, a redshirt sophomore, has started all nine games at left guard during the 2024 season. Evans has the highest pass-blocking grade (85.3) and the fourth-highest run-blocking grade (66.7) among Indiana's starting offensive linemen, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).

The 6-foot-4, 306-pound lineman joined Indiana during the 2023 season, but he did not play in any games.

Evans began his career with one season at Wisconsin, but he redshirted and did not play. He spent that season under offensive line coach Bob Bostad, who now holds the same title for the Hoosiers. Evans is originally from Fort Atkinson, Wis.

Without Evans, Indiana could turn to fifth-year senior Tyler Stephens for the starting left guard position. Stephens leads Indiana's non-starting offensive linemen with 68 total snaps this season. He has mostly played in offensive formations where Indiana brings in an extra offensive lineman.

Stephens started 31 games at James Madison from 2020-23, taking snaps at left tackle, left guard and right tackle. He was named second-team All-Sun Belt in 2023.

Indiana offensive linemen Cooper Jones, Austin Leibfried, Austin Barrett, Adedamola Ajani and Jack Greer each have between 23 and 41 snaps this season. They have played when Indiana has brought in the second-team offense after taking a big lead late in games.

Indiana's offensive linemen have a tough challenge this week against a Michigan defense than has the 11th-highest grade for defense (91.6) in the nation, per PFF. Michigan has the fifth-highest grade for run defense (92.6) and the No. 1 overall grade for pass rushing (90.7).

Kickoff between No. 8 Indiana (9-0) and Michigan (5-4) is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The game will be nationally televised on CBS.