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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

sports football

COLUMN: How can IU replace its top receiving target?

Junior wide receiver Simmie Cobbs is walked off the field at Memorial Stadium on Saturday after being injured during IU's game against Ball State. IU won 30-20.

IU’s depth is about to be tested.

Just two games into the season, it appears the Hoosiers will be without junior receiver Simmie Cobbs Jr. for most, if not all, of the season.

Cobbs is a terrific player who had the potential to blossom into a star receiver for IU this season. But, Cobbs suffered an ankle injury on the first offensive play against Ball State.

With that injury, IU lost his 60 catches and 1,035 yards from last season.

This comes on the heels of losing sophomore J-Shun Harris II to an ACL injury before the season and tight end Jordan Fuchs to a significant ankle injury in the FIU game.

The depth the coaches raved about all preseason is about to be counted on.

“We’re a Big Ten team, you deal with it ... We’re fortunate,” IU Coach Kevin Wilson said. “We’re not a great team yet, but we’re getting depth, and we’re getting good enough that it’s not like, ‘Woe is Indiana.’ If something goes wrong, we’re just going to keep playing and keep pushing and keep 
working.”

Wilson understands the game, that’s why he’s stockpiled offensive weapons. IU has many options to replace Cobbs, but sophomore Nick Westbrook tops the list.

Westbrook looks ready to fill in for Cobbs. He went over 100 yards for the first time in his career Saturday and scored two touchdowns.

“Coach is always saying, ‘Next guy up.’ Someone has to be there whenever somebody is down or somebody gets hurt,” Westbrook said. “I took the most out of my opportunity and did the most of what I could do.”

In the first game of the season, Westbrook started in place of Cobbs — who was suspended — and caught six passes for 70 yards. He’s a speedy option who can take a short screen pass the distance or haul in deep passes.

“I think he’s really good, and I think Donovan Hale is really good,” Wilson said. “I think both those guys are as good as Simmie, just raw talent. And they’ve just got to mature into being the players that those guys are, so it’s good to see (Westbrook) growing up a bit.”

It isn’t all going to fall to Westbrook, as IU has plenty of other capable wide receivers.

Senior receivers Mitchell Paige and Ricky Jones are experienced and can take some of the receptions that Cobbs would have had. Sophomore receiver Luke Timian notched a touchdown against Ball State, and Hale — a converted quarterback — has earned high praise from the coaches.

With IU in a bye week, Hoosier receivers have time to gel and work more with junior quarterback Richard Lagow.

The biggest concern moving forward is if someone else gets injured at the position, things could get a lot worse. Depth can only get you so far, and at some point, “next man up” comes back to bite you.

That’s not now.

Westbrook is capable, don’t worry just yet.

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