Coming off its first idle week of the season, Indiana football is set to host Nebraska at noon Saturday inside Memorial Stadium. With Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff in town, one of the Hoosiers starting linebackers is expected to return from injury.
Senior linebacker Jailin Walker exited the Hoosiers’ contest against Northwestern on Oct. 5 just before halftime. As he walked toward the locker room at the break, Walker didn’t have his jersey or his pads on as he favored his right arm. He watched the second half from the sideline.
Now, two weeks later, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti expects Walker to return to action Saturday without missing a game.
“J-Walk is a guy you never count out,” Cignetti said during his Monday press conference. “And I expect him to be full speed on Saturday.”
After moving to 6-0, Cignetti explained the training staff would see how Walker felt on the following Monday. The Richmond, Virginia, native was limited during spring camp and didn’t play in the spring game as he underwent offseason shoulder surgery.
Walker is no stranger to injuries, serious ones at that. Cignetti recalled Walker’s prior injuries that led medical staffs to believe he wouldn’t play again, just for him to return two weeks later.
Redshirt junior defensive lineman Mikail Kamara said Walker getting injured against the Wildcats wasn’t the “worst thing in the world” because of the Hoosiers’ idle week. He declared Walker wouldn’t miss another game.
While there are positions the Hoosiers don’t necessarily have a lot of depth, Cignetti said, he “feels good” about the linebacker room because of redshirt sophomore Isaiah Jones and freshman Rolijah Hardy’s continued development.
The Hoosiers are set to face off against Nebraska at noon Saturday inside Memorial Stadium. Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff will set up on the plaza south of the stadium — its first trip to Bloomington since Oct. 8, 2022. Fox’s top commentary lineup of Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt and Jenny Taft will be on the call.
Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and columnist Jhett Garrett (@jhettgarrett) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
