While Indiana football shut out Indiana State University 73-0 on Sept. 12, it didn’t escape the contest without an injury.
Hoosiers redshirt junior running back Lee Beebe Jr. is out for the remainder of the 2025 season, head coach Curt Cignetti announced in a press conference Monday.
“Beebe sustained a non-contact knee injury and will be lost for the season,” Cignetti said.
Midway through the third quarter, Beebe rushed to the left through a hole opened by the offensive line. He then cut with his right leg, suffering the injury without being contacted. After going back to the locker room, Beebe emerged on the sideline with a brace on his right knee.
Across the first three games of the season, Beebe notched 27 carries for 209 yards and a touchdown. Indiana’s rushing attack — comprised of sixth-year senior Kaelon Black and redshirt senior Roman Hemby — amassed over 300 yards in each of the first three victories.
In Beebe’s absence, redshirt freshman running back Khobie Martin received the brunt of the rushing workload. The Fishers, Indiana, native had 11 carries for 109 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and Cignetti thought he “ran well.”
Indiana entered its final nonconference game with a potent three-back rushing game. Now, Martin needs to step into a larger role.
“He's got talent,” Cignetti said, “and he'll get more reps and we're going to need him.”
Martin’s first opportunity to make an impact next to Hemby and Black will come in front of a sold-out crowd against No. 9 Illinois at 7:30 p.m. Saturday inside Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.
Follow reporters Conor Banks (@Conorbanks06 and conbanks@iu.edu) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames and jamesdm@iu.edu) and columnist Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa and qmrichar@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
