IU Coach Kevin Wilson threw some not-so-subtle barbs at Hoosier fans Monday when he touched on the exodus performed by many in the second half of the win against Ball State.
“I thought that was a solid performance, played the first three quarters good,” Wilson said. “I don’t know if we had a lull, we probably played like our fans and just left in the fourth quarter.”
Wilson said he knows the team has to make plays for the fans to have something to cheer about and the Hoosiers could have been a bit cleaner against the Cardinals, but he didn’t discount the effect fans can have on the outcome of a game.
[COLUMN: Football fans need to make up their minds | Jamie Zega - IDS]
“Like Terry Hoeppner said years ago, fans help you win games,” Wilson said. “And we’d love to have our fans come help us because together this is our house. They’re a part of us. It’s not my house, it’s not my team’s house, that’s our house.”
The next test for IU comes at Memorial Stadium against Wake Forest, and Wilson took some time at his weekly press conference Monday to update the media on the major storylines heading into week four.
Injuries
Senior offensive lineman Dan Feeney still has yet to be cleared by team doctors after suffering a concussion early in the win against Ball State.
Wilson said his status is up to the doctors, as is junior running back Camion Patrick’s. Patrick is recovering from a knee injury sustained during spring ball, and if he does play Saturday, he would likely see time at wide receiver in order for him to build up the stamina and strength needed for him to play running back.
Kiante Enis is also in the concussion protocol, and senior linebacker T. J. Simmons has joined junior wide receiver Simmie Cobbs Jr. on the list of injured players who Wilson sees using an available redshirt year as an option.
“T. J. Simmons is coming off a bum knee where he’s not really playing yet,” Wilson said. “He’s got a redshirt year, but we’re trying to just get him.”
Wilson said Cobbs and junior tight end Jordan Fuchs have both been engaged in team meetings after suffering injuries that will keep them out for the majority, if not all, of the season. Specific to Cobbs, Wilson said the team will look at the short and long term statuses of his health before making a decision on bringing him back this year.
Wake Forest
Another dangerous opponent awaits the Hoosiers this weekend.
Wake Forest is 3-0 to start the season and comes to Bloomington off a dominating win against Delaware this past weekend.
“They’re playing team football, and they’ve had three really good team wins,” Wilson said. “I think we’ve had two good team wins, so I think these two teams are going to match up.”
The Demon Deacons will be without their starting quarterback, sophomore Kendall Hinton, as he sprained his posterior cruciate ligament in the win against Delaware. The injury will keep him out two to four weeks.
Junior John Wolford will play in his place, and although he’s less of a run threat than Hinton, he still has the capability to make defenses pay on the ground if they allow him enough room to work with. Wolford also played extensively for Wake Forest his first two seasons, so just because IU isn’t getting the 2016 starter doesn’t mean it won’t face a good quarterback.
Wilson predicts another close game, in line with some of the last six, of which IU has won four and lost two in overtime.
Jordan Guskey
