Fifth-year senior wide receiver E.J. Williams Jr. is no longer part of Indiana’s football team, a source confirmed to the Indiana Daily Student on Monday.
In a statement released on X on Tuesday, Williams said he will undergo surgery on an undisclosed injury to get fully healthy had the intention to contribute to Indiana next season.
“I made this decision because the team was perfectly fine without me in the game and I also want to have a chance at being able to continue my career at the professional level,” Williams said in the release. “While making this decision, my coach saw it as quitting on the team, so if I was to redshirt, I wouldn’t be able to come back to the program next season.”
Williams added there was mutual respect between him and the coaching staff regarding his decision, and no bad blood exists. He said he appreciates the entire staff and wished his teammates well for the final five games of the regular season.
Williams, who transferred to Indiana from Clemson University in January 2023, caught two passes for 49 yards in four appearances this season.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Williams emerged as a capable weapon late in the 2023 season. Over the final four games of the year, he caught 20 passes for 247 yards. He finished the season with 23 grabs for 281 yards.
In the final month of the 2023 campaign, Williams and then-junior wideout Donaven McCulley led Indiana in receiving. But now, as the Hoosiers sit at 7-0 and are ranked No. 13 nationally, neither are on the team. McCulley previously announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal Oct. 1.
Since he’s only played in four games, Williams still has his redshirt intact. Thus, he can depart Indiana and play a sixth season if he chooses.
The Hoosiers return to action at noon Saturday against Washington inside Memorial Stadium.
Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and columnist Jhett Garrett (@jhettgarrett) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
