Indiana Enters Game With UVA Without Top 2 Runners

When Indiana hosts Virginia this Saturday night in Bloomington, the Hoosiers will be without its two leading rushers from a year ago.

Cole Gest, a redshirt sophomore, who was IU’s starter in its 38-28 win over Florida International over the weekend, torn an ACL during the game and will miss the rest of the season.

Indiana coach Tom Allen reported the news at his weekly press conference on Monday and did not provide an update on the “indefinite suspension” of running back Morgan Ellison, who led the Hoosiers in rushing in 2017 with 704 yards and six touchdowns. Ellison was suspended Aug. 24 with no announced reason for the action.

Meanwhile, Gest was IU’s second-leading rusher last season with 428 yards in 10 appearances, including one start.

“Hate it for him,” Allen told media. “I know how hard he’s worked, and played extremely well when he was in there and great, great person, works unbelievably hard and, obviously has a setback now he has to handle. We’ll be with him side by side through this whole process, and he’ll come back stronger than ever.”

It was not Gest’s first setback. He missed the 2016 season due to health issues from which he gained a medical waiver to get that year back.

The injury means the Hoosiers will most likely be without their top two rushers from last season when they defeated Virginia, 34-17 in Charlottesville. Ellis was Indiana’s leading rusher in that game (12 carries, 47 yards). Gest had only two attempts for eight yards.

According to the new Hoosiers’ depth chart, Mike Majette is slated to start with Ricky Brookins listed as backup. However freshman Steve Scott led Indiana in rushing in the win over Florida International with 70 yards on 20 carries, a 3.5 average per rush. No other Hoosier running back had more than eight carries in that game.

Scott caught the eyes of IU’s coaching staff late in training camp.

“Steve continues to be a guy that we really didn’t know if he would take any snaps at all this year,” Allen said. “He was injured his senior year of high school, didn’t play a lot that year, played both offense and defense, so it wasn’t like he was a seasoned guy. So, been encouraged by him.”

Another freshman, Ronnie Walker, did not play in IU’s trip to Miami, but was one of the program’s top-rated recruits for this season.

Allen said Monday that he was anxious to see Walker step up.