Former FSU wide receiver suffers season-ending injury

The former top-100 recruit was in the midst of his first season with the Indiana Hoosiers

Multiple former Seminoles including James Blackman, Tre'Shaun Harrison, Cory Durden, and Jaiden Woodbey are having successful starts to the 2021 season at their new homes. Former Florida State wide receiver D.J. Matthews elected to spend his senior year with the Indiana Hoosiers after transferring to Bloomington on December 16. 

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Through his first four games, the move looked like it was paying off as Matthews recorded 13 catches for 165 yards, 2 rushes for 28 yards and a score, and an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown. Unfortunately for the Florida native, he was injured during Saturday's 33-31 over Western Kentucky.

Hoosiers head coach Tom Allen spoke with the media on Monday and announced that the grad transfer suffered a torn ACL. Matthews will miss the remainder of the season.

Allen says D.J. Matthews has torn his ACL and will be out for the season. "I hurt for him. He's had an amazing attitude."

— Dustin Dopirak (@DustinDopirak) September 27, 2021

It is expected that the one-time top-100 prospect will be issued a medical redshirt for this year and return to Indiana in 2022. Matthews was just beginning to build chemistry with starting quarterback Michael Penix after being named the Hoosiers' starting slot receiver and punt returner to open the season. 

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A week ago in a loss to No. 8 Cincinnatti, he caught five passes for 120 yards. The performance marked the second-best of his career and the most yards he had accumulated in a game in nearly three years. Matthews put up 133 yards and a touchdown on ten catches in a loss to North Carolina State in 2018.

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