BREAKING: Indiana QB Michael Penix Jr. Has Shoulder Separation, May Miss Games
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Michael Penix Jr. has a long string of accomplishments as the quarterback at Indiana, but his long list of injuries just got longer, too.
Indiana coach Tom Allen said Monday morning that Penix, the redshirt junior from Tampa, Fla., has an AC joint separation in his left throwing shoulder and will be out for some time. Surgery will not be required, Allen said, but rest and rehabilitation will be.
"He will not need surgery, and he rehab process has already started,'' he said. ''Being very transparent, there are some unknowns with the rehab process, and we don't exactly know the timetable. We believe he can heal and be productive, but time will tell.''
Penix has dealt with injuries throughout his career at Indiana. During his first start as a freshman in 2018, he tore his ACL in a game against Penn State.
In 2019 after a hard and arduous rehab, he won the starting job over Peyton Ramsey in camp, but strained his shoulder in Week 2 against Eastern Illinois. In October, he had a concussion against Maryland that knocked him out of the game and in an early November game against Northwestern, he fractured his clavicle and needed season ending surgery.
During the 2020 season, Penix became a breakout star and led Indiana to win in five of its first six games, But will running out of bounds against Maryland in December, he tore is ACL a second time and needed surgery.
He's worked feverishly to be ready for the start of this season, and was cleared for full participation prior to fall camp. He's claimed to be 100 percent healthy, but he has been tentative at times during Indiana's 2-3 start. Fans have complained that he isn't running enough, but, ironically, is was on a running play Saturday night that he was tackled and taken down to the ground hard.
Jack Tuttle will likely get the start when Indiana returns to the field on Oct. 16 with a home game against Michigan State. True freshman Donaven McCulley moves into the No. 2 spot when Penix can't go.
"We have always considered Jack as a starter, and we feel confident going forward. that we can play well with him as our quarterback.''
"He is a very gifted athlete and a very good quarterback. I've been very impressed with his progress so far.''
In other news, Allen said that sophomore running back Tim Baldwin Jr. is leaving the program and has enterer the transfer portal. He has been a backup to Stephen Carr this season. Baldwin has 28 carries for 103 yards this season, which has been hampered by fumbles.
He lost one on the 2-yard line in the fourth quarter against Cincinnati when the Hoosiers were about to take the lead, and he fumbled again the following week at Western Kentucky, but Indiana recovered.
This story will be updated.
