Indiana Football Provides Injury Update for Quarterback Dexter Williams II

Indiana football gave an injury update on redshirt sophomore quarterback Dexter Williams II, who suffered a right knee injury on Saturday against Purdue.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Redshirt sophomore quarterback Dexter Williams II suffered a knee dislocation with significant structural damage to his knee in the 2022 season finale against Purdue. 

Williams is scheduled to undergo surgery next week and will be further evaluated at that time. Indiana football announced this injury update on Twitter Wednesday afternoon.

This injury to his right knee occurred late in the first quarter of Indiana's 30-16 loss to Purdue on Saturday. Williams' his knee gave out as he planted to change direction, and he fell to the ground without contact from a defender. Medical staff immediately took Williams off the field in a cart, and he was taken to the hospital.

Indiana's Dexter Williams (5) winces in pain as he is injured during the first half of the Indiana versus Purdue football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022 :: © Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Williams previously suffered a torn ACL in the spring of 2021, which caused him to miss the entire 2021 season. The timetable for his return from his current injury is not known at this time. 

Williams made his college football debut this season in the second half against Penn State. He played three quarters against Ohio State, and made his first career start in Indiana's 39-31 win at Michigan State. Williams, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound quarterback from Macon, Ga., finished the season completing 13-of-38 pass attempts for 184 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He proved to be a major running threat for Indiana, rushing 40 times for 165 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown run against Michigan State.

During Saturday's game between Washington and Washington State, former Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr. wore a towel saying "4 Dex #5" as he led Washington to a 51-33 win.

With Williams' status for next season unknown, and with quarterbacks Connor Bazelak, Jack Tuttle and Grant Gremel entering the transfer portal this week, Indiana coach Tom Allen will likely look to bring in a transfer quarterback for the 2023 season. As it currently stands, Williams, true freshman Brendan Sorsby, walk-on Will Jontz and incoming freshman quarterback Broc Lowry are the only quarterbacks on Indiana's 2023 roster. 

Related stories on Indiana football 

• LUCAS BIG TEN RETURNER OF THE YEAR: Jaylin Lucas headlined a group of seven Indiana football players that earned All-Big Ten distinction for defense or special teams on Monday. Lucas was named the Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year, and Tiawan Mullen, Cam Jones, Aaron Casey, Dasan McCullough, Charles Campbell and James Evans received honorable mentions. CLICK HERE
• BAZELAK IN TRANSFER PORTAL: After transferring from Missouri to Indiana before the 2022 season, quarterback Connor Bazelak has entered the transfer portal again. Bazelak joins Jack Tuttle and Grant Gremel as quarterbacks transferring out of Indiana this offseason. CLICK HERE
• GREMEL IN TRANSFER PORTAL: Grant Gremel, a walk-on quarterback at Indiana who started the 2021 Old Oaken Bucket game, entered the transfer portal on Monday. CLICK HERE
• CAMPBELL IN TRANSFER PORTAL: Indiana kicker Charles Campbell entered the transfer portal on Monday after five years as a Hoosier, ending his career with a perfect 73-for-73 mark on extra points and 39-for-51 on field goals. CLICK HERE