Kidwell Injury Intensifies Offensive Line Competition

Drew Evans, Bray Lynch and Tyler Stephens are the top candidates to replace the injured Nick Kidwell on Indiana’s offensive line.

Indiana offensive linemen Drew Evans (62) and Tyler Stephens (77) warm up for fall practice. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana’s offensive line has been forced to adapt after an injury during fall camp.

Nick Kidwell was expected to be the Hoosiers’ starting guard, but he’ll miss the 2024 season with a knee injury. News of Kidwell’s injury broke on Aug. 14, about two and a half weeks before  the season opener against Florida International on Aug. 31.

Kidwell transferred from James Madison to Indiana this offseason with a seventh and final season of collegiate eligibility. At 6-foot-5 and 316 pounds, Kidwell appeared in 52 games with 34 starts at James Madison, playing both right tackle and right guard.

Kidwell was named first-team All-Colonial Athletic Association in 2021 and second-team All-Sun Belt in 2022. He was in line to finish his college career at James Madison in 2023, but he suffered a season-ending injury four games into the season. He received a medical hardship waiver, which granted him another year eligibility at Indiana in 2024.

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti has been with Kidwell nearly his whole career, so the injury affects him in multiple ways. 

“On a personal level, it’s really hard,” Cignetti said Monday. “Because Nick’s been with the program really since 2019, was actually there in ‘18 before I got hired [at James Madison]. And he started a lot of games, played a lot of football, good player.”

“He really put a lot of time in rehabbing, coming back. [He] was rounding back into form, was a big part of our initial plans. I felt bad for him because I know what his goals were coming into the season.”

With Kidwell sidelined, the top replacement candidates include Bray Lynch, Drew Evans and Tyler Stephens. While he’s used to having Kidwell as a mainstay on the offensive line, Cignetti can draw on past experiences to address this situation.

“As I look back, since 2019 we’ve lost an All-Conference or All-American – one or two – every year in camp or early in the season and usually on the d-line or o-line and had to overcome those and we have,” Cignetti said. “So it’s a next-man-up mentality, and right now we got  Bray Lynch, Drew Evans and Tyler Stephens as sort of a triangle in there, three for two [spots]. They’re capable, and I have confidence in them. So we’ll see what the future holds for Nick.”

Indiana offensive lineman Bray Lynch (74) pictured during fall camp. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Indiana lost starting offensive linemen Matthew Bedford (Oregon), Kahlil Benson (Colorado) and Zach Carpenter (Miami) after the 2023 season. But Mike Katic returned for his sixth-year senior season and has moved to center after starting all 12 games at left guard last season. Carter Smith returned to Indiana for his redshirt sophomore season with 12 games of starting experience at left tackle under his belt.

Wisconsin transfer Trey Wedig is expected to be the Hoosiers’ starting right tackle in 2024. He played in 35 games with eight starts at Wisconsin, playing right tackle, right guard and left guard. That leaves both starting guard spots up for grabs between Lynch, Evans and Stephens.

Indiana offensive lineman Nick Kidwell (55) during the first day of fall practice on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

The most glaring difference between Kidwell and the new potential starters is experience. Evans spent the 2022 season at Wisconsin, but he redshirted and did not play. He transferred to Indiana for the 2023 season but also didn’t see the field. So if the 6-foot-4, 306-pound Evans is thrust into a bigger role without Kidwell, he’ll take his first snaps at the collegiate level this season.

Indiana offensive line coach Bob Bostad is familiar with Evans from his time at Wisconsin from 2017-22. He recruited Evans out of Fort Atkinson High School in Wisconsin, where Evans was considered a two-star recruit and the No. 225 interior offensive lineman in the class of 2022 by 247Sports. 

Lynch was part of former head coach Tom Allen’s 2022 recruiting class and now enters his third season in Bloomington. He has played 71 total snaps in 10 games on the offensive line and special teams across two seasons in a backup role with the Hoosiers.

Lynch was a three-star recruit ranked No. 1,033 in the nation and No. 95 among offensive tackles, per the 247Sports Composite. He attended Westlake High School in Austin, Texas, which won three consecutive state titles from 2019-21.

“Both of those guys have played probably limited football at this point, but it’s time. It’s their time,” Cignetti said. “Bray Lynch is a year older. Drew Evans is a real smart guy, has got natural strength. Bray Lynch has good movement.”

Stephens is by far the most experienced of the three mentioned, as he transferred to Indiana this offseason following 36 games across four seasons at James Madison. His versatility could be valuable to the Hoosiers in this situation. 

Stephens has started 13 games at left guard, 12 at left tackle and six at right tackle in his career. He was named first-team All-Colonial Athletic Association in 2021 and second-team All-Sun Belt in 2023.

“Tyler Stephens has started a lot of games at tackle, guard, has worked some center now,” Cignetti said. “Bob’s working four or five different guys at center. So like I said before, they’re all capable and we need them to step up.”

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• KIDWELL INJURED: James Madison transfer Nick Kidwell was expected to play a key role on Indiana's offensive line in 2024, but instead he will miss the entire season with a knee injury. CLICK HERE

• SHANAHAN, HAINES LOYAL TO CIGNETTI: Defensive coordinator Bryant Haines and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan explained why they have stuck with the Indiana coach for much of his head coaching journey. CLICK HERE

• HAINES SEES CULTURE CHANGE: A graduate assistant in 2012 under Kevin Wilson, Haines has returned with Curt Cignetti. CLICK HERE

• SHANAHAN'S PLAN FOR IU OFFENSE: Indiana’s new offensive coordinator sees an opportunity to heavily rotate the wide receivers and running backs after bringing in a transfer portal haul of experienced players. CLICK HERE