Lee Beebe Jr. Injury Update
Let’s talk about the Lee Beebe Jr. injury, because, wow, it changed the vibe of an otherwise joyful Friday night at Memorial Stadium. Indiana had been absolutely rolling over Indiana State seriously, a 73-0 win? That doesn’t happen unless everything’s humming. But then, mid-third quarter, just as fans were half-dreaming of postgame snacks, Beebe Jr. took a nine-yard carry near the sideline, and the stadium’s energy shifted. He just went down no defender, no dramatic collision, just that ominous drop every sports fan dreads. Non-contact injuries always send a jolt of worry through the crowd, maybe even more so when it’s a key dude like Beebe, who’s part of a running back rotation the Hoosiers have really leaned on this season.
It happened with just over nine minutes left in the third, score already a blowout at 52-0. Some folks were probably already peeking at their phones or plotting exit routes to beat traffic. But when Beebe stayed down and the trainers jogged over, all eyes were on the sideline. He limped to the tent, favoring his right leg, and eventually made that longer walk to the locker room a moment that probably had a few of us muttering under our breath and checking Twitter for updates. Coach Cignetti, stone-faced as ever, offered little right after the game, just the usual “we’ll know more Sunday or Monday.” A classic postgame non-update if you cover football, you know the type. The coaches never want to say anything too soon. But sometimes, no news is tough news.
Beebe’s story is kinda inspiring. Not a blue-chip recruit, but a former walk-on who blew up for UAB last year 1,103 yards from scrimmage and ranked top-20 in yards after contact across the country. Kind of a bowling ball with legs, the guy forced 39 missed tackles last year and racked up 25 chunk plays of 10+ yards. It’s just cool watching someone who really worked for every snap now playing for the No. 19 team in the nation, helping power a ground game that’s averaging over 8 yards a carry again, wild numbers, especially considering Indiana’s hit that 300-yard rushing mark for the third straight game, something they’d only done once in the last 30 years. The ground game is humming, and Beebe’s fingerprints are all over that.
So, is it a disaster? Not necessarily, but it’s a gut-punch in the middle of a celebration. Indiana’s fortunate to have a running back room that includes Maryland transfer Roman Hemby and sixth-year senior Kaelon Black a little depth softens any blow. Plus, redshirt freshman Khobie Martin came in and went wild with his first 100-yard game, two scores, and honestly looked like he belonged. You love seeing a young guy step up. But still: there’s no exact “next man up” replacement for Beebe’s blend of low-center-of-gravity power and scrappy attitude. If you bought a Beebe jersey this summer, you’re probably refreshing your feed hourly until Sunday.
In the end, football’s a week-to-week sport. This blowout will fade into the background if Indiana can keep the streak alive against tougher opponents, but what you really hope for what fans care about most is that Beebe gets a good prognosis and can get back out there with the crew. The Hoosiers’ winning streak, the rushing averages, and that 3-0 record are great, but it’d be a major bummer if Beebe’s story has to hit pause. Until Sunday or Monday, we hope for the best, root for whoever lines up in the backfield, and remember: sometimes the guy with the most heart really is the hardest to replace.
