Collin Hartman’s rehabilitation from knee surgery remains on schedule.
The fifth-year senior IU forward continues to make progress in his recovery, and head coach Archie Miller remains optimistic about the direction it's taking.
Hartman missed all of last season with a right knee injury sustained in September, the second knee injury of his Indiana career. He’s one of five players who chose to spend their entire summer on campus, joining senior guard Robert Johnson, junior forward Juwan Morgan, sophomore forward De’Ron Davis and sophomore guard Curtis Jones.
“Where he started at seven weeks ago, if it was at a level one, I felt when we finished the spring he was probably at a level three or four,” Miller said of Hartman. “Then as we started our summer, to see where he started at to where he’s at right now, he’s starting to move in that direction where I can start to see the player that he once was.”
In late March, Hartman announced his decision to return to Indiana for a fifth and final season.
During a beat writers’ roundtable in April, Miller said “a better finish” was part of the reason for his return.
Not long after, the Indianapolis Cathedral product committed to spending his entire summer on campus to focus on his rehab.
Hartman, who also got engaged on senior night, was a full participant in workouts this spring but was kept away from contact. Miller said everything is “on track” with Hartman’s rehabilitation.
“His training is great, he works extremely hard,” Miller said. “The great thing about him is, and it’s what everybody told me about him, the confidence that he can give a locker room, the experience level that he has, what he’s about personally in terms of his commitment to his teammates, there’s very few guys that can come off that way all the time.”
While Miller is optimistic about Hartman’s progress, he also made it clear the program will take its time working him back into the mix. The official start of practice is about three months away.
For now, Hartman will continue to provide leadership to the extent his recovery timeline will allow.
“It’s like having another coach. It really is,” Miller said. It’s like having another coach in the weight room, it’s like having another coach in the locker room. He’s got a great vibe about him as a competitor.
“We’re excited for him right now, and again, we’ll take him slow though. I don’t think he’s going to be running up and down playing pickup or anything like that, but he’s on a great path to being where we want him to be when we need him to be ready.”
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