9/12/2019 football Edit

Mike Penix is a "gameday decision" for week three

Taylor Lehman • TheHoosier

Staff

Indiana redshirt freshman quarterback Mike Penix will be a game-time decision for the Hoosiers' week-three game against No. 6 Ohio State, IU head coach Tom Allen announced Thursday during his final press conference of the week.

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Indiana redshirt freshman quarterback Mike Penix is a game-time decision for the Hoosiers' week-three game against Ohio State. (USA Today Images)

"He's working through some things right now," Allen told. "We're not 100-percent sure. If he can't go, then Peyton (Ramsey) will be ready."

Allen said the injury will not be a long-term issue and that Penix is rehabilitating after practicing "a little bit" during the week.

Indiana will go with redshirt junior Peyton Ramsey, who started the 2018 season for the Hoosiers and part of the 2017 season after unseating Richard Lagow from the position.

Ramsey has played in 21 total games during his career, including last week against Eastern Illinois, when he went 13-of-14 for 226 yards and two touchdowns. Against Ohio State in 2018, Ramsey went 26-of-49 for 322 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Allen said the staff "didn't know at the time" that Penix was injured when it put Ramsey into the game for a two-minute drill near the end of the first half against Eastern Illinois.

"I knew he needed to get reps regardless," Allen said about Ramsey. "But the bottom line is he's played a lot of football. It's a new system, so that's why I wanted to get him in there."

Penix is coming off a 2018 season where he tore his ACL, but Allen did not give specifics about which part of his body was injured or what exactly the injury might be.

In two games this season, Penix has totaled 523 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions on a 63-percent completion percentage. Pro Football Focus gave him the eighth-best grade among quarterbacks in the nation with 40 or more dropbacks.