Indiana will start its true freshman quarterback, Donaven McCulley, for the second consecutive game, head coach Tom Allen announced Monday.

McCulley was originally expected to redshirt for the 2021 season. But after starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and backup QB Jack Tuttle went down with injuries, McCulley recorded his first-ever start against Maryland last week.

“I love the way he approaches things every day,” Allen told reporters Monday. “He’s a humble guy. He’s a great teammate, and he’s a hard worker. So, there are a lot of good qualities that make you excited to have him. That’s why we were excited to have him on our team and expected him to be able to redshirt and to have a chance to develop even more this off season, but things change, and he’s now our starting quarterback.”

Penix sustained a shoulder injury against Penn State Oct. 2. He hasn’t played a game since. 

Tuttle suffered a foot injury in the Hoosiers’ matchup against Ohio State Oct. 23. He did not travel to Maryland last week.

McCulley went 14-of-25 passing with two touchdowns in the Hoosiers’ 38-35 loss to the Terrapins.

Now, McCulley will take charge of the 2-6 Hoosiers’ offense in their primetime game against 7-1  Michigan in Ann Arbor on Saturday night. Indiana has not beaten a Big Ten team in 2021.

Indiana’s sole wins of the season have come against Idaho and Western Kentucky

Minnesota running back Bryce Williams out for season

The Golden Gophers have lost their fourth running back of the season.

Head coach PJ Fleck announced Monday that junior running back Bryce Williams suffered a lower leg injury that will keep him out for the rest of the year in the first quarter of the Gophers’ loss to Northwestern last week.

Williams finished the season with 186 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 37 carries.

The Gophers’ top RB, senior Mohamed Ibrahim, went down in the first game of the season with a torn Achilles. Minnesota’s backup, Trey Potts, suffered an undisclosed injury against Purdue Oct. 2. He was ruled out for the rest of the season after spending almost a week in the hospital.

Redshirt freshman Cam Wiley entered the transfer portal midway through the season, leaving Minnesota with just two healthy scholarship running backs for its final four games.

True freshman Mar’Keise Irving and redshirt freshman Ky Thomas will anchor the Gophers’ running back room for the rest of the season.

Frost comments on job security

Nebraska head coach Scott Frost said Monday he isn’t paying attention to any talk about his job status in his fourth season with the Cornhuskers.

Frost is 15-26 overall through his four years with Nebraska, and 3-6 on the 2021 season with an ending slate of No. 5 Ohio State, Wisconsin, and No. 19 Iowa.

“You learn as a coach not to pay any attention to that stuff,” Frost said Monday. “I owe it to the kids to give them my everything, so do the coaches, and we are. And the kids are giving us everything they have right back because of our relationship with those guys. Everything else doesn’t matter. We can only control what we can control.”

Frost said he’s confident in his team this season and the program going forward. The coach is under contract until the end of the 2026 season, and will receive a $20 million buyout unless he is fired with cause.

First-year Nebraska Athletic Director Trev Alberts avoided talking about Frost’s job status on “Sports Nightly” last week, saying broad statements in the middle of the season can be “very counterproductive.”