Indiana–USC Availability Report: Joe Brunner Out, Josh Hoover Available
By Coach Shannon Griffith | Hoosier Football Tailgate | November 14, 2026
Indiana’s biggest personnel loss against USC is starting right guard Joe Brunner. The fifth-year senior started all nine games at right guard before suffering an injury in practice Thursday. CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported concern that the injury could end Brunner’s season. Indiana has yet to announce a timetable for his return. Practice injury report · Zenitz’s follow-up reporting
Hoover is available. Who takes the first snap?
Curt Cignetti said Josh Hoover is available, feels better and is throwing better. He left the starting quarterback decision open.
My read is that Grant Wilson starts today. The way Cignetti talked about Hoover’s progress leaves me wondering how close he is to full strength. I think Indiana could keep Hoover in reserve as the emergency backup if Wilson gets hurt. That’s my read of Cignetti’s comments. The staff’s quarterback plan is still unconfirmed.
If Wilson takes the first snap, I want to see a designed quarterback run in the opening script. Indiana has shown very little of that this season. A zone-read keep makes the backside edge account for Wilson and gives the back a better chance to find a crease when Wilson hands it off.
What losing Brunner means for the run game
Indiana needed to get its rushing attack back in a groove during the bye. Now we’ll see what the Hoosiers accomplished with that extra practice time as they face USC without Brunner and leading rusher Turbo Richard.
Watch the right side on the first two drives. Can the new guard and his teammates get movement on double-teams and pass off stunts when USC rushes the quarterback? If Indiana can get four yards on first down, it can keep the offense on schedule and use play-action to take shots to Nick Marsh and Charlie Becker.
Big Ten availability report
Friday, Nov. 13, report for Saturday’s game.
| Team | Status | Players |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana | Out | RB Turbo Richard, DL Kellan Wyatt, RG Joe Brunner |
| Indiana | Questionable | LB Rolijah Hardy |
| Indiana | Probable | DB A.J. Harris |
| USC | Out | WRs Terrell Anderson and Corey Simms, safeties Kendarius Reddick and Trestin Castro, LBs Taylor “Taybo” Johnson and Roman Marchetti, OLs Kilian O’Connor and Hayden Treter |
| USC | Questionable | TE Walter Matthews |
Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. ET at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington on CBS. Indiana Athletics game center
