IU's worst fear confirmed: Coy Cronk out for season with serious ankle injury

BLOOMINGTON – Tom Allen officially announced Monday what had been feared since Coy Cronk had to be carted off the field during Saturday’s 38-3 win against UConn:

Cronk, IU’s senior left tackle and a permanent starter when healthy across his entire career, will require surgery for an ankle injury and is out for the rest of the season.

“Coy Cronk, unfortunately, as many of you saw, during the game experienced a lower-leg injury that was serious, so he'll be having surgery this week and he'll be out for the season,” Allen said during his weekly Monday news conference. “Not career-ending so he'll bounce back, but just tough break for him and love that guy, just everything he brings to our program and has brought to our program and one of our captains, one of our leaders.”

Insider:Coy Cronk injury a painful price in heavy IU win

Cronk suffered the injury when a UConn defender missed a tackle and rolled into him during the first half of Saturday’s win.

His leg twisted unnaturally, and Cronk’s body language suggested immediately that the injury was serious. Team medical personnel attended to him straightaway and called a cart onto the Memorial Stadium field within two minutes.

“He handled it like an absolute champ,” redshirt senior center Hunter Littlejohn said. “He had no reaction to it whatsoever other than to be like, ‘Hey, somebody get me a trainer, because my ankle is hurt.’ Didn’t go into shock, nothing. It was actually pretty incredible how he handled it.

“Just to see that strength from him gave us a lot of strength.”

Most of Cronk’s teammates gathered around him as he was carted off Saturday.

Teammates said afterward that Cronk issued a brief rallying cry before being taken back to IU’s locker room, and that he was waiting for them at halftime. Cronk also pulled Allen aside briefly before leaving the field.

“He's like, ‘Coach, it's way too far from my heart to kill me.’ First thing he said,” Allen said, recounting the moment. “And second thing he said, he's like, ‘Coach, it's a big one, we got to win this game, make sure these guys finish.’”

With Cronk sidelined, Indiana will likely turn to a mix of players at that left tackle spot.

Redshirt sophomore Caleb Jones, IU’s starter at right tackle, moved over to the left to replace Cronk on Saturday and will now prepare to play both sides. Allen and offensive line coach Darren Hiller will count on fifth-year senior tackle DaVondre Love more heavily now. And Allen said Saturday that promising true freshman Matthew Bedford would not take a redshirt this season if Cronk’s injury was confirmed to be that serious.

Redshirt freshman Aidan Rafferty will also be counted upon to give the Hoosiers depth at tackle.

Allen said Monday that the future beyond Cronk’s surgery and rehabilitation hasn’t been discussed.

Should he want to, Cronk could take advantage of the rule that grants players a redshirt if they appear in four or fewer games in a single season, and return for 2020. He could also explore his NFL potential, as an athletic and experienced lineman at one of the most difficult positions in football.

“Obviously a lot of different things out there as possibilities,” Allen said. “But right now, the No. 1 focus is getting him surgery, get through that, support him a hundred percent, and we'll have those discussions with him and his family when it's appropriate and make the best decision possible for him.”

Follow IndyStar reporter Zach Osterman on Twitter: @ZachOsterman.