Injury struggles still plaguing Indiana football wideout EJ Williams as Curt Cignetti hopes to ‘keep him on the field’

The Indiana football wide receiver room is talented. There’s no doubt about that. There’s also a great deal of experience at the position — and only so many bodies you can put on the field at any given time. So, it’s critical to take advantage of every opportunity and rep you can get. But, the position is still not at full strength as the calendar flipped to the second full week of fall camp on Monday.

EJ Williams is entering his second season with Indiana after transferring from Clemson during the 2023 offseason. When he’s on the field, he’s extremely talented and productive. But, his career has been derailed by injuries, something that he is dealing with again this fall.

Williams has barely seen the field — in both the spring and fall. Indiana football head coach Curt Cignetti addressed the senior wideouts availability on Monday.

“Still waiting to get him on the field,” Cignetti told reporters after practice. “He’s practiced three times since I’ve been here (in the spring). Pulled a little hammy the last week of summer conditioning. So hope to get him back. Keep him on the field.”

The 6-foot-4 receiver was limited to just seven games in 2023 due to injuries. But, he played arguably the best stretch of football of his collegiate career over the last month of the year. Over the final four games, he caught 20 passes for 247 yards. 

Williams finished last season with 23 receptions for 281 yards.

“Well, gotta get him on the field and keep him on the field. That’s the biggest thing. The best ability is availability. You got to stay on the field, and that’s been his biggest nemesis,” Cignetti said during Bit Ten Media Day last month. “I think he practiced three times this spring — but I sure liked those three practices. Now, let’s keep him on the field so we can utilize him.”

The Indiana football wide receiver room added players like Elijah Sarratt, Myles Price, Ke’Shawn Williams and Miles Cross — all extremely productive players throughout their entire collegiate careers. They joined a room that included Donaven McCulley, Williams, Omar Cooper and Andison Coby.

Throughout the spring and summer, it’s been stiff competition at the position.

“I’m still looking for a couple guys to step up and separate themselves from the rest,” Cignetti said. “That would be a nice thing.”

SEE ALSO: Despite not officially naming Kurtis Rourke as the starting QB for IU football — Curt Cignetti will ‘sleep better at night’ with him under center

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