Indianapolis Colts bench Matt Ryan and go with Sam Ehlinger at QB
Enough is enough. Matt Ryan is out, Sam Ehlinger is in. The Indianapolis Colts are taking the dramatic step of benching Ryan, their latest veteran quarterback option, and replacing him with Ehlinger, the 2021 6th-round draft pick who has yet to throw a pass in a regular-season game. Frank Reich will make the announcement at his Monday afternoon press conference: Ehlinger will make his first NFL start Sunday against the Washington Commanders, Nick Foles will be No. 2 and Ryan will be relegated to No. 3 and inactive. Ryan’s demotion comes after 239 career starts, including the playoffs. But he gave the team no choice. The 15-year veteran and former NFL MVP was acquired in a March trade with Atlanta and considered a much more reliable and stabilizing force at the position after last season’s failed Carson Wentz experience.
That hasn’t been the case as the Colts have been an offensive mess while meandering their way to a 3-3-1 record following Sunday’s error-plagued 19-10 loss to arch-rival Tennessee. The defense once again offered a solid performance. But Ryan again undermined the operation with two interceptions, one returned 76 yards for a touchdown by Andrew Adams. Seven games into his first season with the Colts, and Ryan has been more of a detriment than a remedy. He leads the NFL with nine interceptions. Leads the league with 12 total turnovers. Opponents have cashed in by scoring 56 points on the dozen giveaways. Leads the NFL with 11 fumbles, three of which were lost. Has been sacked 24 times, tied for most. Is directing an offense that’s averaging 16.1 points per game, 29th. It has scored 20 points or fewer six times and has failed to direct the offense to any points on an opening drive. This hasn’t been a one-man offensive train wreck. The NFL’s highest-paid offensive line has underachieved, leading to the avalanche of sacks and the running game ranking 30th in yards per game (81.0) and 29th in yards per attempt (3.5).
Ryan’s carelessness with the football has been stunning, and debilitating. He had no more than 14 interceptions in any of his final six seasons with the Falcons and endured double-digit fumbles four times in 14 seasons. Now the Colts look to Ehlinger. His move up the depth chart began last week when Reich bumped Ehlinger to No. 2 over Foles, who was inactive for the Titans game. The team has been high on Ehlinger since it selected him with the 218th overall pick in the 2021 draft. Everyone pointed to his productive career at Texas – 11,436 passing yards and 94 TDs, 1,907 rushing yards and 33 TDs in 46 games – and his innate leadership trait. But Ehlinger’s NFL resume is as thin as it gets. He spent the first six games of his rookie season on the injured reserve list after suffering a knee injury in the preseason and would handle just 18 total snaps in three games. Ehlinger was the Colts’ unquestioned star during the preseason when he completed 82.8% of his passes for 289 yards, four TDs and a 147.8 rating. He also was the team’s leading rusher with 71 yards on six attempts.
Indiana University Men’s Basketball ranked 14th In Preseason Coaches’ Poll
The Indiana basketball program lands at No. 14 overall in the first USA Today Coaches Poll for the 2022-23 season. Indiana was also ranked No. 13 in the first AP Top 25 poll released last week. It was the first time Indiana was ranked in the preseason poll since the 2016-17 season.
Mike Woodson enters his second season in Bloomington looking to improve on a 21-14 record in his first year. Indiana made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016 last year, winning in the First Four matchup against Wyoming. Indiana returns four starters from last season, including Big Ten Player of the Year and National Player of the Year candidate Trayce Jackson-Davis. Miller Kopp, Race Thompson and Xavier Johnson.
Indiana will be tested early and often. The Hoosiers will face No. 1 North Carolina in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, No. 5 Kansas in Lawrence, No. 13 Arizona in Las Vegas, Xavier — who received three votes as well. Other Big Ten teams ranked include: Michigan (No. 22) and Illinois (No. 23). Five programs received votes for the top 25, including Michigan State with 29 votes, Iowa (22), Wisconsin (7), Ohio State (5) and Rutgers (2).
Indiana University Women’s Golf finishes 6th at Olde Stone Intercollegiate
The Indiana Hoosiers women’s golf team wrapped the fall slate with a sixth-place finish at the Olde Stone Intercollegiate at The Club at Olde Stone on Tuesday. The Hoosiers shot a 909 (300-295-314; +45) and finished behind the team champions, Sam Houston State, who shot an 874 (299-289-286; +10). Junior Dominika Burdová tied for 10th in the individual standings after a strong finish to day two. Her overall scorecard played at 222 (75-72-75; +6). She tallied two birdies over the final two rounds of play. She tied for the tournament lead in Par 3 scoring at -2 with a stroke average of 2.83 on Par 3 holes for the week. With the top-10 finish from Burdová, Indiana finished the fall slate with a top-10 golfer in all four tournaments.
Senior Valerie Clancy knocked in five total birdies over her final two rounds to finish tied for 20th at 225 (76-74-75; +9). Graduate transfer Alexis Florio tapped in three birdie attempts over the final 36 holes to finish tied for 50th at 234 (79-72-83; +18). Junior Morgan Dabagia cooled off after a strong start to finish tied for 50th at 234 (74-77-83; +18). She converted three birdies in the final two rounds. Sophomore Margaret Fernandez tied for 54th with a scorecard of 235 (75-79-81; +19). The Hoosiers will be off for the remainder of the 2022 calendar season before returning to the course for the FAU Paradise Invitational on Feb. 6 in Boca Raton, Fla.
Indiana University Wrestling welcomes alumni back for Princeton dual
The Indiana Wrestling program is excited to declare the team’s dual vs. Princeton on Friday, Nov. 18 as the team’s Alumni Match. All former Hoosier wrestlers are invited to come to the match. The dual will take place in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall with a 6pm start time. At 4:30, doors will open to The Spirit of ’76 Club for pre-match festivities.
This will be the first time Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall will host wrestling competition since the 2017 Big Ten Wrestling Championships. It will also be the first dual-match to be held there since the 2010-2011 season. Indiana’s season will start on Friday, Nov. 4 in a duel at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.
Indiana University Men’s Tennis adds two matches to schedule
Indiana Men’s Tennis head coach Jeremy Wurtzman has announced two additions to the team’s spring schedule. Now, the Hoosiers will play Colgate on the road on Feb. 24 at 4pm that day and will host Saint Louis for a 4:30pm home match on April 2. Each match will be part of a doubleheader with Indiana playing Cornell prior to the match with Colgate and the Hoosiers playing Illinois before Saint Louis. The new matches bring the team’s spring season total to 28. Indiana will start their spring season on Jan. 15 with matches against Dayton and Toledo. Their next fall competition will be this weekend at the Notre Dame Invitational.
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