Rutgers will be without one of its best players when the Scarlet Knights play Ohio State in Columbus on Saturday.
Blessuan Austin, who is considered to be the Scarlet Knights' top cornerback and arguably their top NFL prospect, has been ruled out for Saturday's game due to a knee injury, Rutgers coach Chris Ash told reporters on Thursday.
"Right now, Bless will be inactive for this game,'' Ash said Thursday, according to Keith Sargeant of NJ.com. "He obviously was taken off the field and was removed from Game 1. Some precautionary stuff that we're going through, some things we're looking at to try to find out exactly what happened to him. But he will be inactive for this game, and it will be a week-to-week deal from there until we get some opinions from some doctors on looking at his knee.''
Austin's season got off to a strong start in last week's season opener, when he recorded two tackles for loss and an interception in less than a half of play, but he landed awkwardly on the interception, causing the injury that will now keep him out for this week's game at Ohio Stadium.
Austin missed Rutgers' final eight games of last season, including last year's game against Ohio State, after tearing his ACL, so Ash and the Scarlet Knights are trying to be extra careful to avoid another major injury. As a result, though, they'll be without a player who could have really helped their chances to slow down Dwayne Haskins and the Ohio State passing attack.
True freshman cornerback Avery Young, who filled in for Austin after his injury last week and recorded two tackles and a pass breakup in Austin's place, is expected to start opposite Isaiah Wharton on Saturday. Fellow cornerback Tre Avery, a former Ohio State recruit previouly known as Kareem Felder, will be a game-time decision for Saturday's game due to an undisclosed injury, as will safety Kiy Hester, according to James Kratch of NJ.com.
