Mack, Reeves Suspended for Opener

Bloomington - When Indiana opens its season Thursday against Eastern Kentucky, it will be without defenders Deonte Mack and Ian Reeves. Both have been suspended for the game by IU Coach Bill Lynch...

Bloomington – IU Coach Bill Lynch has suspended defensive tackle Deonte Mack and linebacker Ian Reeves for Thursday’s season opener due to an unspecified violation of team rules.

The loss of the 6’3”, 286-pound Mack is the biggest blow as IU gears up for its 8 p.m. match-up against Eastern Kentucky. The redshirt junior the only defensive tackle on the Hoosiers’ roster with any game experience, having started nine times last year while totaling 21 tackles and 2 ½ tackles for loss.

In his absence, Indiana will turn to junior Jarrod Smith (who moved from the offensive line last spring), redshirt freshmen Larry Black, Mick Mentzer and Nick Sliger as well as true freshman Adam Replogle to hold things down at the defensive tackle spots.

Reeves, meanwhile, is a redshirt sophomore who hasn’t cracked the two-deep at linebacker. He was expected to be a contributor on the Hoosiers’ special teams units.