Indiana football receiver EJ Williams Jr. is leaving the program

Fifth-year senior wide receiver EJ Williams Jr. is no longer part of the Indiana football team, a source confirmed to the Indiana Daily Student on Monday.

In one Statement published on X On Tuesday, Williams said he will undergo surgery for an undisclosed injury to get fully healthy and that he intends to play at Indiana next season.

“I made this decision because the team was completely fine without me in the game and I also want to have a chance to continue my career at the professional level,” Williams said in the statement. “While I was making this decision, my coach saw it as leaving the team. So if I were to redshirt, I wouldn’t be able to return to the program next season.”

Williams added that there is mutual respect and no bad blood between him and the coaching staff regarding his decision. He said he appreciated the entire team and wished his teammates well in the final five games of the regular season.

Williams, who transferred to Indiana from Clemson University in January 2023, caught two passes for 49 yards in four appearances this season.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Williams proved to be a capable weapon toward the end of the 2023 season. In the final four games of the year, he caught 20 passes for 247 yards. He finished the season with 23 grabs for 281 yards.

During the final month of the 2023 campaign, Williams and then-junior wideout Donaven McCulley led Indiana in receptions. But now that the Hoosiers are 7-0 and ranked No. 13 nationally, neither is on the team. McCulley before announced his intention to enter the transfer portal Oct 1st

Having only played in four games, Williams still has his redshirt intact. This means he can leave Indiana and play a sixth season if he wants.

The Hoosiers return to action Saturday at noon against Washington at Memorial Stadium.