The NCAA eligibility cases involving five Hoosier athletes went before Monroe Circuit Court on Monday, yet more than five hours of testimony ended without a ruling. For Curt Cignetti, who already has plenty to worry about is still uncertain what it means for Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt.

“Hearing in eligibility case involving Stephen Daley & Kellan Wyatt ends after 5+ hours of testimony,” Michael Niziolek of the Herald Times posted on X. “No ruling, attorneys have until Thursday to get judge final documentation, don’t expect a ruling until after that happens and judge has time to weigh arguments, lot more to come.”

Five Indiana athletes are taking on the NCAA over its new five-year eligibility rule. The rule doesn’t apply to them because they’re part of the 2022 high school class and already used up four seasons. They got a temporary restraining order on September 4 that let them keep playing, but that order has now run out, so their future is up in the air again.

While it started with five, on Monday, the lawsuit expanded to include over 80 additional names across multiple colleges and states.

Without a preliminary injunction or another extension, both Daley and Wyatt are currently ineligible and could miss Saturday’s game against Western Kentucky.

Apart from that post, Niziolek, in another X post, explained that the temporary restraining order could not simply be extended because the NCAA did not agree to it.

“Another note on Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt, the TRO in their case expires today,” Niziolek posted on X. “And by Indiana law judge couldn’t extend without parties agreeing to it (the NCAA declined), they wouldn’t be eligible to play Saturday if judge doesn’t issue ruling in their favor beforehand.”

The other three Indiana athletes are volleyball player Avry Tatum and swimmers Owen McDonald and Zalan Sarkany. Their immediate situations differ because Indiana volleyball plays Coastal Carolina on Friday, while the swim season does not begin until October. 

That means Tatum, Daley and Wyatt could also be affected by the court’s decision this week, while McDonald and Sarkany have more time before their eligibility becomes an immediate game-day issue.

Indiana men’s basketball center Sam Alexis has also become part of the case after being added to an amended filing that brought 89 athletes from various states into the lawsuit. Alexis had previously received an injunction through a Tennessee case, but that ruling was stopped by the NCAA on August 26, leaving him ineligible as well. 

The attorneys have until Thursday to submit their proposed findings and conclusions of law, after which Judge Kara E. Krothe will consider the arguments and issue a ruling. 

Curt Cignetti Still Has To Focus on Western Kentucky

The legal uncertainty comes as Indiana prepares for its Week 3 matchup with Western Kentucky on Saturday. The Hoosiers are 2-0 and have looked dominant so far, but Cignetti has spent Monday focusing on the mistakes that still need to be cleaned up.

Special teams was one of the biggest concerns after Indiana’s latest win. The Hoosiers muffed two punts against Howard, with one of those mistakes giving the opponent its best field position of the game. Cignetti was direct with his returners about the problem, making it clear that securing the football has to come first.

Penalties were another issue. Indiana was flagged only twice, which was an improvement from the five penalties in the season opener, but both mistakes came at bad times. A false start inside the 10-yard line stopped momentum, while a holding penalty erased a long touchdown run.

The defense gave Cignetti plenty to like. Indiana shut out Howard and did not allow a single play beyond the 50-yard line. The unit finished with 12 tackles for loss, five sacks and a pick-six. Jaylen Bell and Ryland Gandy also earned praise for their work in coverage as injuries tested Indiana’s depth.

The offensive line, meanwhile, also has work to do as Indiana moved the ball well overall, but Cignetti pointed to several moments when the pocket collapsed too quickly. The Hoosiers also had nearly 10 negative plays across the three phases, something the coaching staff wants eliminated before Big Ten competition begins.

That depth could become even more important against Western Kentucky if Daley and Wyatt remain unavailable. That leaves both players continuing to practice with the team while the legal process plays out, but practicing and playing are two very different things at the moment as Cignetti has to prepare for the game.