Indiana’s gameplan had to involve dodging Jeremy Cash.

The All-American safety had 18 tackles for loss this season, and is arguably the nation’s top tackling defensive back. Surely he was the toughest individual matchup standing in the way of Indiana ball-carriers.

Well, IU did indeed dodge Cash, but in a different way.

The Hoosiers won’t have to worry about the hard-hitting safety in the Pinstripe Bowl because he’ll be out after having wrist surgery on Wednesday morning.

It marked an unfortunate end to the career of one of the nation’s top defensive players. He was one of three finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, which ultimately went to Iowa’s Desmond King.

Cash led the Blue Devils in 2015 with 101 tackles, 18.0 tackles for lost yardage, 2.5 sacks, eight quarterback pressures, four pass breakups, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. The former Buckeye earned All-America honors three straight years after transferring to Duke.

Duke will turn to redshirt junior Corbin McCarthy to fill Cash’s shoes at the position.

Indiana could be without one of its key players, as well. Kevin Wilson said that First-Team All-B1G selection Jordan Howard is still not a lock to play because of a knee injury that sidelined him in the final two games of the regular season.

The Hoosiers are playing in their first bowl game in eight years and are looking for their first postseason victory since 1991. Kickoff is set for Dec. 26 at Yankee Stadium in New York.