Penn State has suffered plenty of injuries to key pieces this season, and the hits keep coming in Week 11 with the Nittany Lions hosting No. 2 Indiana. In the first quarter, redshirt freshman defensive lineman Xavier Gilliam, who has emerged as a significant contributor through his second season in Happy Valley, had to be helped to the sideline.
According to Nittany Sports Now’s Joe Smeltzer, Gilliam was evaluated in the injury tent on the Penn State sideline. Gilliam emerged from the tent, but initially did not have his helmet to return to the game.
Gilliam is now out of the tent but doesn’t have his helmet on. https://t.co/ps4S84pOTU
— Joe Smeltzer (@joesmeltzer775) November 8, 2025
Coming into the week, Gilliam has played a career-high 266 defensive snaps, the third most on the Penn State defensive line behind Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zane Durant. Gilliam has split time with Alonzo Ford Jr. and Ty Blanding on the interior next to Durant, a veteran mainstay.
Gilliam has recorded 11 tackles and has yet to account for a sack in his young career. He does have nine quarterback pressures this year, the fifth most on Jim Knowles’s defense.
The 6-foot-2, 300-pounder from Montgomery Village, Maryland, was a 2024 three-star recruit, the 82nd-ranked defensive lineman in the country according to 247Sports Composite. He played 55 snaps while redshirting last season.
Xavier Gilliam injury update:
Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Xavier Gilliam was exited in the first half against Indiana at Beaver Stadium, and after being evaluated in the injury tent on the Penn State sideline, he was not given his helmet to return in the first half.