Allen and IU's Mindset: Finish
11/20/2018 12:55:00 PM | Football
By: Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Tom Allen had no time for finesse or pretend.
Football success often requires in-your-face motivation. You set a goal, embrace it, define it, reinforce it.
And so Indiana's coach did, to his team, to the media, to recruits, to anyone who wanted to listen, and even to those who didn't.
Let others dodge bowl talk. Allen pushed it as if his next meal depended on it.
That led to a dramatic victory over Maryland, and a tough-minded loss at powerhouse and No. 4 Michigan.
"We went to Michigan to win and get bowl eligible, and (the players) responded," Allen said.
"We've got a neat group of young men. They've got good core leaders, a lot of older guys, a lot of youth mixed into that. So there's hunger there.
"But there's always a point in the season when it gets to be a tough road, especially with the schedule that we always play. I just think that the guys have bought in here at the end and have finished strong. It's critical that we completely finish the season here."
"Finish" means doing what the Hoosiers haven't done since 2007, and it carries massive regular-season-ending implications. Both IU and Purdue come in 5-6 and needing one victory to become bowl eligible.
"I was up front with them again," Allen said. "We know what's at stake and that the winner gets to play in a bowl game and the loser gets to stay home."
Players embrace such talk. Take, for instance, fifth-year senior receiver/return specialist J-Shun Harris II. He said the Hoosiers are better equipped this season to deal with Old Oaken Bucket bowl opportunity than last year, when they lost to Purdue, 31-24, to finish 5-7 rather than a postseason-bid-earning 6-6.
"It's the way we've competed against the top teams," Harris said. "Coach Allen stated something in our team meeting that there's only been two teams that played the most top-5 teams in the country the last four years, and that's us and Alabama."
Specifically, since the start of the 2015, IU has played eight top-5 teams, second nationally to Alabama's nine. It's the consequence of playing in the loaded Big Ten East.
"We know that we've played the best that it can get and we've competed with the best," Harris said. "It's just the little things that will put us over the edge.
"(Coach Allen) openly talking about that, we know that we're one of those teams that's capable of going out there and being a great bowl team and going out and beating someone else in a bowl game. Having that conversation, I don't feel like anyone thinks it's far-fetched. We believe that we're very capable of doing it."
LIFE-CHANGING GAME
Stakes are everywhere you look on Saturday at Memorial Stadium -- a bowl game, a chance to finish with a winning record for the first time since 2007, a shot at beating Purdue for the fifth time in six seasons, in-state bragging rights, and so much more.
You'd better believe Hoosier veterans are pushing that to younger teammates, and there are plenty of those given IU is the Big Ten's fourth-youngest team with 54 freshmen and 21 sophomores.
Consider senior safety Jonathan Crawford, whose message is as clear as a stiff arm to the chin.
"Really, that it's two in-state teams trying to battle it out for the Bucket," Crawford said. "I just try to keep telling them that this game is huge. This game can change so many lives. This game, then going to the bowl, then winning a bowl, it's been a long time since we've done that. Getting to know the history of it."
Or, as Harris put it, "I just want the young guys to understand that this game is bigger than just football. It's the alumni who get the upper edge on the other ones for the entire year. It goes way beyond sports itself, so if they can understand that, they can understand how big and important this game is.
"With both teams being 5-6, that makes the stakes even higher, similar to last year's situation."
The last time IU ended with a winning record and a bowl victory was in 1991 under then coach Bill Mallory. The Hoosiers beat Baylor, 24-0.
"We have to really just focus in on this game," Crawford said, "but we also talk about the history behind it and how we haven't won a bowl game in a long time, so we're really getting that in their heads and focusing on winning this game, then winning the bowl."
TO THE SPRINTER GOES THE SPOILS
Harris has this vision. It's IU regaining the Old Oaken Bucket by beating Purdue so he can show off his speed.
If that happens, Harris said, "Look for me, because I'm going to take off. I'm going to take off sprinting."
IU had owned the Oaken Bucket for four straight years before losing it at Purdue last season.
That burned the Hoosiers then, and burns them now, Harris said.
"Last year, (Purdue) ran to our sideline and took it," he said. "That alone was just like your heart dropped.
"We had all offseason (to think about that). We had to do all these things to build up right back to this game. Coach Allen did a great job of making sure everyone was locked in."
That included borrowing a page from former IU coach Lee Corso's motivational book by asking the Hoosiers, "What are we doing to beat Purdue today?"
"That's been (Allen's) motto ever since we lost it last year," Harris said. "Now, the opportunity has presented itself to win it back, and we have to take advantage of it."
Allen kept the motivation going by posting all sorts of reminders from last year's Bucket loss around the football facility.
"We have signs posted throughout the building," fifth-year senior offensive lineman Wes Martin said. "So we're constantly reminded of it."
This is the second straight year both IU and Purdue need a victory in this game to become bowl eligible. That has never happened before.
"Every year I would say it's high stakes," Harris said. "You could say it's revenge since they beat us last year. We just want to go out there and dominate every phase of the game, go out and completely dominate.
"Whether we're victorious or not, as long as we go out there and do everything we can, there's nothing else I can ask for as a player.
PEAKING WHEN IT COUNTS
If you believe Indiana quarterback Peyton Ramsey, the Hoosiers are playing their best entering the season's most crucial game.
The improvement since Game 1, he said, is obvious, and it starts with experience.
"We played so many young players throughout the year, especially on defense," he said. "You can see the improvements that they've made.
"Then offensively, we're more balanced than we've been throughout the entire year. We're running and throwing at the same time as well as we have. I think continuing to do that and continuing to press and just be our best on Saturday, run and pass offensively, I think that's when we're at our best."
Last Saturday, IU rocked Michigan's best-in-the-nation defense as no other team had all season (385 total yards, 75 offensive plays), which bodes well for team confidence against Purdue and its explosive offense.
"I think it should (boost confidence)," Ramsey said. "Obviously, we didn't get the win, and we didn't put up as many points as we'd like to off the yards that we gained, but it goes to show that going back to balance, I think when we can run the ball and throw the ball it's a lot easier to get first downs and move the chains.
"It's a good feeling, to know that we can move the ball. Hopefully it is a point for us and we can gain some confidence from that this week and continue to keep that thing rolling and try to get a win, then move on into a bowl game."
DOING IT ALL
Balance has always been a Mike DeBord priority, but recent improved Hoosier execution – IU ran for 190 yards, passed for 195 against Michigan -- has the Indiana offensive coordinator pushing for more.
"We want to be balanced," DeBord said. "And, yet, we feel we have some guys outside who are playing really well right now that we want to get the ball to in the passing game, and take shots like we've been doing."
Receivers Nick Westbrook, Donavan Hale and Ty Fryfogle have become deep threats to fear. Westbrook averages 13.7 yards a catch with three touchdowns. Hale averages 13.3 yards with six TDs. Fryfogle averages 12.9 yards with three touchdowns.
That doesn't include Luke Timian, who burns defense with first-down-producing catches. He has a team-leading 41 receptions in eight games (he missed 3 contests because of injury).
Throw in recording-setting true freshman tailback Stevie Scott (1,033 yards and 9touchdowns) and Ramsey's dual-threat improvement (317 rushing yards and 4 TDs; 2,530 passing yards with 18 touchdowns and a 65.4-percent completion rate) and you have the ingredients to stagger a defense as formidable as Michigan's.
"We're not going to change the way we're playing," DeBord says, "but (because of balance opponents) don't know when we're taking (shots own field), either."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Tom Allen had no time for finesse or pretend.
Football success often requires in-your-face motivation. You set a goal, embrace it, define it, reinforce it.
And so Indiana's coach did, to his team, to the media, to recruits, to anyone who wanted to listen, and even to those who didn't.
Let others dodge bowl talk. Allen pushed it as if his next meal depended on it.
That led to a dramatic victory over Maryland, and a tough-minded loss at powerhouse and No. 4 Michigan.
"We went to Michigan to win and get bowl eligible, and (the players) responded," Allen said.
"We've got a neat group of young men. They've got good core leaders, a lot of older guys, a lot of youth mixed into that. So there's hunger there.
"But there's always a point in the season when it gets to be a tough road, especially with the schedule that we always play. I just think that the guys have bought in here at the end and have finished strong. It's critical that we completely finish the season here."
"Finish" means doing what the Hoosiers haven't done since 2007, and it carries massive regular-season-ending implications. Both IU and Purdue come in 5-6 and needing one victory to become bowl eligible.
"I was up front with them again," Allen said. "We know what's at stake and that the winner gets to play in a bowl game and the loser gets to stay home."
Players embrace such talk. Take, for instance, fifth-year senior receiver/return specialist J-Shun Harris II. He said the Hoosiers are better equipped this season to deal with Old Oaken Bucket bowl opportunity than last year, when they lost to Purdue, 31-24, to finish 5-7 rather than a postseason-bid-earning 6-6.
"It's the way we've competed against the top teams," Harris said. "Coach Allen stated something in our team meeting that there's only been two teams that played the most top-5 teams in the country the last four years, and that's us and Alabama."
Specifically, since the start of the 2015, IU has played eight top-5 teams, second nationally to Alabama's nine. It's the consequence of playing in the loaded Big Ten East.
"We know that we've played the best that it can get and we've competed with the best," Harris said. "It's just the little things that will put us over the edge.
"(Coach Allen) openly talking about that, we know that we're one of those teams that's capable of going out there and being a great bowl team and going out and beating someone else in a bowl game. Having that conversation, I don't feel like anyone thinks it's far-fetched. We believe that we're very capable of doing it."
LIFE-CHANGING GAME
Stakes are everywhere you look on Saturday at Memorial Stadium -- a bowl game, a chance to finish with a winning record for the first time since 2007, a shot at beating Purdue for the fifth time in six seasons, in-state bragging rights, and so much more.
You'd better believe Hoosier veterans are pushing that to younger teammates, and there are plenty of those given IU is the Big Ten's fourth-youngest team with 54 freshmen and 21 sophomores.
Consider senior safety Jonathan Crawford, whose message is as clear as a stiff arm to the chin.
"Really, that it's two in-state teams trying to battle it out for the Bucket," Crawford said. "I just try to keep telling them that this game is huge. This game can change so many lives. This game, then going to the bowl, then winning a bowl, it's been a long time since we've done that. Getting to know the history of it."
Or, as Harris put it, "I just want the young guys to understand that this game is bigger than just football. It's the alumni who get the upper edge on the other ones for the entire year. It goes way beyond sports itself, so if they can understand that, they can understand how big and important this game is.
"With both teams being 5-6, that makes the stakes even higher, similar to last year's situation."
The last time IU ended with a winning record and a bowl victory was in 1991 under then coach Bill Mallory. The Hoosiers beat Baylor, 24-0.
"We have to really just focus in on this game," Crawford said, "but we also talk about the history behind it and how we haven't won a bowl game in a long time, so we're really getting that in their heads and focusing on winning this game, then winning the bowl."
TO THE SPRINTER GOES THE SPOILS
Harris has this vision. It's IU regaining the Old Oaken Bucket by beating Purdue so he can show off his speed.
If that happens, Harris said, "Look for me, because I'm going to take off. I'm going to take off sprinting."
IU had owned the Oaken Bucket for four straight years before losing it at Purdue last season.
That burned the Hoosiers then, and burns them now, Harris said.
"Last year, (Purdue) ran to our sideline and took it," he said. "That alone was just like your heart dropped.
"We had all offseason (to think about that). We had to do all these things to build up right back to this game. Coach Allen did a great job of making sure everyone was locked in."
That included borrowing a page from former IU coach Lee Corso's motivational book by asking the Hoosiers, "What are we doing to beat Purdue today?"
"That's been (Allen's) motto ever since we lost it last year," Harris said. "Now, the opportunity has presented itself to win it back, and we have to take advantage of it."
Allen kept the motivation going by posting all sorts of reminders from last year's Bucket loss around the football facility.
"We have signs posted throughout the building," fifth-year senior offensive lineman Wes Martin said. "So we're constantly reminded of it."
This is the second straight year both IU and Purdue need a victory in this game to become bowl eligible. That has never happened before.
"Every year I would say it's high stakes," Harris said. "You could say it's revenge since they beat us last year. We just want to go out there and dominate every phase of the game, go out and completely dominate.
"Whether we're victorious or not, as long as we go out there and do everything we can, there's nothing else I can ask for as a player.
PEAKING WHEN IT COUNTS
If you believe Indiana quarterback Peyton Ramsey, the Hoosiers are playing their best entering the season's most crucial game.
The improvement since Game 1, he said, is obvious, and it starts with experience.
"We played so many young players throughout the year, especially on defense," he said. "You can see the improvements that they've made.
"Then offensively, we're more balanced than we've been throughout the entire year. We're running and throwing at the same time as well as we have. I think continuing to do that and continuing to press and just be our best on Saturday, run and pass offensively, I think that's when we're at our best."
Last Saturday, IU rocked Michigan's best-in-the-nation defense as no other team had all season (385 total yards, 75 offensive plays), which bodes well for team confidence against Purdue and its explosive offense.
"I think it should (boost confidence)," Ramsey said. "Obviously, we didn't get the win, and we didn't put up as many points as we'd like to off the yards that we gained, but it goes to show that going back to balance, I think when we can run the ball and throw the ball it's a lot easier to get first downs and move the chains.
"It's a good feeling, to know that we can move the ball. Hopefully it is a point for us and we can gain some confidence from that this week and continue to keep that thing rolling and try to get a win, then move on into a bowl game."
DOING IT ALL
Balance has always been a Mike DeBord priority, but recent improved Hoosier execution – IU ran for 190 yards, passed for 195 against Michigan -- has the Indiana offensive coordinator pushing for more.
"We want to be balanced," DeBord said. "And, yet, we feel we have some guys outside who are playing really well right now that we want to get the ball to in the passing game, and take shots like we've been doing."
Receivers Nick Westbrook, Donavan Hale and Ty Fryfogle have become deep threats to fear. Westbrook averages 13.7 yards a catch with three touchdowns. Hale averages 13.3 yards with six TDs. Fryfogle averages 12.9 yards with three touchdowns.
That doesn't include Luke Timian, who burns defense with first-down-producing catches. He has a team-leading 41 receptions in eight games (he missed 3 contests because of injury).
Throw in recording-setting true freshman tailback Stevie Scott (1,033 yards and 9touchdowns) and Ramsey's dual-threat improvement (317 rushing yards and 4 TDs; 2,530 passing yards with 18 touchdowns and a 65.4-percent completion rate) and you have the ingredients to stagger a defense as formidable as Michigan's.
"We're not going to change the way we're playing," DeBord says, "but (because of balance opponents) don't know when we're taking (shots own field), either."
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