Indiana University Athletics
QUOTED: Indiana vs. Ball State
9/12/2018 9:10:00 PM | Football
By: Ben Segelbaum
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana football team looks for its third straight win to open 2018 when in-state foe Ball State comes to Memorial Stadium on Saturday. Kickoff is set for noon EDT on BTN.
Each week we will compile five quotes and storylines recapping the previous game and previewing the upcoming one.
"Saw a lot of young guys grow up and we talk about finishing a lot and it's been a major emphasis in our program all offseason and then last week the game ended where the offense had the opportunity to finish and they did that and never came off the field. And then this week the defense had their opportunity to finish and they were the last ones on the field to win the game. You can talk about that, but you have to go out and do it and you have to experience it." said head coach Tom Allen.
Finish. The word of choice for the 2018 Hoosiers has come into effect strongly in the first two games. As Allen notes, the offense closed out the clock at FIU and it even came down to the final play in the 20-16 win over Virginia. In both situations, IU has finished.
"I've said with all freshmen they have to learn when they walk in here this is like a foreign language day one because of the terminology and also to some of the ways that we may coach a play may be different than the way they were coached in high school with the play. Everything's new and different. We saw that he had talent. We saw that. I heard Coach Allen talking to you about the recruiting process. We saw that on film early, but then we got in training camp and yes we saw the talent, but yet it's a learning process, learning protections and learning his reads in the run game and things like that. But we just saw that he had great talent." said offensive coordinator Mike DeBord.
Call last Saturday's win whatever you want, but true freshman Stevie Scott rushing for 204 yards has to be called nothing short of impressive. Scott's performance put him second for the most rushing yards in a game by a true freshman in program history. As DeBord says, coming out of high school onto the college gridiron isn't easy, but after 51 carries and 274 yards in two games, Scott is learning quickly.
"Coach (Mike) Hart is always stressing in practice just to be patient, be patient and when you see that seam just explode. That's what I did. I practiced that all week during practice and then it came to show during the game." said true freshman running back Stevie Scott.
It's obvious by his stat line that Scott is understanding the process of being a college running back. It also helps when you have Mike Hart teaching you. Hart himself won Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2004 and was a three-time All-Big Ten selection during his time at Michigan. With more coaching and more reps in practice, Scott will continue to grow.
"Plain and simple (the FIU game) wasn't good enough. In the front seven, we did not play well enough. We didn't play to our standard and we knew that after the game. We felt that we were happy about the victory, but we knew we needed to get back to work and we were challenged that week. (Coach Allen) came in and flat out said we have to get better production and play from the front seven. We took that and we worked hard all week, played faster, practiced faster than we have practiced. We emphasized run fits and pass fits, all that stuff, more than we have been and I think it really showed on Saturday because we came in there confident and encouraged ready to prove to Coach Allen that this front seven is going to be great and the reason we're winning ball games." said redshirt junior linebacker Reakwon Jones.
After surrendering 28 points to FIU in the season opener, the defense was challenged by Allen. Jones and the defense accepted and ran with it, allowing 16 points and under 300 yards to the Cavaliers and coming up big when it mattered most. Jones picked up five tackles and was named the team's Defensive Player of the game in the victory.
"As soon as I shook hands with Coach Mendenhall, (students) caught my eye that they were still there cheering away, so I ran over there to go high five them. Well, as I make it through the first round of them and the second tier's a lot higher, so I started jumping up. Well, the trash can is right in my way. So instead of going around it I just kicked it and didn't really think anything of it." said Allen.
One of the most light-hearted moments of the young college football season came following the action in last Saturday's win over UVA. Garnering over half a million views throughout social media, Allen can be seen running over to fans and conquering a trash can on his way. In Allen's defense, he did come back the morning after and pick up all the trash.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana football team looks for its third straight win to open 2018 when in-state foe Ball State comes to Memorial Stadium on Saturday. Kickoff is set for noon EDT on BTN.
Each week we will compile five quotes and storylines recapping the previous game and previewing the upcoming one.
"Saw a lot of young guys grow up and we talk about finishing a lot and it's been a major emphasis in our program all offseason and then last week the game ended where the offense had the opportunity to finish and they did that and never came off the field. And then this week the defense had their opportunity to finish and they were the last ones on the field to win the game. You can talk about that, but you have to go out and do it and you have to experience it." said head coach Tom Allen.
Finish. The word of choice for the 2018 Hoosiers has come into effect strongly in the first two games. As Allen notes, the offense closed out the clock at FIU and it even came down to the final play in the 20-16 win over Virginia. In both situations, IU has finished.
"I've said with all freshmen they have to learn when they walk in here this is like a foreign language day one because of the terminology and also to some of the ways that we may coach a play may be different than the way they were coached in high school with the play. Everything's new and different. We saw that he had talent. We saw that. I heard Coach Allen talking to you about the recruiting process. We saw that on film early, but then we got in training camp and yes we saw the talent, but yet it's a learning process, learning protections and learning his reads in the run game and things like that. But we just saw that he had great talent." said offensive coordinator Mike DeBord.
Call last Saturday's win whatever you want, but true freshman Stevie Scott rushing for 204 yards has to be called nothing short of impressive. Scott's performance put him second for the most rushing yards in a game by a true freshman in program history. As DeBord says, coming out of high school onto the college gridiron isn't easy, but after 51 carries and 274 yards in two games, Scott is learning quickly.
"Coach (Mike) Hart is always stressing in practice just to be patient, be patient and when you see that seam just explode. That's what I did. I practiced that all week during practice and then it came to show during the game." said true freshman running back Stevie Scott.
It's obvious by his stat line that Scott is understanding the process of being a college running back. It also helps when you have Mike Hart teaching you. Hart himself won Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2004 and was a three-time All-Big Ten selection during his time at Michigan. With more coaching and more reps in practice, Scott will continue to grow.
"Plain and simple (the FIU game) wasn't good enough. In the front seven, we did not play well enough. We didn't play to our standard and we knew that after the game. We felt that we were happy about the victory, but we knew we needed to get back to work and we were challenged that week. (Coach Allen) came in and flat out said we have to get better production and play from the front seven. We took that and we worked hard all week, played faster, practiced faster than we have practiced. We emphasized run fits and pass fits, all that stuff, more than we have been and I think it really showed on Saturday because we came in there confident and encouraged ready to prove to Coach Allen that this front seven is going to be great and the reason we're winning ball games." said redshirt junior linebacker Reakwon Jones.
After surrendering 28 points to FIU in the season opener, the defense was challenged by Allen. Jones and the defense accepted and ran with it, allowing 16 points and under 300 yards to the Cavaliers and coming up big when it mattered most. Jones picked up five tackles and was named the team's Defensive Player of the game in the victory.
"As soon as I shook hands with Coach Mendenhall, (students) caught my eye that they were still there cheering away, so I ran over there to go high five them. Well, as I make it through the first round of them and the second tier's a lot higher, so I started jumping up. Well, the trash can is right in my way. So instead of going around it I just kicked it and didn't really think anything of it." said Allen.
One of the most light-hearted moments of the young college football season came following the action in last Saturday's win over UVA. Garnering over half a million views throughout social media, Allen can be seen running over to fans and conquering a trash can on his way. In Allen's defense, he did come back the morning after and pick up all the trash.
Players Mentioned
LB
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