Indiana University Athletics
Can Take the Boy Out of Indiana, but Can’t Take the Hoosier Out of the Boy
1/17/2019 10:05:00 AM | Football
By Andy Graham
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind - Jack Tuttle is a long way from the beach.
But he is where he feels he belongs.
The 6-foot-4, redshirt-freshman quarterback enrolled at Indiana this month, smack dab in the middle of a Hoosier winter, after spending the holidays back home in San Marcos, Calif.
He is a man who soon might make Hoosier autumns more appealing.
Tuttle is the highest-rated recruit to sign with the Hoosiers this century, at any position. A transfer from Utah, he joins a 2019 recruiting class that now boasts four of the top seven IU recruits ever rated by 247Sports: Tuttle, running back Sampson James, defensive end Beau Robbins and linebacker Cameron Williams are ranked 1-2-6-7 among all IU signees since 2001, all with four-star designations.
James – who like Tuttle is a January enrollee – Robbins and Williams all hail from Indiana.
Tuttle, in a sense, does, too.
"I do have a lot of family here," Tuttle, who was born in Indianapolis, said Wednesday while meeting the media. "My dad went here and my mom was down the road (at Indiana State). They both love it here and they're really excited about me being here and around family."
Tuttle said that while wearing a white IU cap adorned on the side by a Bill Mallory patch. Tuttle's dad Jay was a walk-on kicker for Mallory's Hoosiers from 1986 through 1988.
"He loved him," Tuttle said of his dad's sentiments regarding Mallory. "He absolutely loved his experience here. I think it will be pretty special for him to come here on Saturdays and be together through that experience."
The younger Tuttle brings the experience of playing high-level California prep football, having starred for coach Chris Hauser at Mission Hills High School.
Tuttle led Mission Hills to a 12-1 campaign as a senior, the lone loss coming in the San Diego Section Open Division title game. He completed 205-of-295 passes (.695) for 3,171 yards and 41 touchdowns, with just four interceptions. He also chipped in 207 yards and two TDs rushing.
"I think the film study was a lot more advanced," Tuttle said of his tenure at Mission Hills in comparison to other high school situations. "And I learned that from my father and Coach Hauser and (other coaches) … I think that was phenomenal. It helped me improve on the field.
"We were all perfectionists there … it was a high level – you needed to be that way to win. So it was a lot quicker, and everything was faster, than most people would experience."
Perfectionism is reflected in that Tuttle can take pride in the 12 wins his senior season, but isn't forgetting the one loss.
"I hate losing," he said. "I absolutely hate losing. I hate it more than I love winning. I think that's the kind of attitude I bring here and I think a lot of guys are on board with that idea."
Indeed, philosophical compatibility is a big reason Tuttle is now in Bloomington.
"Coach (Tom) Allen and I have similar ideologies," Tuttle said. "He's a man of Christ. I'm a man of Christ. I think that goes a long way. He wants to win. I want to win. It's simple things like that.
"He wanted me here because he believed I was going to work hard and bring a good attitude to this football program and work hard to win."
Tuttle recalled the early origins of his attitudes toward football.
"I think it probably first struck me after my first year of playing football," he said. "I think I was in third grade. I think I was a lineman. It wasn't my favorite thing. But I kind of was, like, 'I'm out here playing for my team. It's more than just about me.' It's kind of having a selfless attitude, and caring about your guys, and doing whatever you can for them. And knowing them … and having fun with it, too.
"It's a grind on the field out there. People don't really understand that, because they're not in that position. It's not just about throwing the ball around, handing it off, whatever. You've got to be dialed in.
Mentally, it's almost like you've got to be one person, just moving down the field (as a unit), chunking away.
"It's important to know your guys, and not just know what they're going to do, but know their backgrounds. And have a brotherhood. Be on the same page. That way, everyone has one goal. You build that through the offseason, and it continues through the fall, and that's how championships are made, honestly. It's more than just the game. It's about developing a brotherhood and trying to win."
And that dovetails perfectly with Allen's "Love Each Other" foundational philosophy for IU football.
"Oh, absolutely," Tuttle acknowledged. "And I think that was a part of why I came here, because of that."
There was also IU's celebrated Kelley School of Business. And finance major Tuttle also bonded quickly with Hoosier quarterbacks coach Nick Sheridan, who helped spearhead the recruitment.
"Coach Sheridan, first off, is a great guy," Tuttle said. "It went beyond football with him, and learning about him and his family and what he's done. I think I just connected with him in that way. Very, very great guy. I'm looking forward to working with him."
And that is among the reasons Tuttle isn't fixated about whomever Indiana names as offensive coordinator to replace the retiring Mike DeBord. Even as a quarterback, he isn't overly concerned.
"In many cases, for players, it would be (a concern)," Tuttle said. "But here it's not, just because we trust Coach Allen, we trust Coach Sheridan and the rest of the coaching staff that they'll make the right choice. We're behind each other no matter what. Just being here for two weeks, I can already tell that. All the players are on board."
The coaches will make choices amid a talented quarterback corps that includes junior-to-be returning starter Peyton Ramsey and four-star redshirt-freshman Michael Penix Jr., who played in three games before sidelined by an ACL knee injury.
Penix might be limited in some fashion during spring practice but is expected to be fully recovered for the 2019 season. And Tuttle's eligibility for this coming fall, as a transfer, is currently under appeal with the NCAA – a situation that may or may not be resolved by spring practice.
But regardless of how things work out this spring, Tuttle already likes IU's QB room.
"Peyton and Mike, I couldn't come into a better situation (with) how great of guys they are," Tuttle said. "I've met both of them, I've talked to both of them, and I think we're all just looking forward to competing and getting better.
"(The coaches) told me they like the way I compete. They like the way all the quarterbacks compete, and competition breeds success. That's all I can tell you for now. Competition is going to breed success and greatness."
Allen made it clear he feels Tuttle's arrival helps raise the competitive bar among the Hoosier quarterbacks.
"Jack Tuttle is a tremendous addition to our program and we are happy to welcome him to IU," Allen said when Tuttle's transfer was announced in December. "He is extremely talented and brings a huge skillset to our quarterbacks room. We look forward to his … development as a Hoosier."
Tuttle was offered out of high school by Alabama, LSU, Southern Cal, Wisconsin and a slew of other Power 5 schools. And he further developed as a prospect at Elite 11, the annual quarterback competition featuring the nation's top prep prospects and orchestrated by Trent Dilfer.
"I was honored to be there in the first place," Tuttle said of Elite 11. "It was a great experience. Coach Trent, all those guys, they do a fantastic job. With them, it's about more than just football, too. It's about being a great man and impacting this world in a positive way."
Dilfer won a Super Bowl ring quarterbacking the Baltimore Ravens in 2000, but Tuttle's hero is a different Super Bowl-winning QB.
"I was born in Indy, so that's why I'm a Colts guy, and I loved Peyton Manning," Tuttle said. "He's a great guy and I mean, obviously, he's my favorite quarterback of all time."
Asked if there was any pro he models his game after, Tuttle didn't limit that to a single player.
"Modeling my game, I couldn't tell you a certain quarterback," he said. "It's taking bits and pieces from each guy. Andrew Luck is toughness. Tom Brady is competitiveness. Drew Brees, how quick his release is. It's taking bits and pieces from each guy and kind of putting together that perfect, ideal look."
Tuttle is now piecing together a new collegiate life in Bloomington. He was asked what he likes to do with whatever spare time he has.
"There's no beach here," he replied, laughing. "I was born in Indy, but lived in San Diego for most of my life … here, (it's) hanging out with the guys, going to Mother Bears, watching games – it sucks that the Colts lost – but really just been doing that so far.
"Looking forward to spending more time with my teammates."
And whenever the time comes Tuttle gets his chance to take the football field at Memorial Stadium, Hoosier fans could find that it was something worth looking forward to, as well.
#GoIU
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind - Jack Tuttle is a long way from the beach.
But he is where he feels he belongs.
The 6-foot-4, redshirt-freshman quarterback enrolled at Indiana this month, smack dab in the middle of a Hoosier winter, after spending the holidays back home in San Marcos, Calif.
He is a man who soon might make Hoosier autumns more appealing.
Tuttle is the highest-rated recruit to sign with the Hoosiers this century, at any position. A transfer from Utah, he joins a 2019 recruiting class that now boasts four of the top seven IU recruits ever rated by 247Sports: Tuttle, running back Sampson James, defensive end Beau Robbins and linebacker Cameron Williams are ranked 1-2-6-7 among all IU signees since 2001, all with four-star designations.
James – who like Tuttle is a January enrollee – Robbins and Williams all hail from Indiana.
Tuttle, in a sense, does, too.
"I do have a lot of family here," Tuttle, who was born in Indianapolis, said Wednesday while meeting the media. "My dad went here and my mom was down the road (at Indiana State). They both love it here and they're really excited about me being here and around family."
Tuttle said that while wearing a white IU cap adorned on the side by a Bill Mallory patch. Tuttle's dad Jay was a walk-on kicker for Mallory's Hoosiers from 1986 through 1988.
"He loved him," Tuttle said of his dad's sentiments regarding Mallory. "He absolutely loved his experience here. I think it will be pretty special for him to come here on Saturdays and be together through that experience."
The younger Tuttle brings the experience of playing high-level California prep football, having starred for coach Chris Hauser at Mission Hills High School.
Tuttle led Mission Hills to a 12-1 campaign as a senior, the lone loss coming in the San Diego Section Open Division title game. He completed 205-of-295 passes (.695) for 3,171 yards and 41 touchdowns, with just four interceptions. He also chipped in 207 yards and two TDs rushing.
"I think the film study was a lot more advanced," Tuttle said of his tenure at Mission Hills in comparison to other high school situations. "And I learned that from my father and Coach Hauser and (other coaches) … I think that was phenomenal. It helped me improve on the field.
"We were all perfectionists there … it was a high level – you needed to be that way to win. So it was a lot quicker, and everything was faster, than most people would experience."
Perfectionism is reflected in that Tuttle can take pride in the 12 wins his senior season, but isn't forgetting the one loss.
"I hate losing," he said. "I absolutely hate losing. I hate it more than I love winning. I think that's the kind of attitude I bring here and I think a lot of guys are on board with that idea."
Indeed, philosophical compatibility is a big reason Tuttle is now in Bloomington.
"Coach (Tom) Allen and I have similar ideologies," Tuttle said. "He's a man of Christ. I'm a man of Christ. I think that goes a long way. He wants to win. I want to win. It's simple things like that.
"He wanted me here because he believed I was going to work hard and bring a good attitude to this football program and work hard to win."
Tuttle recalled the early origins of his attitudes toward football.
"I think it probably first struck me after my first year of playing football," he said. "I think I was in third grade. I think I was a lineman. It wasn't my favorite thing. But I kind of was, like, 'I'm out here playing for my team. It's more than just about me.' It's kind of having a selfless attitude, and caring about your guys, and doing whatever you can for them. And knowing them … and having fun with it, too.
"It's a grind on the field out there. People don't really understand that, because they're not in that position. It's not just about throwing the ball around, handing it off, whatever. You've got to be dialed in.
Mentally, it's almost like you've got to be one person, just moving down the field (as a unit), chunking away.
"It's important to know your guys, and not just know what they're going to do, but know their backgrounds. And have a brotherhood. Be on the same page. That way, everyone has one goal. You build that through the offseason, and it continues through the fall, and that's how championships are made, honestly. It's more than just the game. It's about developing a brotherhood and trying to win."
And that dovetails perfectly with Allen's "Love Each Other" foundational philosophy for IU football.
"Oh, absolutely," Tuttle acknowledged. "And I think that was a part of why I came here, because of that."
There was also IU's celebrated Kelley School of Business. And finance major Tuttle also bonded quickly with Hoosier quarterbacks coach Nick Sheridan, who helped spearhead the recruitment.
"Coach Sheridan, first off, is a great guy," Tuttle said. "It went beyond football with him, and learning about him and his family and what he's done. I think I just connected with him in that way. Very, very great guy. I'm looking forward to working with him."
And that is among the reasons Tuttle isn't fixated about whomever Indiana names as offensive coordinator to replace the retiring Mike DeBord. Even as a quarterback, he isn't overly concerned.
"In many cases, for players, it would be (a concern)," Tuttle said. "But here it's not, just because we trust Coach Allen, we trust Coach Sheridan and the rest of the coaching staff that they'll make the right choice. We're behind each other no matter what. Just being here for two weeks, I can already tell that. All the players are on board."
The coaches will make choices amid a talented quarterback corps that includes junior-to-be returning starter Peyton Ramsey and four-star redshirt-freshman Michael Penix Jr., who played in three games before sidelined by an ACL knee injury.
Penix might be limited in some fashion during spring practice but is expected to be fully recovered for the 2019 season. And Tuttle's eligibility for this coming fall, as a transfer, is currently under appeal with the NCAA – a situation that may or may not be resolved by spring practice.
But regardless of how things work out this spring, Tuttle already likes IU's QB room.
"Peyton and Mike, I couldn't come into a better situation (with) how great of guys they are," Tuttle said. "I've met both of them, I've talked to both of them, and I think we're all just looking forward to competing and getting better.
"(The coaches) told me they like the way I compete. They like the way all the quarterbacks compete, and competition breeds success. That's all I can tell you for now. Competition is going to breed success and greatness."
Allen made it clear he feels Tuttle's arrival helps raise the competitive bar among the Hoosier quarterbacks.
"Jack Tuttle is a tremendous addition to our program and we are happy to welcome him to IU," Allen said when Tuttle's transfer was announced in December. "He is extremely talented and brings a huge skillset to our quarterbacks room. We look forward to his … development as a Hoosier."
Tuttle was offered out of high school by Alabama, LSU, Southern Cal, Wisconsin and a slew of other Power 5 schools. And he further developed as a prospect at Elite 11, the annual quarterback competition featuring the nation's top prep prospects and orchestrated by Trent Dilfer.
"I was honored to be there in the first place," Tuttle said of Elite 11. "It was a great experience. Coach Trent, all those guys, they do a fantastic job. With them, it's about more than just football, too. It's about being a great man and impacting this world in a positive way."
Dilfer won a Super Bowl ring quarterbacking the Baltimore Ravens in 2000, but Tuttle's hero is a different Super Bowl-winning QB.
"I was born in Indy, so that's why I'm a Colts guy, and I loved Peyton Manning," Tuttle said. "He's a great guy and I mean, obviously, he's my favorite quarterback of all time."
Asked if there was any pro he models his game after, Tuttle didn't limit that to a single player.
"Modeling my game, I couldn't tell you a certain quarterback," he said. "It's taking bits and pieces from each guy. Andrew Luck is toughness. Tom Brady is competitiveness. Drew Brees, how quick his release is. It's taking bits and pieces from each guy and kind of putting together that perfect, ideal look."
Tuttle is now piecing together a new collegiate life in Bloomington. He was asked what he likes to do with whatever spare time he has.
"There's no beach here," he replied, laughing. "I was born in Indy, but lived in San Diego for most of my life … here, (it's) hanging out with the guys, going to Mother Bears, watching games – it sucks that the Colts lost – but really just been doing that so far.
"Looking forward to spending more time with my teammates."
And whenever the time comes Tuttle gets his chance to take the football field at Memorial Stadium, Hoosier fans could find that it was something worth looking forward to, as well.
#GoIU
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