Media Thursday: Maryland Week

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana will head east to face Maryland on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 3:30 p.m. EDT. The game will be televised on BTN.

Head coach Tom Allen met with the media on Thursday. Below is a partial transcript:

Opening statement…
"Hunter Littlejohn continues to work really hard on his rehab, so he's a game time decision. We'll see. Bottom line is he's doing everything he can to get back. Very proud of his effort."

On importance of seeing a complete offense for entire game…
"Very important and I think that goes to just growth and maturity as a team. You teach off of it, which we did and even able to challenge the defense even though they didn't succumb to the lull. Those things have happened and it can happen. It happens at all levels so you have to coach hard to avoid it. At the same time getting yourself in those positions and being up 21-0 with eight minutes to go in the first quarter is a position that you want to be in. You just got to learn how to handle it with maturity and finish and have a great focus throughout the entire game for 60 minutes."

On Maryland being a test for the defensive line to see how far they have grown…
"Well, it's definitely going to be a test for them. Yeah, I think it will reveal some progress or where we need to continue to get better at. As you get deep into our Big Ten schedule, that will be the case each week. (Tyrrell) Pigrome is a very, very talented athlete and can beat you with his legs and his arm. We've played against him so I know that full well. (Josh) Jackson is a very talented quarterback as well. Whoever we see, we know we are going to be facing a very, very good football player. The D-line is going to have be at their very, very best. We've definitely made progress and got a lot of guys playing better, but we need a whole bunch of guys to play their best game."

On the emphasis of using recent Maryland tape…
"They averaged 71 (points) their first two games, which is unbelievable. You look at the whole picture. There's no question you know what their potential is. You've seen it on film and they have extremely explosive athletes and a very, very talented football team. I'll tell you, this is three times we've played them. In the past once as a D.C. and twice as a head coach and they've always been very, very talented athletically. This is the most they've had and their defense is extremely fast. To me, the recency part is you just go through and confirm what you think they're doing schematically, but they're always going to do a couple things that are new. I think you have to look at it as a whole picture of what you're playing against and the potential to be who they are. That's a very good football team we're playing Saturday."

On how DB Tiawan Mullen has handled his move up the depth chart…
"I think that's part of teaching our guys. I said this last night about Michael Penix and challenged our team with this concept that is the proverb that teaches gold and silver is tested through fire, but a man is tested through the praise he receives. Because often times, the praises and successes that we have goes to guys' heads, especially when they're young and not mature enough to handle that. Articles are written about them, people saying positive things and all these things happen. How are you going to respond? People in the media, on television start talking about you, Big Ten Network and ESPN or whatever. How do you handle that? Earmuffs and blinders mindset that we have as a program, you have to block them out. And you have to, whether it's Tiawan or Michael Penix or Matt Bedford or these true freshmen that are playing and making plays and other guys as well. I just think it's about teaching them, and obviously, when you are playing at a high level, that should create confidence within you, but it can't allow you to let up. That goes back to the focus you have to have during a game, as well. To me, it's just about teaching young guys how to handle success, handle setbacks and sometimes the success can be harder to handle than the setbacks. Setbacks, you know, you just bow up and you fight, all your competitive nature comes out of you. But when someone tells you you are doing some great things, that can be even harder, which is why the proverb says what it says. I just think that's part of our job, part of my job, to teach these young guys how to handle it, sit them down, talk them through it, don't just assume things. Be very prescriptive on how they are getting ready to play each week. Good problem to have when you are having young guys making plays, but we do have to have a plan to handle it."

Indiana University Athletics

Related News

Players Mentioned

Hunter Littlejohn

Tiawan Mullen

Related Videos