Indiana University Athletics
‘Locked In’ – Hoosiers Set To ‘Elevate’ Against Michigan
11/6/2020 10:10:00 AM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Michigan is coming and mind matters.
Or, as Indiana head coach Tom Allen puts it through his word of the week:
"Elevate."
Elevate the preparation, the intensity, the resolve.
"It's about what we are doing today to prepare ourselves to be our very best on game day," Allen says via Zoom press conference opportunity.
Yes, Indiana will hit until it hurts Saturday at Memorial Stadium, but if done without purpose and focus, that misses the point.
The No. 13 Hoosiers (2-0) get the point. Allen demands it. "Controlled rage" is a theme that could deliver a second epic program victory in less than a month.
"It is just about your mind and being able to stay locked in and focused," Allen says. "There is the emotion, the passion of the game. Things go a certain way or do not go a certain way and you respond to those things. It is just about staying under control."
Beyond that, Allen wants, "a high level of focus, a ton of passion, intensity and fire, but also to be able to stay mentally locked in."
The No. 23/25 Wolverines (1-1) figure to attack with ferocity fueled by rivalry loss to Michigan State.
Lesser opponents would break against such an onslaught by such a tradition-rich program that has thrived for decades by crushing pretenders.
Many past Indiana teams did.
But this Cream & Crimson squad is built not just to withstand it, but deliver its own break-a-team knockout.
"It is going to be a tremendous challenge," Allen says. "It is going to be very challenging to play for four quarters with the football that we know we have to play, but that is the expectation. If you want to get where we want to be, that is what you have to do."
Hoosier motivation comes from 24-straight losses in the series, including recent overtime near misses. It comes from having just beaten a Penn State traditional powerhouse with textbook closing resolve. It comes from a roster full of playmakers that can do what Hoosiers haven't done since Anthony Thompson and Bill Mallory roamed the Memorial Stadium sidelines more than a generation ago, beating Michigan and Ohio State along the way.
"It is about us continuing to move this program where we want it to be," Allen says. "That is what this is all about."
Elevate.
"The definition of elevate is to raise to a higher level," Allen says. "That is very appropriate for what we are trying to do here."
IU wants to go after Michigan quarterback Joe Milton, pressure him, hit him and sack him without drawing roughing-the-passer penalties. It's back to the "controlled-rage" theme.
"You do not want to lose your intensity," Allen says. "You do not want to lose your toughness, and how physical you play."
The Hoosiers practiced to that point.
"Here is what we did: instead of just saying 'do not do this' or 'do not do that', we did some drills that specifically worked on how you attack the passer while staying off of the blows to the head. You are trying to get your hands up, rake down through and affect his vision.
"You just cannot hit (the quarterback) in the head with your hands. That is a point of emphasis to protect quarterbacks. I respect that. We want our quarterback protected, as well.
"We did drills on that. Very specific drills from a technical perspective. We are instilling drills to get it corrected."
Indiana's last victory over Michigan came in 1987 by a 14-10 score. It lost last year 39-14.
The Hoosiers came back to beat rival Purdue, earn a TaxSlayer Gator Bowl bid and generate a mindset that this year, all things really are possible.
"I feel good about the guys' mindset," Allen says. "We have talked about things that we need to do and my expectations for how you prepare and how you perform.
"We have to take advantage of opportunities like this. As hard as they are physically and mentally, all those different things going into it, it is about one game, one focus."
In other words, elevate.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Michigan is coming and mind matters.
Or, as Indiana head coach Tom Allen puts it through his word of the week:
"Elevate."
Elevate the preparation, the intensity, the resolve.
"It's about what we are doing today to prepare ourselves to be our very best on game day," Allen says via Zoom press conference opportunity.
Yes, Indiana will hit until it hurts Saturday at Memorial Stadium, but if done without purpose and focus, that misses the point.
The No. 13 Hoosiers (2-0) get the point. Allen demands it. "Controlled rage" is a theme that could deliver a second epic program victory in less than a month.
"It is just about your mind and being able to stay locked in and focused," Allen says. "There is the emotion, the passion of the game. Things go a certain way or do not go a certain way and you respond to those things. It is just about staying under control."
Beyond that, Allen wants, "a high level of focus, a ton of passion, intensity and fire, but also to be able to stay mentally locked in."
The No. 23/25 Wolverines (1-1) figure to attack with ferocity fueled by rivalry loss to Michigan State.
Lesser opponents would break against such an onslaught by such a tradition-rich program that has thrived for decades by crushing pretenders.
Many past Indiana teams did.
But this Cream & Crimson squad is built not just to withstand it, but deliver its own break-a-team knockout.
"It is going to be a tremendous challenge," Allen says. "It is going to be very challenging to play for four quarters with the football that we know we have to play, but that is the expectation. If you want to get where we want to be, that is what you have to do."
Hoosier motivation comes from 24-straight losses in the series, including recent overtime near misses. It comes from having just beaten a Penn State traditional powerhouse with textbook closing resolve. It comes from a roster full of playmakers that can do what Hoosiers haven't done since Anthony Thompson and Bill Mallory roamed the Memorial Stadium sidelines more than a generation ago, beating Michigan and Ohio State along the way.
"It is about us continuing to move this program where we want it to be," Allen says. "That is what this is all about."
Elevate.
"The definition of elevate is to raise to a higher level," Allen says. "That is very appropriate for what we are trying to do here."
IU wants to go after Michigan quarterback Joe Milton, pressure him, hit him and sack him without drawing roughing-the-passer penalties. It's back to the "controlled-rage" theme.
"You do not want to lose your intensity," Allen says. "You do not want to lose your toughness, and how physical you play."
The Hoosiers practiced to that point.
"Here is what we did: instead of just saying 'do not do this' or 'do not do that', we did some drills that specifically worked on how you attack the passer while staying off of the blows to the head. You are trying to get your hands up, rake down through and affect his vision.
"You just cannot hit (the quarterback) in the head with your hands. That is a point of emphasis to protect quarterbacks. I respect that. We want our quarterback protected, as well.
"We did drills on that. Very specific drills from a technical perspective. We are instilling drills to get it corrected."
Indiana's last victory over Michigan came in 1987 by a 14-10 score. It lost last year 39-14.
The Hoosiers came back to beat rival Purdue, earn a TaxSlayer Gator Bowl bid and generate a mindset that this year, all things really are possible.
"I feel good about the guys' mindset," Allen says. "We have talked about things that we need to do and my expectations for how you prepare and how you perform.
"We have to take advantage of opportunities like this. As hard as they are physically and mentally, all those different things going into it, it is about one game, one focus."
In other words, elevate.
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