Indiana University Athletics
Postgame Quotes: Indiana vs. Wisconsin
12/5/2020 8:08:00 PM | Football
Indiana vs. Wisconsin
Dec. 5, 2020
Postgame Quotes
Indiana Head Coach Tom Allen
Opening Statement
"First of all, I want to congratulate our players. Just so proud of them. So happy for, really for them, they have been working for just a tremendous amount of perseverance. Overcome adversity. Lost Marcelino McCrary-Ball before the season even started. Our most experienced and arguably one of our best defensive players. Lost several other guys along the way. Lost Thomas a couple of weeks ago. Lost Michael last week for the whole season. We have got six players this year that could not finish the season because of season ending injuries and this team just keeps on fighting, keeps on believing, keeps on staying the course. They just do not blink and that is why I am so proud of them. It has not been easy. Today was a tough hard-fought win against a very good football team on the road. Have not beaten Wisconsin at Wisconsin in Madison in 19 years. So, we just keep checking off historical wins and opportunities for this program. So, so proud of Jack and his ability to step in, and most people wrote us off because we lost Michael Penix who is truly a tremendous player and better person. But we are a football team and I think that team showed up tonight, and that team hung together, prepared well this week and just feel so blessed to be the leader of this group."
Q. On doing the right things as a team to win the game…
"Absolutely. To me this is going to be; when you talk about what does a team win look like in our program, this is what I am going to point to. With all the adversity we have had to face. Defense played phenomenal. Got a little bent but held them to two field goals and obviously got the huge stop at the end. Got two more takeaways, that gives us 20 for the season is seven games, which is phenomenal. Awesome job by Coach Wommack and the defensive staff. So proud of the them. And then Nick Sheridan being able to put Jack in position. Jack made some really good throws, did a lot of great things, but I really was not surprised. I believe it Jack. Jack is a special player. A lot of talent and he just had not played a lot in college. So, but just really when you think about a football team, and we talked about it just in the locker room, I just kept saying that word over and over again and that is what this is. This is a really good football team."
Q. On the team handling the big moments well…
"It obviously started last year. Those three road wins that we got at Maryland, at Nebraska, at Purdue. Those were really the change agents where is all started being different. This year the win against Penn State, that was a home game but the way that we did it, and just the things that happened in the sequence of events when we were pretty much in all likelihood not going to win, and statistically according to what I had seen on television we had a .1% chance of winning that game once we turned the ball over on downs with 1:47 to go. I have that on a card in my office and when we will use that for a long, long time. From that point on when we had that .1% chance of winning that game, we found a way to win. Drove 75 yards, scored, went for two tied it up, went to overtime, scored, went for two, and got the win, and I just think that creates so much belief. Just kind of galvanized all the things that we are talking about, because obviously last year there are levels to development in a program. We did not finish in the bowl game last year. That really stung, and hurt this group for a long time. We used that to motivate this team in the offseason about getting to this point where we can make these game changing, game finishing plays. It gives the best, so to be able to do it against a Penn State, to be able to do it against Michigan, to be able to do what we did it eh comeback, even though we fell short at Ohio State, the grit, the toughness and the fight that this team showed on the road down 35-7 and ended up losing by a touchdown in that game, I think was another growth opportunity and another growth step in this program. I am not into those, just because we are close but I understood what that showed about this team. That is why I said what I said when the game was over. Moral victories are not cheer, I get all of that, that is not what that was, but it was a growth time for our football team, and that is why I emphasized that and it showed up today. To be able to go on the road again against a top program that is perennially been at the best of the west for a long time and that to me is what this is about. So, just really proud of the growth that you are seeing from this football team and we have just got to keep working hard, just keep getting better, because this season has got a lot left."
Q. On the offensive line play…
"I have not looked at the stats yet. The only thing I have looked at is the scoreboard and we won by eight points. This is one of those games where I did not even know what we rushed for but I knew by watching the game that we rushed effectively and ran the ball effectively. It allowed us the make the plays that we needed to make. To me, that is a tribute to our team. Wisconsin is a tough team to run the ball on. They have one of the best defenses in the country. They are really good on third downs and we did a good job in that area when we needed. Obviously, that is something we also need to work on but this was Jack Tuttle's first collegiate start. He is going to get better and I think you just have to continue to grow. To answer your question, yes, I think we ran the ball effectively."
Q. On the sideline at the end of the game…
"I did tell Kane Wommack what I wanted him to call on that last play. I do not usually do that but in that situation I did. He did a phenomenal job and all the credit to him and our staff. I am in every single meeting but I do not tell him what to call for every game. I do not like messing with his flow and his mindset. I do not think that is good or very effective. I never liked it when I was in that position but we are in constant communication. If he asks me, I will say this or that but the bottom line is that he got guys in position. I know they got some yards but as I said to Kane if they get a touchdown, they have to go for two. That is the only way they are going to extend the game. We just had to keep things in front of us. They caught it, we tackled them. We let the Graham Mertz run on third down and long. Other than that, we did some good things on that drive. At the end of the day, we had a lot of big plays and guys stepped up. Guys knocked balls away, tipped some balls, played a combination of different coverages, mixed things up and I thought Kane did a great job today."
Indiana Player Quotes
Jack Tuttle, Quarterback
Q. On getting into a quick rhythm…
"On the first drive I was feeling things out and seeing how they were going to play us. After that I feel like we got into a rhythm and got going. We made some mistakes here and there but we also took advantage of some opportunities."
Q. On the momentum shift of Tiawan Mullen's strip sack…
"It was huge. The defense played great. They did an amazing job and I am super thankful for them."
Q. On coming back onto the field after taking a big hit…
"I just wanted to get back on the field. That is really it to be honest. I love my team and I just wanted to be back on the field."
Tiawan Mullen, Cornerback
Q: On the respect the team has for head coach Tom Allen…
"Everybody in the organization respects Coach Allen. How he leads in his actions. He is just in sight of God. He doesn't get the credit he deserves, but from the player he gets the credit he deserves. When no one is giving him credit, we give him credit because we see what goes on inside the building. Everybody else outside the building doesn't see what's really going on. This year as we continue to win games this year, they see who the Hoosiers are and who the leader is of the Indiana program. That's why everybody did that joyfully."
Q: On getting credit…
"It's just going to take us to keep winning. Everybody in this program knows what we got going on. Like we said, we are trying to prove people wrong and trying to prove people right. Either way, everyone has an effect in this program, and everyone can see what Indiana is all about."
Q: On getting stops after long drives…
"It is all about the communication and trusting one another. When coach Kane called the call, everybody is doing their job. Everybody is together, nobody is panicking, we just stay the course and stay calm. We want to go out there and execute it, and we got a two-minute stop."
Micah McFadden, Linebacker
Q: On the feeling at the end of the game…
"We obviously had some timeouts, so we could get together and talk about what coach was seeing and what he was thinking he was going to call. We definitely had an idea that they were going to try and pass the ball down the field, so we brought two all-out blitzes. The first one was when he escaped on that third down and got some good yardage off of that. The second one was the same blitz, but on the play, you are talking about, that second-down play. Initially, my blitz did not really work, but I kind of stayed alive and just spun off the block and he was right there. It was good to get him down, and then Cam Jones made that play and Reese was awesome."
Q: On the red zone defense…
"Our defense has a mindset that they are not going to cross this line no matter how many yards they get or how long their strides going to be. We are holding them to a field-goal or no points at all, and they are not going to cross that line. We always talk about that if we are in a huddle before a play or we get a timeout and have time to talk about it. They don't get another yard; it stops right here. I think everybody buys into that mindset."
Q: On Mullen's strip sack…
"It sounded like a gunshot on the field. It was loud. I was dropping back into coverage and I got my eyes back to the quarterback right at the moment when he hit him. I was really excited when I saw the ball fly out and James get the recovery. It was really exciting. It was a huge momentum swing for our team."
Dec. 5, 2020
Postgame Quotes
Indiana Head Coach Tom Allen
Opening Statement
"First of all, I want to congratulate our players. Just so proud of them. So happy for, really for them, they have been working for just a tremendous amount of perseverance. Overcome adversity. Lost Marcelino McCrary-Ball before the season even started. Our most experienced and arguably one of our best defensive players. Lost several other guys along the way. Lost Thomas a couple of weeks ago. Lost Michael last week for the whole season. We have got six players this year that could not finish the season because of season ending injuries and this team just keeps on fighting, keeps on believing, keeps on staying the course. They just do not blink and that is why I am so proud of them. It has not been easy. Today was a tough hard-fought win against a very good football team on the road. Have not beaten Wisconsin at Wisconsin in Madison in 19 years. So, we just keep checking off historical wins and opportunities for this program. So, so proud of Jack and his ability to step in, and most people wrote us off because we lost Michael Penix who is truly a tremendous player and better person. But we are a football team and I think that team showed up tonight, and that team hung together, prepared well this week and just feel so blessed to be the leader of this group."
Q. On doing the right things as a team to win the game…
"Absolutely. To me this is going to be; when you talk about what does a team win look like in our program, this is what I am going to point to. With all the adversity we have had to face. Defense played phenomenal. Got a little bent but held them to two field goals and obviously got the huge stop at the end. Got two more takeaways, that gives us 20 for the season is seven games, which is phenomenal. Awesome job by Coach Wommack and the defensive staff. So proud of the them. And then Nick Sheridan being able to put Jack in position. Jack made some really good throws, did a lot of great things, but I really was not surprised. I believe it Jack. Jack is a special player. A lot of talent and he just had not played a lot in college. So, but just really when you think about a football team, and we talked about it just in the locker room, I just kept saying that word over and over again and that is what this is. This is a really good football team."
Q. On the team handling the big moments well…
"It obviously started last year. Those three road wins that we got at Maryland, at Nebraska, at Purdue. Those were really the change agents where is all started being different. This year the win against Penn State, that was a home game but the way that we did it, and just the things that happened in the sequence of events when we were pretty much in all likelihood not going to win, and statistically according to what I had seen on television we had a .1% chance of winning that game once we turned the ball over on downs with 1:47 to go. I have that on a card in my office and when we will use that for a long, long time. From that point on when we had that .1% chance of winning that game, we found a way to win. Drove 75 yards, scored, went for two tied it up, went to overtime, scored, went for two, and got the win, and I just think that creates so much belief. Just kind of galvanized all the things that we are talking about, because obviously last year there are levels to development in a program. We did not finish in the bowl game last year. That really stung, and hurt this group for a long time. We used that to motivate this team in the offseason about getting to this point where we can make these game changing, game finishing plays. It gives the best, so to be able to do it against a Penn State, to be able to do it against Michigan, to be able to do what we did it eh comeback, even though we fell short at Ohio State, the grit, the toughness and the fight that this team showed on the road down 35-7 and ended up losing by a touchdown in that game, I think was another growth opportunity and another growth step in this program. I am not into those, just because we are close but I understood what that showed about this team. That is why I said what I said when the game was over. Moral victories are not cheer, I get all of that, that is not what that was, but it was a growth time for our football team, and that is why I emphasized that and it showed up today. To be able to go on the road again against a top program that is perennially been at the best of the west for a long time and that to me is what this is about. So, just really proud of the growth that you are seeing from this football team and we have just got to keep working hard, just keep getting better, because this season has got a lot left."
Q. On the offensive line play…
"I have not looked at the stats yet. The only thing I have looked at is the scoreboard and we won by eight points. This is one of those games where I did not even know what we rushed for but I knew by watching the game that we rushed effectively and ran the ball effectively. It allowed us the make the plays that we needed to make. To me, that is a tribute to our team. Wisconsin is a tough team to run the ball on. They have one of the best defenses in the country. They are really good on third downs and we did a good job in that area when we needed. Obviously, that is something we also need to work on but this was Jack Tuttle's first collegiate start. He is going to get better and I think you just have to continue to grow. To answer your question, yes, I think we ran the ball effectively."
Q. On the sideline at the end of the game…
"I did tell Kane Wommack what I wanted him to call on that last play. I do not usually do that but in that situation I did. He did a phenomenal job and all the credit to him and our staff. I am in every single meeting but I do not tell him what to call for every game. I do not like messing with his flow and his mindset. I do not think that is good or very effective. I never liked it when I was in that position but we are in constant communication. If he asks me, I will say this or that but the bottom line is that he got guys in position. I know they got some yards but as I said to Kane if they get a touchdown, they have to go for two. That is the only way they are going to extend the game. We just had to keep things in front of us. They caught it, we tackled them. We let the Graham Mertz run on third down and long. Other than that, we did some good things on that drive. At the end of the day, we had a lot of big plays and guys stepped up. Guys knocked balls away, tipped some balls, played a combination of different coverages, mixed things up and I thought Kane did a great job today."
Indiana Player Quotes
Jack Tuttle, Quarterback
Q. On getting into a quick rhythm…
"On the first drive I was feeling things out and seeing how they were going to play us. After that I feel like we got into a rhythm and got going. We made some mistakes here and there but we also took advantage of some opportunities."
Q. On the momentum shift of Tiawan Mullen's strip sack…
"It was huge. The defense played great. They did an amazing job and I am super thankful for them."
Q. On coming back onto the field after taking a big hit…
"I just wanted to get back on the field. That is really it to be honest. I love my team and I just wanted to be back on the field."
Tiawan Mullen, Cornerback
Q: On the respect the team has for head coach Tom Allen…
"Everybody in the organization respects Coach Allen. How he leads in his actions. He is just in sight of God. He doesn't get the credit he deserves, but from the player he gets the credit he deserves. When no one is giving him credit, we give him credit because we see what goes on inside the building. Everybody else outside the building doesn't see what's really going on. This year as we continue to win games this year, they see who the Hoosiers are and who the leader is of the Indiana program. That's why everybody did that joyfully."
Q: On getting credit…
"It's just going to take us to keep winning. Everybody in this program knows what we got going on. Like we said, we are trying to prove people wrong and trying to prove people right. Either way, everyone has an effect in this program, and everyone can see what Indiana is all about."
Q: On getting stops after long drives…
"It is all about the communication and trusting one another. When coach Kane called the call, everybody is doing their job. Everybody is together, nobody is panicking, we just stay the course and stay calm. We want to go out there and execute it, and we got a two-minute stop."
Micah McFadden, Linebacker
Q: On the feeling at the end of the game…
"We obviously had some timeouts, so we could get together and talk about what coach was seeing and what he was thinking he was going to call. We definitely had an idea that they were going to try and pass the ball down the field, so we brought two all-out blitzes. The first one was when he escaped on that third down and got some good yardage off of that. The second one was the same blitz, but on the play, you are talking about, that second-down play. Initially, my blitz did not really work, but I kind of stayed alive and just spun off the block and he was right there. It was good to get him down, and then Cam Jones made that play and Reese was awesome."
Q: On the red zone defense…
"Our defense has a mindset that they are not going to cross this line no matter how many yards they get or how long their strides going to be. We are holding them to a field-goal or no points at all, and they are not going to cross that line. We always talk about that if we are in a huddle before a play or we get a timeout and have time to talk about it. They don't get another yard; it stops right here. I think everybody buys into that mindset."
Q: On Mullen's strip sack…
"It sounded like a gunshot on the field. It was loud. I was dropping back into coverage and I got my eyes back to the quarterback right at the moment when he hit him. I was really excited when I saw the ball fly out and James get the recovery. It was really exciting. It was a huge momentum swing for our team."
Players Mentioned
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