Saturday, October 2
University Park, Pa.
7:30 pm
Indiana University
at
#4/6 Penn State
IU Seeks to Make Its Own ‘Noise’ at Penn State
10/1/2021 11:27:00 AM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Ears will ring. Tom Allen knows that. Offensive audibles, or any play call, will be difficult to hear, let alone implement.
Welcome to Beaver Stadium reality.
Indiana (2-2) will face a daunting Saturday night challenge at No. 4 Penn State (4-0), and it starts with the decibel levels at a stadium that boasts more than twice the fan capacity of Memorial Stadium (107,000 to 52,000).
The Hoosiers have practiced in noise to try to duplicate what they'll face.
Will it be enough?
Stay tuned.
"You pump in the noise," Allen says. "You have to fall back on the habits and the fundamentals and the technique that you have built and the foundation you have to be able to handle that environment and play your best."
Allen said playing at Iowa to open the season -- 68,000 people packed Kinnick Stadium -- gives IU experience in operating at disruptive noise levels.
"That will help," Allen says.
To a point.
"There will be more fans and it will be louder," he adds, "but it helps, for sure."
So does having linebacker Cam Jones, a 6-3, 224-pound offense wrecker.
Jones, a senior co-captain, is such a big-hitting part of the defense you might forget he came to IU without a designated position after a versatile high school career in which, during his final two seasons, he totaled 3,678 all-purpose yards, 32 touchdowns, 160 tackles, 34 sacks, five interceptions, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
"We knew he was a really good athlete," Allen says. "We just weren't sure where he would end up."
Jones did nearly everything at Saint Benedict at Auburndale High School in Memphis, Tenn. As a senior captain, he led the team in tackles, sacks, tackles for loss, receptions, rushing yards, all-purpose yards, and touchdowns. He was a two-time all-state selection.
He came to IU and instantly created an intriguing dilemma:
What do you do with a guy with his kind of all-around skill set?
Early on, Jones played receiver, wildcat quarterback, running back, and defensive end. Then he backed up Marcelino McCrary-Ball at husky, a hybrid linebacker/safety position.
"He didn't play linebacker," Allen says, "which was crazy."
Eventually, linebacker became the obvious choice.
"He was always around the ball," Allen says. "He was a great athlete from a small school. You saw the potential. You go back to finding guys that fit you.
"He had length. He had athleticism. He had that defensive mentality.
"The more you were around him, he had that burst, that strike, to him. While playing defensive end and watching him chase the quarterback and see his burst to the ball, you saw that."
In four games this season at weak-side linebacker (called a "stinger" in IU defensive terminology) Jones has 20 tackles, one sack, one pass defended, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
"Coaches trust me to make plays," Jones says.
For his Hoosier career, he has 110 tackles, six sacks, four forced fumbles, two interceptions, and two fumble recoveries.
"He is just a great kid," Allen says. "He ended up being everything we hoped he would be as a man as far as his character, his leadership, and caring about school and doing things the right way off the field.
"His work ethic in the weight room is phenomenal. His leadership has gone up to another level."
Senior linebacker Micah McFadden, who has played next to Jones for four years, is among the Hoosiers who have benefited.
"He's a great player. It's exciting to play alongside him.
"We're friends off the field. On the field, there's real cohesion. We know what each other is thinking. We know who wants to blitz where; we know the game situation.
"He's come such a long way. I love playing next to that guy."
McFadden and Jones will play huge roles in trying to stop Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford, a senior having a career season with nearly 1,200 passing yards and eight touchdowns against just two interceptions.
"He's a great quarterback," Allen says. "He's a tough, hard-nosed kid, and a great competitor.
"I love how he plays the game. He has a toughness to him that you want to see at that position.
"He is throwing with a lot of confidence and a lot higher completion percentage. He's doing a great job of protecting the ball.
"You have seen his growth. He continues to be effective with his legs. He has hurt us in the past with that. Obviously, he has hurt us with the pass, as well.
"He's a big reason why they are as good as they are."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Ears will ring. Tom Allen knows that. Offensive audibles, or any play call, will be difficult to hear, let alone implement.
Welcome to Beaver Stadium reality.
Indiana (2-2) will face a daunting Saturday night challenge at No. 4 Penn State (4-0), and it starts with the decibel levels at a stadium that boasts more than twice the fan capacity of Memorial Stadium (107,000 to 52,000).
The Hoosiers have practiced in noise to try to duplicate what they'll face.
Will it be enough?
Stay tuned.
"You pump in the noise," Allen says. "You have to fall back on the habits and the fundamentals and the technique that you have built and the foundation you have to be able to handle that environment and play your best."
Allen said playing at Iowa to open the season -- 68,000 people packed Kinnick Stadium -- gives IU experience in operating at disruptive noise levels.
"That will help," Allen says.
To a point.
"There will be more fans and it will be louder," he adds, "but it helps, for sure."
So does having linebacker Cam Jones, a 6-3, 224-pound offense wrecker.
Jones, a senior co-captain, is such a big-hitting part of the defense you might forget he came to IU without a designated position after a versatile high school career in which, during his final two seasons, he totaled 3,678 all-purpose yards, 32 touchdowns, 160 tackles, 34 sacks, five interceptions, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
"We knew he was a really good athlete," Allen says. "We just weren't sure where he would end up."
Jones did nearly everything at Saint Benedict at Auburndale High School in Memphis, Tenn. As a senior captain, he led the team in tackles, sacks, tackles for loss, receptions, rushing yards, all-purpose yards, and touchdowns. He was a two-time all-state selection.
He came to IU and instantly created an intriguing dilemma:
What do you do with a guy with his kind of all-around skill set?
Early on, Jones played receiver, wildcat quarterback, running back, and defensive end. Then he backed up Marcelino McCrary-Ball at husky, a hybrid linebacker/safety position.
"He didn't play linebacker," Allen says, "which was crazy."
Eventually, linebacker became the obvious choice.
"He was always around the ball," Allen says. "He was a great athlete from a small school. You saw the potential. You go back to finding guys that fit you.
"He had length. He had athleticism. He had that defensive mentality.
"The more you were around him, he had that burst, that strike, to him. While playing defensive end and watching him chase the quarterback and see his burst to the ball, you saw that."
In four games this season at weak-side linebacker (called a "stinger" in IU defensive terminology) Jones has 20 tackles, one sack, one pass defended, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
"Coaches trust me to make plays," Jones says.
For his Hoosier career, he has 110 tackles, six sacks, four forced fumbles, two interceptions, and two fumble recoveries.
"He is just a great kid," Allen says. "He ended up being everything we hoped he would be as a man as far as his character, his leadership, and caring about school and doing things the right way off the field.
"His work ethic in the weight room is phenomenal. His leadership has gone up to another level."
Senior linebacker Micah McFadden, who has played next to Jones for four years, is among the Hoosiers who have benefited.
"He's a great player. It's exciting to play alongside him.
"We're friends off the field. On the field, there's real cohesion. We know what each other is thinking. We know who wants to blitz where; we know the game situation.
"He's come such a long way. I love playing next to that guy."
McFadden and Jones will play huge roles in trying to stop Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford, a senior having a career season with nearly 1,200 passing yards and eight touchdowns against just two interceptions.
"He's a great quarterback," Allen says. "He's a tough, hard-nosed kid, and a great competitor.
"I love how he plays the game. He has a toughness to him that you want to see at that position.
"He is throwing with a lot of confidence and a lot higher completion percentage. He's doing a great job of protecting the ball.
"You have seen his growth. He continues to be effective with his legs. He has hurt us in the past with that. Obviously, he has hurt us with the pass, as well.
"He's a big reason why they are as good as they are."
Players Mentioned
FB: Fernando Mendoza - Illinois Postgame Press Conference (09/20/25)
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FB: D’Angelo Ponds - Illinois Postgame Press Conference (09/20/25)
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FB: Week 4 (vs. Illinois) - Curt Cignett Post Game Press Conference
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FB: Inside IU Football with Curt Cignetti - Week 4 (Illinois)
Thursday, September 18