Indiana University Athletics
Quoted: Fall Camp Edition - Quarterbacks (Aug. 16)
8/16/2021 2:29:00 PM | Football
Below are partial transcripts from quarterbacks Michael Penix Jr. and Jack Tuttle from the Monday, Aug. 16, media session at Memorial Stadium.
Michael Penix Jr. | R-Jr. | QB
On how he has felt this preseason…
MP: I feel good. We have a lot of guys making plays, myself included. Personally, as far as the knee, I feel good. I feel like I'm ready play. I know come September 4 I will be 100 percent ready with no concerns.
On the offense getting the upper hand on the defense at the scrimmage Saturday…
MP: When I tried to use my legs Coach Tom Allen was quick to blow whistle, but I understand, he is just looking out for me and looking out for this team. As far as the scrimmage, the offensive side of the ball executed. We executed the simple things and made sure we did our assignments and trusted each other. The guys on our side were making plays. We had the running backs making plays and I was doing my best to make sure I was getting them the ball. I was making sure we were in the right protections, in the right place so that everything went smooth and that is how it went on Saturday. It was not just me. The other two quarterbacks were getting a lot of reps too, Jack [Tuttle] and Donaven [McCulley]. We were just executing the small things and I feel once we do that, we are a great team.
On what it was like to be back in game action…
MP: It felt good. We go against the defense everyday but with the scrimmage we were on the game field, so we got a feel for everything. It went good for being our first scrimmage. The offense showed a lot of great things and the defense showed great things as well. It was something to build off. We still have some things to work on, but we are in a good spot right now.
On the route running and the new additions to the team…
MP: We have a lot of guys stepping up. We have D.J. Matthews Jr., a transfer that came in. He is elevating and is a great guy that is going to make plays for us. We have Jacolby Hewitt. He was here last year, and he had his first career catch against Penn State, which was a big catch. Jacolby has been making a lot of big plays and showing great things out there on the field. Camron Buckley has been doing good as well. He is doing everything right, making sure that he gets his routes right. We have Javon Swinton, a guy that showed up the last drive of the Penn State game, as well. We have a lot of guys out there doing a lot of things and a lot of guys who are going to make big plays for us this season. We have Ty Fryfogle back. He is a great thing for us on the offensive side of the ball. Ty is going to make plays all the time, but it is good to have those weapons out there. We still have Miles Marshall as well, so he is going to make big plays for us as well.
Jack Tuttle | R-Jr. | QB
On what has stood out about the offense…
JT: I think we're doing a good job and I think the defense is also doing a good job this camp. I think we're developing the run game. We've got some great players that will really help us in that area this year. The offense as a whole, we're rolling as usual.
On the communication level with Mike Penix Jr. …
JT: I think we both learn a ton from each other. Mike's a great player and on the field it's huge taking those mental reps. Just picking up those little parts of the game that maybe he's better at than I am or I'm better at than he is. It's super important. We make each other better and we just have fun with it.
On offensive growth in the next few weeks…
JT: Some things we would like to see next Saturday is continuing to play at a championship level. [Head] Coach [Tom] Allen talks about it all the time. We're growing and getting there. It's a non-stop push. We may be at a championship level but in our minds we're not. We're going to keep striving and going. We're going to keep on pushing in that regard. Some things we need to do are continue to execute. We need to execute at an extremely high level, better than any team in the country. Just grinding together and loving each other and getting in the film and the playbooks.
On how he's a better quarterback since the bowl game…
JT: I think in the early parts of the year, I was working through some stuff with my body and healing in some other parts. So mechanically-wise, I was just trying to get back in sync and get my whole body ready to go again. I think our defense is one of the best in the nation, if not the best. Getting those reps in spring and understanding different looks was huge for me. Coming into fall camp, I think it's just been good for me. Getting those different looks against our defense. I feel like for me as a player, I've become calmer. Everything is slow to me now. I just need to continue helping the offense execute as a whole.
Michael Penix Jr. | R-Jr. | QB
On how he has felt this preseason…
MP: I feel good. We have a lot of guys making plays, myself included. Personally, as far as the knee, I feel good. I feel like I'm ready play. I know come September 4 I will be 100 percent ready with no concerns.
On the offense getting the upper hand on the defense at the scrimmage Saturday…
MP: When I tried to use my legs Coach Tom Allen was quick to blow whistle, but I understand, he is just looking out for me and looking out for this team. As far as the scrimmage, the offensive side of the ball executed. We executed the simple things and made sure we did our assignments and trusted each other. The guys on our side were making plays. We had the running backs making plays and I was doing my best to make sure I was getting them the ball. I was making sure we were in the right protections, in the right place so that everything went smooth and that is how it went on Saturday. It was not just me. The other two quarterbacks were getting a lot of reps too, Jack [Tuttle] and Donaven [McCulley]. We were just executing the small things and I feel once we do that, we are a great team.
On what it was like to be back in game action…
MP: It felt good. We go against the defense everyday but with the scrimmage we were on the game field, so we got a feel for everything. It went good for being our first scrimmage. The offense showed a lot of great things and the defense showed great things as well. It was something to build off. We still have some things to work on, but we are in a good spot right now.
On the route running and the new additions to the team…
MP: We have a lot of guys stepping up. We have D.J. Matthews Jr., a transfer that came in. He is elevating and is a great guy that is going to make plays for us. We have Jacolby Hewitt. He was here last year, and he had his first career catch against Penn State, which was a big catch. Jacolby has been making a lot of big plays and showing great things out there on the field. Camron Buckley has been doing good as well. He is doing everything right, making sure that he gets his routes right. We have Javon Swinton, a guy that showed up the last drive of the Penn State game, as well. We have a lot of guys out there doing a lot of things and a lot of guys who are going to make big plays for us this season. We have Ty Fryfogle back. He is a great thing for us on the offensive side of the ball. Ty is going to make plays all the time, but it is good to have those weapons out there. We still have Miles Marshall as well, so he is going to make big plays for us as well.
Jack Tuttle | R-Jr. | QB
On what has stood out about the offense…
JT: I think we're doing a good job and I think the defense is also doing a good job this camp. I think we're developing the run game. We've got some great players that will really help us in that area this year. The offense as a whole, we're rolling as usual.
On the communication level with Mike Penix Jr. …
JT: I think we both learn a ton from each other. Mike's a great player and on the field it's huge taking those mental reps. Just picking up those little parts of the game that maybe he's better at than I am or I'm better at than he is. It's super important. We make each other better and we just have fun with it.
On offensive growth in the next few weeks…
JT: Some things we would like to see next Saturday is continuing to play at a championship level. [Head] Coach [Tom] Allen talks about it all the time. We're growing and getting there. It's a non-stop push. We may be at a championship level but in our minds we're not. We're going to keep striving and going. We're going to keep on pushing in that regard. Some things we need to do are continue to execute. We need to execute at an extremely high level, better than any team in the country. Just grinding together and loving each other and getting in the film and the playbooks.
On how he's a better quarterback since the bowl game…
JT: I think in the early parts of the year, I was working through some stuff with my body and healing in some other parts. So mechanically-wise, I was just trying to get back in sync and get my whole body ready to go again. I think our defense is one of the best in the nation, if not the best. Getting those reps in spring and understanding different looks was huge for me. Coming into fall camp, I think it's just been good for me. Getting those different looks against our defense. I feel like for me as a player, I've become calmer. Everything is slow to me now. I just need to continue helping the offense execute as a whole.
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