Postgame Quotes: vs. Idaho

Indiana vs. Idaho
Sept. 11, 2021
Postgame Quotes

Tom Allen | Indiana Head Coach
Opening Statement
TA: Just proud of our guys. It was a tough loss last week and to be able to bounce back from that and regroup and address some things that you wanted to address early in the week, and I thought our guys responded by having a really good week of practice and I think that they showed that in their performance, and the way we started.

I did not like how we finished the half defensively. We let up. Obviously, can't do that. But I thought special teams was really special, and just really Coach Kasey Teegardin has done a phenomenal job with that group, to have two blocked punts, one for a touchdown, punt return for touchdown, one kickoff return. Just overall, excellent job in special teams.

I thought all three areas did a lot of good things, and I thought it was great to get Michael Penix Jr. out there and get him comfortable and playing the way he did, and just our whole offense, running the football. I thought they were really strong in the box and I knew running the football wasn't just going to be a given, for sure we have to execute.

But just thought our guys did a good job bouncing back. Positive momentum for the future.

On the play of the special teams…
TA: It really did and we make such a huge emphasis on special teams. I am in every single meeting, and that's on purpose. I want our guys to know how important they are. I interject a lot. Kasey does a tremendous job and Ryan McInerney, quality control guy, does a phenomenal job studying film and getting us in great position.

But the players know how important special teams are to us and we work on them so much. But the challenge was, hey, let's make those game-changing plays. We've always been really solid the last few years and now I said it's time to help us go win the game. We have three DNAs for each area and for -- providing the winning edge is No. 1; for special teams be at your best when it counts the most, and make game-changing plays and they lived those three out tonight and I thought it was awesome."

On the performance from the defense…
TA: Really good intensity in the beginning. Dominated them up front and I expected us to. I thought we needed to. I thought we should. That's nothing -- I just felt like our guys needed to play that way and they did.

And you know, the drive for the half is pretty much all they had in the whole first half. But just the ability to close everything, the windows off. They have done a good job. You watch some of their film, and Coach Paul Petrino does a tremendous job moving the football and they have scored a lot of points and they have done a lot of good job against a lot of good people.

So, I thought Coach Charlton Warren did a great job, good plan, very, very sound and made some good adjustments there to be able to keep our guys able to be in position because they are throwing a lot of quick stuff and getting the ball out fast when we got a lot of pressure on them early.

Those are hard, and I tell you No. 80, he's an All-American and you see why. Unbelievable ball skills and he does that every single game and so he made some great catches tonight and hats off to him.

But just felt like that our defense played well. They made it hard to get interceptions because of the balls they were throwing and they haven't really fumbled the ball hardly at all, so we got that early sack caused fumble which was huge. Very good defensive performance I thought."

On the defense setting the tone…
TA: That's it. And that was the challenge this week. When we had our time together, each side of the ball and then we have a coordinator's meeting on Thursday, and that's what I told Coach Warren and I told our team, defensive guys; that I expect them to set the tone for this whole team and for each game; and to create the takeaways and flip the field, the field position; and to be able to complement our offense and they tell set up. All offenses take a while to get going every single year it's timing and Michael's situation, coming back from his injury, and so just to help them with that.

I feel like, yeah that's the group -- that's the expectations. I didn't think we did that the week before. We obviously did not. And they made a difference.

And special teams, same thing. I challenged them. You guys flip the field position with returns and with a block punt, which you block a punt for a touchdown and your chance to win a game is 80, 90 percent. So that was huge.

And it's been -- what did they say, since 1969 that we have had two special teams touchdowns in a game? That's pretty awe awesome. Once again hats off to Coach Teegardin for that. Yeah, I thought the defense we got a lot of guys on that side of the football that have played a lot of football; and that is the challenge that we have given to them and I expect them to step up and set the stone and that's what they did tonight."

On Javon Swinton…
TA: Just a situation where he violated team rules and we hold our guys accountable for that. He learned a valuable lesson, and I feel like that he is a guy that it didn't surprise me, the plays that he made today. He makes them every day. He's been one of our better receivers since he got here and just really, really love his ball skills, his route running ability, his toughness, his competitive spirit about him.

But to me, the way he got out of it, accepted accountability, responsibility for his actions and serving out the suspension and then being able to come back and do what he did tonight, big part of special teams and obviously got a touchdown catch. He's a young man that I'm really excited for his future."

On Michael Penix Jr.…
TA: Yeah, I thought that it was a really good next step. If I just kind of go through it and you say, you look at it, evaluate it. Obviously last week was really rough, and to be able to come back from that; and I understand that it wasn't the same opponent.

But at the same time, a lot of respect for them and how hard their kids play and how well-coached they are. Bottom line is that I thought it was a really good, positive step in the right direction for him, and I feel like he got more comfortable seeing him in there making plays and throws and just got to continue to grow and develop.

Obviously, the opponent will intensify here real fast next week, but the bottom line is we were able to make positive steps in the direction that we needed to make to help this team continue to move forward and get better."

On the atmosphere…
TA: I'm going to tell you what, our student section was unbelievable. They were there an hour before kickoff, loud. Man, I just want to thank them. I tried to go over there and thank them at the end. I know a lot of them had left and I understand why, but man just what an unbelievable atmosphere that they create and just all of our fans, people coming.

Attendance was really, really good tonight and I know next week is already sold out. It's awesome and I just appreciate it so much. It means so much to our players. They noticed it immediately when they came out during warmups and they were engaged. They weren't just sitting there. They were into it.

And I just really appreciate our students and that student section was awesome, and I know it's got to continue and I know it will. Just our fans and everybody coming and supporting us and it means the world to me and it's just great to have the fans back.

I wish they could have been here a year ago for last year's season, but at the same time, this is where we are, and I really appreciate everything that they did tonight to make it special, and just continue to grow that as well because that gives us a home-field advantage and that's what we need in the games we got coming up."

On the offensive line…
"I thought -- yes, to answer your question, it was the offensive line that we expected to start the season with, and it really was how we moved through the majority of fall camp through the week before the Iowa game when Luke got hurt.

But I thought they were very solid. I'll go back and watch the film. It's hard to see everything in that as it's happening but just talking to the coaches throughout the game. Still got things to work on, even just because I think a lot of times O-Line play especially when you have guys that work together, Matthew Bedford is beside Caleb Jones, those two guys working together; Michael Penix working beside Luke Haggard and those two guys working together.

That was completely flipped when Luke wasn't in there because we had to move Matt all the way out to tackle and you create two sides of the ball that have a new combination working together. That is no doubt that's the combination we want. Feel like it puts our best five guys on the field, and that to me, they just have to keep working together.

It's about communication. All of the combos, all the movements, all the twists that you guys get, sometimes we got a couple of those we gave up tonight that we'll keep getting better at. I thought they had a good D-Line, I really did. I noticed that on film and knew they were going to be a challenge to us. And two really good inside guys that I thought were as big and as good; the one weighs 360 and he's strong and tough and he's a good player. I found him after the player and shook his hand, and number 0 -- same thing, he was 305, he was really good. Respect those guys.

Working together, I thought they did a good, solid job for sure, but we have to continue to improve."

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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Steven Carr | RB | Gr.+
On the difference in the run game tonight…
SC: Yes, a big difference, a big difference. It all comes back to practice. We all got on our high horse and we all tuned in and had a great attention to detail this week in practice. It showed and it can only improve from here. "

On finding a rhythm in the opening series…
SC: We got me in a good rhythm. I think the offense of line got into a good rhythm. I think it helps perk the team up also to be in a good rhythm. It's just a blessing.

On his confidence...
SC: I appreciate the comment saying I've got a good burst. I love seeing more spread receivers, we have a great receiving core, so if the run game can open up the passing game, that's amazing. We always want for that. It also falls right back to the run game. If the passing game opens back up, the run game will excel also. You can't ask for more. You want to see your receivers eating, that means your quarterback is playing good. You want to see the run game working which means the offensive line is putting the dots together, putting all the pieces together which allows for everyone to have a good, successful game. We just have to stay attention to details."

Micah McFadden | LB | Sr.
On high energy of defense and mindset going into the game…
MM: We started out really fast, we were ready to dominate our opponent. We did good until the drives at the end of the first half going into the second half. The guys played hard. We showed up ready.

On the defensive pass rush…
MM: I think we did well. QB did a good job of getting it out fast there were times guys were a step away but he got it out fast, kudos to him… Guys were fighting and working and straining up front to get there."

On the importance of this game going into next week…
MM: It's really important. It's difficult to stay mentally locked in when you have a week like this and bookend with two really big opponents. Guys did a great job, coming off the loss last week guys were locked in at practice and really showed up."

Javon Swinton | WR | So.
On catching a touchdown…
JS: I just feel like I had to keep the right mindset going into the game even though I didn't get to play last week. I still had to prepare like I was going to play last week so I was still ready. Missing last week gave me more hunger more motivation to go out there are prove to everybody that I'm here to stay and I'm a good player."

On first career touchdown catch going over the defensive back…
JS: It made me laugh to be honest. It helped me get settled down, more confident in my game. First game of the season you could have a lot of jitters, be a little nervous. After I got in there a couple plays, especially after I got that touchdown, I felt like I was right at home."

On taking with teammates after last week's defeat…
JS: The captains and the seniors, they really got on us about working hard and staying to it because last week was all in all kind of embarrassing even though I wasn't a part of it, to watch it kind of hurt me, so I can only imagine what It was to be out on the field, but at the same time we know what we're supposed to do, we have our own mindset, we just didn't come out and perform last week, so our goal this week was to come out and show everybody what we're about."

D.J. Matthews | WR | Gr.+
On the punt return…
DM: We've been emphasizing it a lot this week you know, special teams. You know, just coming out making plays, changing the game. You know winning the hit in yardage. And you know, when it was my time, it was my time to make a play. Just thinking about catching the ball, you know, fielding it. If anything, getting it back to my teammates once I seen my team come out and execute it, they set up a nice wall for me and I was able to get around, make a few guys miss and score a touchdown.

On having fans back…
DM: It was nice having fans back. It was just nice coming out playing in front of Indiana. The crowd was amazing, the students came out. They showed support. This was my first home game, so I've never seen the stadium packed out before, so it was definitely nice."

On chemistry with Michael Penix Jr.…
DM: I feel like it's better. We came back this week more prepared. We were ready to get in the lab, work hard, put everything behind us, you know, what happened in week one. Things happen, it's about how we going to respond to adversity. We all just put our heads down and went hard this week in practice. Just little attention to details and routes, assignments, being at the right depth. You know, just being in the right spots just to make him more comfortable in the pocket. The quarterback, he got a lot of things going on, lot of reads he's got to make, so I have to be at my best, the receivers have to be at their best so we can help him out."

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Paul Petrino | Idaho Head Coach
Opening Statement
PP: I'm disappointed. Anytime you get beat by that you're disappointed. I thought the bright spots were a couple guys defensively that played really well, Noil played really well, Tre Walker, Fa'Avae and defensively period I think played pretty good. Special teams was not good at all, gave up basically 21 points and offense wasn't very good with the exception of 2 drives. They're a good defense, but we still have to compete and find a way to get more first downs and stay on the field.

On Special Teams trouble…
PP: They just outcoached us, outplayed us. They just did a better job than we did.

Takeaway from game…
PP: You can take a lot away from it. I think a lot of guys can look in the mirror and be super proud of how hard they played. There's a few guys that belong out there on the field, and then other guys that can keep learning, keep getting better. What hurts you is when you get a lot of guys hurt, that sometimes in games like this that are tough. We had a few, so hopefully we can get them healed up and move forward.

On how prepared Indiana after loss to Iowa…
PP: Yeah you know they're a good team. That game was no way inductive of what the score was. If you just look at the yards and turnovers, I think it was at halftime Iowa had 31 points and only had 190 yards, so you knew they were a really good defense and they would be hard to move the ball on, and they were.

On playing in front of fans…
PP: It's fun. It's nice to have all the fans back. That's for sure.

Players Mentioned

Matthew Bedford

Luke Haggard

Caleb Jones

Micah McFadden

Michael Penix Jr.

Javon Swinton

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