Indiana University Athletics
Thursday Takeaways: Ohio State
11/10/2022 3:28:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana football head coach Tom Allen talked to the media on Thursday (Nov. 10) prior to the Hoosiers traveling to No. 2/2/2 Ohio State for a matchup on FOX at noon from Ohio Stadium.
Below is a partial transcript of the Tom Allen press conference, while video of the full media sessions can be found near the top of this story at IUHoosiers.com or via IUHoosiers.com/watch.
Tom Allen | Head Coach
An injury update…
TA: Yeah, so first of all with Jack, he does have a shoulder injury as we mentioned. So, he'll be out for the rest of the regular season. Will not require surgery but will take several weeks to heal up. So, he'll be out at this time.?
Then, Joshua Sales Jr. is still not cleared yet to be able to say for sure about Saturday. Just trying to get him squared away. So, we'll know more tomorrow with him.
On Cam Jones' playing status…
TA: Well, we actually had a similar discussion this week together, just he and I, about that very thing. He's still working through it. He's not cleared to play yet, and so getting closer without question. And definitely as we get into these last few weeks here, we've got to make sure we do what's best for him, and that's what I told him.? So, with the council of our doctors and himself, and his family, we'll collectively come to a decision on that.?
But there's no question, I always care more about his personal health and?his future. We all know he has a very bright future ahead of him at the next level. We want to make sure we always do what we can to help him with that. That's definitely a conversation we've already had, are currently having, and will continue to have here in the next couple of weeks.
On making changes offensively heading into a tough matchup at Ohio State…
TA: Well, there's no question that [Ohio State] creates a lot of challenges, you know you stated that. Everybody knows who they are and what they were expected to do this year, and really every year. They have as good of a team as they've had since I've been here. So, I know their expectations are for winning a national championship.
But the bottom line is, there's a balance with that. You go there to find a way to win the game, and that's why you play the game. And I get it, they're highly favored and I understand that and why they are. But at the same time, you know you never surrender to anything, without question, that's the mindset.
To answer the question, and the reason I say that, is because it does obviously factor into what you do. You're doing everything you can, you'd like to be able to bring some guys along. You'd like to be able to develop your players, and those younger guys. And maybe due to injury, or maybe due to the time of the year when they got opportunities to use four games, and that's part of our equation as well.
Things that we have been discussing and actually doing in practice and then obviously schematically trying to do some things, yes for sure. You want to do what you can do to maximize your opportunities, but also they do enough things that would make some of that maybe more difficult than some opponents to do or use certain individuals because of that. So, you try to be very judicious in the approach, to balance between what you mentioned as well as trying to go out there and be successful.
A great opponent, so much respect for them as a staff and what they do, and the players they've assembled. And you know, their goal is clear. They staked it, and that's what they're going after. So, we're just doing what we can do to go over there and find a way to win.
On Connor Bazelak coming off of his injury/preparing for OSU…
TA: Yeah, so definitely healthier, and back to more like we expect him to be, in terms of the velocity of the ball, and everything else with his ability to be healthy. So, to me it's decision making. You just talk about expectations, you know to protect the football, don't put us as a team in a tough situation by making bad decisions and it's obviously a collective effort by the whole offense.
So just want to see him be able to help us be successful in our early downs so we can have a chance to be successful on third down, stay on the field, drive the football, and find a way to generate points. It's going to have to take a collective effort this week with the talent we're going against.?
All three phases have got to maximize each other, complement one another. Especially special teams setting the offense and defense up. The defense setting up the offense, and the offense taking advantage of the opportunities when they come. That's going to be huge. Our offense has got to do a great job of finding a way, you know as a few teams have done, and not many but a few teams have found ways to be able to move the football and stay on the field which is a really big objective. A challenging objective without question, because of the way that their defense is playing right now, and the way that Coach [Jim] Knowles is doing such a great job.
Below is a partial transcript of the Tom Allen press conference, while video of the full media sessions can be found near the top of this story at IUHoosiers.com or via IUHoosiers.com/watch.
Tom Allen | Head Coach
An injury update…
TA: Yeah, so first of all with Jack, he does have a shoulder injury as we mentioned. So, he'll be out for the rest of the regular season. Will not require surgery but will take several weeks to heal up. So, he'll be out at this time.?
Then, Joshua Sales Jr. is still not cleared yet to be able to say for sure about Saturday. Just trying to get him squared away. So, we'll know more tomorrow with him.
On Cam Jones' playing status…
TA: Well, we actually had a similar discussion this week together, just he and I, about that very thing. He's still working through it. He's not cleared to play yet, and so getting closer without question. And definitely as we get into these last few weeks here, we've got to make sure we do what's best for him, and that's what I told him.? So, with the council of our doctors and himself, and his family, we'll collectively come to a decision on that.?
But there's no question, I always care more about his personal health and?his future. We all know he has a very bright future ahead of him at the next level. We want to make sure we always do what we can to help him with that. That's definitely a conversation we've already had, are currently having, and will continue to have here in the next couple of weeks.
On making changes offensively heading into a tough matchup at Ohio State…
TA: Well, there's no question that [Ohio State] creates a lot of challenges, you know you stated that. Everybody knows who they are and what they were expected to do this year, and really every year. They have as good of a team as they've had since I've been here. So, I know their expectations are for winning a national championship.
But the bottom line is, there's a balance with that. You go there to find a way to win the game, and that's why you play the game. And I get it, they're highly favored and I understand that and why they are. But at the same time, you know you never surrender to anything, without question, that's the mindset.
To answer the question, and the reason I say that, is because it does obviously factor into what you do. You're doing everything you can, you'd like to be able to bring some guys along. You'd like to be able to develop your players, and those younger guys. And maybe due to injury, or maybe due to the time of the year when they got opportunities to use four games, and that's part of our equation as well.
Things that we have been discussing and actually doing in practice and then obviously schematically trying to do some things, yes for sure. You want to do what you can do to maximize your opportunities, but also they do enough things that would make some of that maybe more difficult than some opponents to do or use certain individuals because of that. So, you try to be very judicious in the approach, to balance between what you mentioned as well as trying to go out there and be successful.
A great opponent, so much respect for them as a staff and what they do, and the players they've assembled. And you know, their goal is clear. They staked it, and that's what they're going after. So, we're just doing what we can do to go over there and find a way to win.
On Connor Bazelak coming off of his injury/preparing for OSU…
TA: Yeah, so definitely healthier, and back to more like we expect him to be, in terms of the velocity of the ball, and everything else with his ability to be healthy. So, to me it's decision making. You just talk about expectations, you know to protect the football, don't put us as a team in a tough situation by making bad decisions and it's obviously a collective effort by the whole offense.
So just want to see him be able to help us be successful in our early downs so we can have a chance to be successful on third down, stay on the field, drive the football, and find a way to generate points. It's going to have to take a collective effort this week with the talent we're going against.?
All three phases have got to maximize each other, complement one another. Especially special teams setting the offense and defense up. The defense setting up the offense, and the offense taking advantage of the opportunities when they come. That's going to be huge. Our offense has got to do a great job of finding a way, you know as a few teams have done, and not many but a few teams have found ways to be able to move the football and stay on the field which is a really big objective. A challenging objective without question, because of the way that their defense is playing right now, and the way that Coach [Jim] Knowles is doing such a great job.
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