Indiana University Athletics
Thursday Takeaways: at Cincinnati
9/22/2022 3:00:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The first road trip of the season is on deck Saturday, when the Indiana football program travels to Cincinnati for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN2 and head coach Tom Allen talked to the media one final time before the matchup with the Bearcats at Nippert Stadium.
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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.
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Tom Allen | Head Coach
On the Cincinnati offensive scheme and if it has changed with a new coordinator...
TA: A lot of similarities [to last year]. Like you said, [Gino Guidugli] has been there and been a part of their offense in the past. We haven't seen much change and didn't expect much change.
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The quarterback and his skillset might create the biggest differences and you just build it around that position to be its best. [Ben Bryant] is a very talented football player, so that is probably the biggest change in regard to that.
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Structurally, the things that they do, the style of play and what they are doing within their system is pretty consistent.
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On what Cincinnati's defense has adapted to the new personnel...
TA: You're on point. Schematically it is the same. You are going to tweak things every year, per the skills of your guys and what they do very well. They obviously had some very highly talented players on defense last year, and a testament to their program and their development and their recruiting that they have guys to step in there.Â
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They are new faces but doing a lot of the same things and doing it with a high level of execution. They are playing a good number of guys, play hard and are physical. They tackle well. Don't see a lot different structurally, but, like you said, it is a game of trying to find those spots where you feel like you can take advantage of different teams.Â
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Whether it is scheme or personnel, it is no different this year that it was last year. We did some good things last year, just didn't protect the football very well and didn't execute at critical times in the score zone. The bottom line is that they are a very talented football team on offense and defense and special teams.
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On if last year's game can serve as motivation to this year's team...
TA: We really haven't talked a lot about last year's game. Obviously, when you go through, it was a pivotal game without question. We are more focused on the response to some of our own mistakes with turning the ball over on the goal line and no protecting the football in the throw game. Not finishing drive. Those kinds of things you learn from and being able to handle adversity that is thrown at you as a football team.
Â
That has been the focus, but at the same time it is the biggest game of the season because it is the next one. We have a ton of respect for them, and we feel like we are just playing a tenth Big Ten game. That is what it is for us. They are a program that have themselves in that position and that is how we approach it.
Â
Our guys are excited to go on the road for the first time and to be tested and to be challenged and to be able to see how much better our opponent can make us.
Â
On Cincinnati's size and speed on the outside...
TA: You kind of [like to] have that kind of a room. The variation of skill sets so you have different guys that can do different things and create different issues for you, whether it is length - which they have at both receiver and at the tight end position, which you mentioned - and the speed of their receivers, as well, which is always difficult.
Â
The reality is that we see a lot of that. We saw it last week, we saw it the first week of the season, as well, and had some really good receivers in week two, also. In our conference, we are going to see that combination of length and speed from different guys and sometimes it is the same guy, which is even more difficult.
Â
They have done a good job in that area. Speed and length are two things we are looking to have in our program, as well, and they have done a good job finding those guys.Â
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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.
Â
Tom Allen | Head Coach
On the Cincinnati offensive scheme and if it has changed with a new coordinator...
TA: A lot of similarities [to last year]. Like you said, [Gino Guidugli] has been there and been a part of their offense in the past. We haven't seen much change and didn't expect much change.
Â
The quarterback and his skillset might create the biggest differences and you just build it around that position to be its best. [Ben Bryant] is a very talented football player, so that is probably the biggest change in regard to that.
Â
Structurally, the things that they do, the style of play and what they are doing within their system is pretty consistent.
Â
On what Cincinnati's defense has adapted to the new personnel...
TA: You're on point. Schematically it is the same. You are going to tweak things every year, per the skills of your guys and what they do very well. They obviously had some very highly talented players on defense last year, and a testament to their program and their development and their recruiting that they have guys to step in there.Â
Â
They are new faces but doing a lot of the same things and doing it with a high level of execution. They are playing a good number of guys, play hard and are physical. They tackle well. Don't see a lot different structurally, but, like you said, it is a game of trying to find those spots where you feel like you can take advantage of different teams.Â
Â
Whether it is scheme or personnel, it is no different this year that it was last year. We did some good things last year, just didn't protect the football very well and didn't execute at critical times in the score zone. The bottom line is that they are a very talented football team on offense and defense and special teams.
Â
On if last year's game can serve as motivation to this year's team...
TA: We really haven't talked a lot about last year's game. Obviously, when you go through, it was a pivotal game without question. We are more focused on the response to some of our own mistakes with turning the ball over on the goal line and no protecting the football in the throw game. Not finishing drive. Those kinds of things you learn from and being able to handle adversity that is thrown at you as a football team.
Â
That has been the focus, but at the same time it is the biggest game of the season because it is the next one. We have a ton of respect for them, and we feel like we are just playing a tenth Big Ten game. That is what it is for us. They are a program that have themselves in that position and that is how we approach it.
Â
Our guys are excited to go on the road for the first time and to be tested and to be challenged and to be able to see how much better our opponent can make us.
Â
On Cincinnati's size and speed on the outside...
TA: You kind of [like to] have that kind of a room. The variation of skill sets so you have different guys that can do different things and create different issues for you, whether it is length - which they have at both receiver and at the tight end position, which you mentioned - and the speed of their receivers, as well, which is always difficult.
Â
The reality is that we see a lot of that. We saw it last week, we saw it the first week of the season, as well, and had some really good receivers in week two, also. In our conference, we are going to see that combination of length and speed from different guys and sometimes it is the same guy, which is even more difficult.
Â
They have done a good job in that area. Speed and length are two things we are looking to have in our program, as well, and they have done a good job finding those guys.Â
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Thursday, August 13
Thursday, August 13
Tuesday, August 11
Tuesday, August 11