NOTEBOOK: Road Challenge Centers On Lock In, Execute
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - A first road game.
An unbeaten opponent.
A young quarterback.
It combines for challenge and opportunity, and Indiana head coach Tom Allen, as you might expect, is ready to go as the Hoosiers (2-2) prepare for Saturday’s game at Maryland (4-0).
“I look forward to road trips,” Allen said during Monday’s press conference availability. “It's obviously challenging to play on the road. You've got the noise level that becomes a factor. You’ve got to communicate effectively. We’re going to do a great job preparing for that and handling that.”
That will be important for redshirt freshman quarterback Tayven Jackson, who will start on the road for the first time in his career. He’s coming off a struggling performance (11-for-26, 190 yards, one touchdown, one interception) in the win over Akron.
“With having a young quarterback,” Allen said, “to have him ready for that environment is important.
“We've got to be locked in. We've got to execute. We have to do better.”
That might include simplicity.
“You want to continue to maximize your quarterback's skills and what he does and help him make the best decisions possible,” Allen said.
“Sometimes limiting some of those things can help him. As the season progresses and you get multiple things that you have to see and adjust to each week as teams begin to game plan against a certain quarterback, it's important for him to be able to do those things. But as coaches, we have to do a great job of helping him.”
For Jackson, it’s about accountability.
“If we don't win, then I'm gonna take full responsibility for that because it's on me, it's on the quarterback to put the offense in situations to win the game.
“But I think (against Akron), I'm still going to take the fall for it because I didn't do my best to execute the plays that were given, and to put the guys in the right situation. It's always going to be on me because I'm the quarterback.”
Beating Maryland, Allen added, starts with a great week of practice.
“I expect a very highly focused, very intense, best week of practice of the season. I expect us to be physical, have high energy, great focus, and great attention to the execution of the game plan.”
Going four overtimes to beat Akron last Saturday night left some Hoosiers playing as many as 80 snaps.
That’s too much, Allen says.
“We had too many guys play too many snaps. We didn't play enough guys at certain positions. I want to play more guys at linebacker, more guys in the secondary. I talked to those coaches. I understand there were different reasons for that. We’ve got some guys dinged up at corner.
“But the play count was too high. We've got to play more guys. We have to get more guys ready to play, more rotation up front on the defensive line.
“I will say, as many snaps some of those guys played, for them to be able to finish the way they did, with the energy that they had was impressive. It means they're in really good shape.
“But I don't want them to have to do that each week.”
Maryland has scored at least 31 points in every game, and allows 12.2 points, which ranks 11th nationally. It is one of four remaining unbeaten Big Ten teams. The others are Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State.
It has a pair of difference-making running backs in Roman Hemby (255 yards, 5.1 yards a carry) and Colby McDonald (204, 7.8). Six receivers have caught at least 10 passes, five for more than 100 yards. Corey Dyches has 17 catches for 204 yards. Kaden Prather has 14 catches for 205 yards.
The catalyst is veteran quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa. He completes 64.4 percent of his passes for 1,112 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions.
The Terrapins have intercepted seven passes.
“They've recruited a lot of good players,” Allen said. “They’ve got one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten, as a returning multi-year starter. They're experienced. They have a lot of talent at the receiver position. Their tight ends are very productive. Their leading receiver is a tight end. Three good running backs.
“Defensively, they are big and physical. They've always been athletic. They’re always one of the most athletic teams we play. That's no different this year. They're creating a lot of takeaways on defense. They've scored a lot of points off takeaways. They're playing complementary football.”
IU’s offensive struggles against Akron -- dropped passes, poor throws, lack of third-down success -- left coaches searching for answers
“Without question, we didn't play to our standard,” Allen said. “It’s not acceptable at all in regards to not finishing drives.
“Dropped balls are just lack of focus and fundamentals.”
The first half has been a big problem. IU failed to score in the first two quarters against Louisville, and got just seven first-half points against Akron.
“Two weeks in a row, we didn't play in the first half,” Allen said. “That's two weeks in a row of that.
“Now you have a pattern of that happening. How do you address that? What changes do you make? There are a lot of discussions and adjustments.”
IU averages 21.8 points. Allen wants more.
“We're not scoring the points we need to score. We've got to do a better job of that.
“That's everything. It's play calling. It's technique. It's the scheme adjustments. It's everything we need to do to maximize our guys and help us get in the end zone. At the end of the day, we're performance based. We've got to perform as players and as coaches. We’ve got to get better.”