Thursday Takeaways: at Maryland
9/28/2023 12:30:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –––– Just two days shy of the team's road game at Maryland on Saturday (September 30), Indiana head coach Tom Allen caught up with the media for one last briefing prior to the Indiana football program's trip to College Park.
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference, while video of the media sessions can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Tom Allen | Head Coach
On how to address inconsistency…
TA: The first thing is you identify why. Sometimes it's scheme execution. Do you feel like you're maybe doing something in that situation where you need to either change the scheme or not call that in that situation. A lot of times its been execution for us of the scheme in those situations. If it's a focus issue of a certain player, or how that individual, or some individuals prepare then there may be some changes in personnel if that person can't get that corrected. To me, it really comes down to the reasons why you feel like that inconsistency is there. … I just think it's been a little more focus and execution have been the two that we've been focused on ourselves as a staff and trying to increase those with proper reps. More reps of that scheme, that call in those situations and trying to play really good situational football, and getting off the field and getting stops. We had five opportunities to either get a takeaway and you had the two fourth down stops, so five times where we really took a possession from them, and that's what you really want to be able to do. So, that was great from part of Saturday, but then you had the long run and then a couple third downs. We really hurt ourselves by not containing the quarterback and that was the theme from the previous week. Really been emphasizing that part of it, as well. It's more about why you have those breakdowns and then you want to be able to address that, whether it's producing this, or increasing reps on a certain call.
On Jaylin Lucas' role in the passing game…
TA: I just think that we want to continue to give him the ball in space and we've said that and I think that's definitely the way to do that, is to throw him the football. So, I think when you see the way he was utilized in that game (Louisville) and the opportunities he was given was more in line with what I envisioned for him. We obviously want to do that, just got to make sure that we're doing a great job of schematically creating those opportunities. There are obviously are times when based on the reads and reactions of the defense, you get the chance to get those and there are times where you don't. At the same time, to me, he's a guy, when you look at his skill set, you want him to be able to have the ball in his hand with some green grass around him and an opportunity to make that guy miss in space and go get us positive yards and get us points. So, I definitely want to see that be a big part of his role.
On how he's seen Tayven Jackson respond since the Akron game with his leadership…
TA: I think the response has been what I wanted which is: practice better. Be just unbelievable at the attention to details and continue to grow as a quarterback, and verbally, not be afraid to be able to challenge, motivate and encourage your teammates. The first step is you, yourself, just preparing at a high level in regards to understanding the brevity of the moment, the intensity of the moment, the urgency of the moment. Because as a quarterback practices, so practices the team in a lot of ways, in terms of just being able to execute things and there's no doubt that he has a lot on his plate as a quarterback always does. So, just really want him to be able to do a great job of just being consistent each and every day, practicing well each day and then going out and playing well. He didn't have his best performance (against Akron) and he knows that, and he takes ownership for that, just like I have to take ownership for the whole team. The bottom line is he's young, and growing, and I'm encouraged by his ability to lead and I expect that to continue to grow each and every week as he gets older and gets more confident in himself, in what we're doing and what he's doing. He's just a guy that needs to continually get better and this is a great opportunity for him to go on the road and play his best football.
#GoIU
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference, while video of the media sessions can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Tom Allen | Head Coach
On how to address inconsistency…
TA: The first thing is you identify why. Sometimes it's scheme execution. Do you feel like you're maybe doing something in that situation where you need to either change the scheme or not call that in that situation. A lot of times its been execution for us of the scheme in those situations. If it's a focus issue of a certain player, or how that individual, or some individuals prepare then there may be some changes in personnel if that person can't get that corrected. To me, it really comes down to the reasons why you feel like that inconsistency is there. … I just think it's been a little more focus and execution have been the two that we've been focused on ourselves as a staff and trying to increase those with proper reps. More reps of that scheme, that call in those situations and trying to play really good situational football, and getting off the field and getting stops. We had five opportunities to either get a takeaway and you had the two fourth down stops, so five times where we really took a possession from them, and that's what you really want to be able to do. So, that was great from part of Saturday, but then you had the long run and then a couple third downs. We really hurt ourselves by not containing the quarterback and that was the theme from the previous week. Really been emphasizing that part of it, as well. It's more about why you have those breakdowns and then you want to be able to address that, whether it's producing this, or increasing reps on a certain call.
On Jaylin Lucas' role in the passing game…
TA: I just think that we want to continue to give him the ball in space and we've said that and I think that's definitely the way to do that, is to throw him the football. So, I think when you see the way he was utilized in that game (Louisville) and the opportunities he was given was more in line with what I envisioned for him. We obviously want to do that, just got to make sure that we're doing a great job of schematically creating those opportunities. There are obviously are times when based on the reads and reactions of the defense, you get the chance to get those and there are times where you don't. At the same time, to me, he's a guy, when you look at his skill set, you want him to be able to have the ball in his hand with some green grass around him and an opportunity to make that guy miss in space and go get us positive yards and get us points. So, I definitely want to see that be a big part of his role.
On how he's seen Tayven Jackson respond since the Akron game with his leadership…
TA: I think the response has been what I wanted which is: practice better. Be just unbelievable at the attention to details and continue to grow as a quarterback, and verbally, not be afraid to be able to challenge, motivate and encourage your teammates. The first step is you, yourself, just preparing at a high level in regards to understanding the brevity of the moment, the intensity of the moment, the urgency of the moment. Because as a quarterback practices, so practices the team in a lot of ways, in terms of just being able to execute things and there's no doubt that he has a lot on his plate as a quarterback always does. So, just really want him to be able to do a great job of just being consistent each and every day, practicing well each day and then going out and playing well. He didn't have his best performance (against Akron) and he knows that, and he takes ownership for that, just like I have to take ownership for the whole team. The bottom line is he's young, and growing, and I'm encouraged by his ability to lead and I expect that to continue to grow each and every week as he gets older and gets more confident in himself, in what we're doing and what he's doing. He's just a guy that needs to continually get better and this is a great opportunity for him to go on the road and play his best football.
#GoIU
Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football
RB/RS
/ FootballFB: Aiden Fisher - at Iowa Postgame Press Conference (09/27/25)
Saturday, September 27
FB: Fernando Mendoza & Elijah Sarratt - at Iowa Postgame Press Conference (09/27/25)
Saturday, September 27
FB: Pat Coogan - at Iowa Postgame Press Conference (09/27/25)
Saturday, September 27
FB: Week 5 (at Iowa) - Curt Cignetti Post Game Press Conference
Saturday, September 27