‘I don’t second guess that’

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana football coach Tom Allen knows what play the Hoosiers fanbase will be talking about in the coming days.

Allen’s team had a chance to tie the game in the final minutes of a 21-14 loss to Louisville on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium, but came up empty-handed at the goal line.

Indiana needed less than a yard after a diving effort from quarterback Tayven Jackson at the pylon set up a fourth and one.

The Hoosiers scored in a similar situation earlier in the half on a handoff to Josh Henderson up the middle. The 5-foot-11, 215-pounder tried to dive over the top when the coaching staff went back to the play in the fourth quarter, but was stuffed at the line of scrimmage by Louisville defensive back Aaron Williams and didn’t come close to crossing the goal line.

More: Grading Indiana football’s 21-14 loss to Louisville

Indiana finished the game with 58 rushing yards (2.1 yards per carry), it was the 14th time they had less than 100 rushing yards going back to 2021.

“It’s frustrating,” Allen said. “That’s one I’m sure everyone is going to focus on, but there’s a lot of variables to that.”

Allen made it sound like a quarterback sneak was discussed.

The call would have made a lot of sense given Jackson’s 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame. Jackson’s athleticism was on display throughout the second half as he extended plays in the pocket and avoided pressure with his legs. While he didn’t have a ton of success in the game running the ball — he had eight carries for 11 yards — most of his designed runs came out of the shotgun.

Jackson was right over the goal line when he took the snap from under center on that final offensive play.

“I don’t second guess that,” Allen said. “I mean goodness, you got to just execute. You got the ball at the six inch line, you got to knock them off the football and go score. I don’t care…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/indiana-coach-tom-allen-defends-211213647.html?src=rss

Author : The Herald-Times

Publish date : 2023-09-16 21:12:13

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