Just six days after a disappointing 23-3 loss against Ohio State, Indiana football will welcome Indiana State University to Memorial Stadium on Friday.
While Indiana’s defense held Ohio State to 23 points — the first time the team’s scored 23 or less in any matchup since 1993 — the Hoosiers were unable to score more than a field goal.
The starting quarterback competition between the pair of redshirt freshmen Tayven Jackson and Brendan Sorsby has yet to be settled. Sorsby started against Ohio State, going eight-for-15 for 58 yards. Jackson also saw action against the Buckeyes but will start against the Sycamores on Friday, splitting action with Sorsby just as the pair did Saturday.
“We wanted them both to play, and they did,” head coach Tom Allen said during his press conference Monday. “Like I said after the game, Tayven is going to start this week. They'll both play this week and we'll have a chance to evaluate it and make a decision moving forward.”
After playing the third-ranked team in the country, Indiana has now set its sights on an FCS school in Indiana State.
The Sycamores are led by seventh-year head coach Curt Mallory — the son of Indiana football’s winningest head coach Bill Mallory.
“(I have) a special relationship with Curt Mallory and obviously his entire family,” Allen said Monday. “Just a lot of respect for him and I think we'll have some former players from Coach (Bill) Mallory's era be here for a reunion.”
Indiana State enters Friday’s matchup coming off a 27-0 loss against Eastern Illinois University on Aug. 31.
The Sycamores’ redshirt junior quarterback Gavin Screws went 13-of-24 for 116 yards and threw two interceptions against the Panthers.
While from the outside it may seem like the Hoosiers will be in for an easy non-conference game Friday, Allen knows Mallory will have his team ready come 7 p.m. Friday.
“Obviously they're going to come here hungry, ready to compete and play and play their very, very best,” Allen said. “(Its) a very important week of preparation.”
During the game against Ohio State, sophomore running back Jaylin Lucas was sidelined for a portion of the second half while suffering from cramps.
Allen explained that a couple of players had cramps during Saturday’s loss. With Friday’s temperature being forecasted for 10 degrees lower than it was Saturday, Allen doesn’t foresee cramps to be an issue for his team moving forward.
With its offense struggling to score, Indiana relied upon its defense to hold the Buckeyes. In his first game with the Hoosiers after transferring from Western Michigan University, sixth-year senior defensive lineman Andre Carter totaled four tackles and two tackles for loss.
“I thought Andre Carter was extremely disruptive,” Allen said Monday. “He'll only get better as he learns our system more and continues to trust playing within it and the different things we have him do.”
Despite the encouraging outing from Indiana’s defense against the Buckeyes, Allen explained the special teams unit didn’t help the offense with costly penalties.
“The one frustrating thing that kind of stuck out to me that really put our offense in a bad spot,” Allen said. “We had four crucial penalties that caused us to — we started four drives inside the 20, three inside the 10, which is tough. It affects play calling. It affects psyche.”
While he spent the week focusing on how to best prepare the team, Allen has also anticipated his meeting with Mallory at midfield prior to the game.
“It will be a very warm embrace,” Allen said. “The Mallory family, pretty special to this program, no question.”
Each team will be looking for its first victory when the two schools kick off at 7 p.m. Friday on Big Ten Network.
