A Tale of Two Halves as IU Offense Finds a Rhythm in the Second Half of 21-14 Loss
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Image: Indiana athletics
Written by Zach Greene
Indiana did not get the job done today. They came up short yet again in a contested ballgame. The second half, they won, 14-0, while the Cardinals won the first half 21-0. It was a flip-flop game. The momentum of the game swung fast and mightily. A good reminder of the 2020 season.
The first half was mixed with good play and a couple massive blown coverages on defense. The offense moved the ball decently well, but stalled shortly after crossing midfield.
The Hoosiers didn’t have a rhythm on offense and barely had a pulse in the game as they headed to the locker room for halftime.
The momentum flipped on an onside kick to open the half that led to Indiana’s first touchdown, a 30-yard pass from Tayven Jackson to Jaylin Lucas.
“I think once we started playing fast. I’m used to that. I think it brings out all of us as a group of quarterbacks and wide receivers. We all know how to play fast and when we play fast we play free.” Jackson said of finding a good rhythm in the second half.
Jackson finished the game completing 24-of-34 passes for 299 yards and a touchdown. He found a groove in the second half after an inconsistent first half where he threw an interception and over threw several receivers.
“I think there's no question, you could see (Tayven) growing up throughout. There's things that happen that you don't always see, especially in the first half, just mistakes being young, the clock, different formations, checks, seeing guys in motion, things like that. But those will continue to get better and better.” Allen said after the game. “But I just love the fact that he just makes plays. He's able to create, extend plays, eyes downfield, finding receivers. Those are things you can't teach. That's just instinctual things that he has.”
Ultimately, the Indiana offense was a yard short and a half late against Louisville. With the Hoosiers sitting at 1-2 (0-1) it is getting late early.