IU's Quarterback Carousel Finally Coming to an End, but a Starter Still Not Revealed
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Image: Sammy Jacobs Hoosier Huddle
Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)
The Indiana quarterback Carousel keeps spinning and it has been spinning long enough to make even the most iron stomached start to vomit. It started spinning in spring practice, continued through fall camp and the first two games of the season. When it finally looked like the ride was coming to an end…bam, it sped back up. Neither Tayven Jackson nor Brendan Sorsby have been able to grab the brass ring and stop the ride.
However, the ride will come to a stop on Saturday afternoon when the Hoosiers take on the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers. Head coach Tom Allen said it will.
“When we make this decision this week, that person will be the guy. So I'm not going to rotate back and forth.” Allen said.
Great, who is the guy? Allen did not specify.
“Bottom line is we definitely want to be able to have some continuity there. I know we've obviously had some back and forth with that throughout the course of the season as we have two young guys that we know are trying to grow and develop. And as we figure out what their strengths are as well. We just want to see them play consistently and build it around them.” Allen explained.
The Hoosiers are past the halfway mark of the season and both quarterbacks have had ample chances to reach for and grab that brass ring, but it just has not happened.
Sorsby started the opener against Ohio State while Jackson has started every other game, but both have seen snaps in four of IU’s six games.
Through six games Jackson has led the way statistically. He had completed 78-of-128 passes for 914 yards and two touchdowns. However, he has thrown five interceptions and lost a two fumbles. Jackson has not been a factor with his legs with minus-21 yards rushing.
Sorsby on the other hand has completed 30-of-58 passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns, but he has not thrown an interception. Sorsby is much better running the ball as well with 81 yards on 30 carries.
As has been the story since spring practice, both quarterbacks have been very even. In their ups and their downs.
“Both have positive traits and you just want to see more consistency. I think that's the key, for us to be able to do that as a staff to help them with that in both the game plan and the calls and the way they're going to operate.” Allen said. “That's going to be the real goal this week is that consistency and to begin to narrow things down to the areas where they can -- they've shown, we've got enough on film now to know that we can do well. Just gotta continue to improve, gotta throw the football better, continue to run the football better.”
For better or worse the ride ends on Saturday and the quarterback who trots out with the offense first will have been the one who finally grabbed the brass ring and will start the rest of the season.