Media Monday: Tom Allen Previews Penn State and Updates Injuries

Written By Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

Big Ten Players of the Week

J-Shun Harris (Special Teams Player of the Week)

Morgan Ellison (Freshman of the Week)

IU Players of the Week

Defense: Allen Stallings and Andre Brown Jr.

Offense: Morgan Ellison

Special Teams: J-Shun Harris

Injury News

Nate Hoff is going to be questionable for this week.

Marcelino Ball  Unknown lower body injury

Juan Harris- very doubtful for immediate future.

Kiante Walton and is going to be having surgery tomorrow. Will not be season-ending, but he'll be out for a few weeks.

A-Shon Riggans was also sidelined from the game and will be looking at his status as we move forward.

Simon Stepaniak- Status unknown.

Mike Majette- Status unknown

Donavan Hale- Status unknown

Rashard Fant- Status unknown 

Notes

IU will be wearing patches for the Muscular Dystrophy foundation this week.

Quotes

Tom Allen:

On Penn State

“On to Penn State. Just a ton of respect for their coaching staff and their program, what they have done. Coach Franklin has done a tremendous job in a tough situation initially and has recruited extremely well and has his team playing at a high level.

When you look at all three phases, very impressive program. Probably the best combination of everything that you see in defending as far as run game, pass game, offense, defense, special teams, across the board, playing at a very high level. Impressive win at Iowa on Saturday night. I think we were all watching that game and just impressed to see how they finished.

So a lot of respect for them. A tremendous challenge for our program, and tremendous opportunity, as well. So that's all I have to say.”

On Whether the Running Game Success Will Carry into Big Ten Play

 It wasn't a Big Ten opponent, so you can't say that it's equal for sure. But it's what you want to see. You go into the game, saying, hey, we need to run the football and want to establish that, and we did it.

You know, so that's why I say -- I was encouraged and excited about the game just because -- I mean, I understand who we're playing. But at the same time, that hasn't always been the case. You go into some of those games, I've been a lot of places where I leave very frustrated because you didn't have the focus; you didn't have the execution that you want in several different areas. And I was on edge with our guys about making sure the little things were not being overlooked. We wanted to run the football well; we did, and that definitely is a positive moving forward.

On the Play of the Offensive Line with Brandon Knight Back

“ I thought, executed well, and for a group that got a couple guys in there that were different than had been in there, thought this they gelled well. Was disappointed in the fourth and one. You know, us not getting that.

The third and one prior to that was a blown assignment and the fourth down and one was the running back has got to make the guy miss and get the first down, you know. But I thought as a group, they did a really good job working together and being assignment sound and creating openings, you know, and obviously Morgan and the rest of the running backs ran hard but they have to have creases and they gave them those openings.”

On Allen Stallings’ Performance and Earning POW Honors

“You know, I think sometimes it's just cutting it loose. You know, it's confidence. It's how you practice. Sometimes when you're the backup, you know, and you're not old enough and mature enough to be locked in all the time, that's kind of how you perform. You're kind of up and down.

So he wasn't consistent and didn't practice at a level -- man, I challenged him and my challenge was spirited because I knew he was the guy, and he had to be the guy, and he needed to elevate and he responded.

I'm going to give Greg Gooch a lot of credit, too, because he's not only been a great leader for us, and I've mentioned it a couple other times, but he really has been a great mentor to Allen and helping him practice different. I think because Greg knew he wasn't going to be in there the first half, he really took it personal to make sure Allen was ready.

So he played more consistent, he gave better effort all the time, and he finished the game. When I know -- we played a lot of snaps, it was hot, as we all experienced and he was still playing with that same burst. He got that sack at the end because of tremendous effort, and just want-to, which is really a big part of sacking the quarterback, mixed in with some good technique

So I just thought he raised his preparation level, his performance level and his effort, and that's what we saw different in production.”

On Facing Penn State’s Trace McSorely and Saquon Barkley:

“ You know, they are. Those are two -- there's not a quarterback, tailback combination in the country right now that's playing at a higher level. They are doing a great, great job, won't be and they are dangerous and confident. You know, he's making runs that are impressive, and he can catch the ball out of the backfield. And the quarterback is just, man, McSorley is just special, he is and he's just got that moxy that you want in a quarterback and that core confidence and that belief.

So you know, to me, we're not going to give anything away, but at the same time, the logical thing is you have to find out what they do really well and you have to find a way to take it away. You have to make them beat you with things that are not their strength.

And if they can beat you with the things that are not their strength, then they are probably just better than you. We have got to put it together and we are in the process of putting together a great plan for our team in all three phases. Coaches are working as we speak, and that's our responsibility and it's our players responsibility to play, execute that scheme with fanatical effort.

It's a tremendous challenge because, you know, they are so spread, they are going to get a lot of snaps. They are 50-snaps-a-half pretty much every game, and they are able to go at a good tempo and get the calls that they want per not huddling and just seeing everything, and they can stretch you vertically and they can stretch you horizontally.

Anytime you've got a back like him -- you've got to gang tackle that guy, now. You've got to get as many hats to the ball as you can, and that's a challenge because they are spreading you out, which is the beauty of the style of offense.

So tremendous challenge, and you know, they are hard to stop. You've got to slow them down and make them earn everything and somehow, some way, make them kick field goals. That, to me, is what you try to do.”