2024 Countdown to IUFB Kickoff: 2 Days (Tayven Jackson)

Written by: Nate Comp (@NathanComp1)

The Hoosier Huddle countdown to kickoff carries on into its final days! For the 100 days leading up to kickoff, we at Hoosier Huddle have featured every player from the 2024 roster in anticipation of Indiana’s first game of the season against Florida International University. Today, we highlight two players that will don the number two jersey this season, Jailin Walker and Tayven Jackson.

Tayven Jackson (Redshirt Sophomore)

Hometown: Greenwood, Indiana

Height: 6’4”

Weight:  212 Pounds

Position: Quarterback

Indiana will enter the 2024 season for the first time in a while with experienced quarterback depth, something they have desperately needed for about four years now. The best of this depth will be QB2 this year, Tayven Jackson.

Jackson made headlines when he transferred to Indiana for a multitude of reasons, but probably most notably because he is the brother of Indiana basketball star Trayce Jackson Davis. Tayven was also a 4-star recruit coming out of high school and had spent a year in the SEC at Tennessee, appearing in three games in mop up duty before redshirting.

Tayven then came to Indiana and spent part of last season as the starter, appearing in six games and making five starts. He finished the season having completed 78-of-128 passes (60.9%) for 914 yards and two touchdowns against five interceptions. Jackson is young and still an unfinished product, showing flashes of greatness but also moments of youth that needs more development. Curt Cignetti and his staff have noticed similar things and essentially shut down the idea of a quarterback competition between him and Kurtis Rourke.

“Tayven (Jackson) is capable of making the wild play, but there has to be more play-in, play-out consistency, eye discipline, focus, eyes downfield, making the right reads, securing the football, not turning the ball over, proper footwork,” said Cignetti after the Hoosiers’ ninth fall practice.

Jackson had an impressive spring game, hitting Donaven McCulley for a touchdown and showing a good connection with Andison Coby, but he will continue to develop behind Rourke this season and keep his eyes locked on the future QB1 job.