Rhythm Growing Between Tayven Jackson and Walt Bell

Written by: Nate Comp (@NathanComp1)

Whenever you come out of a long offseason, you are always looking for player progression. After another year in the coach’s system another offseason of strength and conditioning is behind you, it’s time to display significant improvement.

But when your quarterback transfers in during the offseason and is in a quarterback competition the first couple weeks of the season, sometimes you have to fit an offseason into a halftime break. So that is exactly what Walt Bell and Tayven Jackson did.

“Obviously that was the first game that he's been, you know, where Tayven was the guy the whole game,” said Coach Allen. “So just to be able to grow that chemistry and be able to get in a good flow.”

Like all good things, it takes time. Bits and pieces of the offense were coming together, but Jackson and the rest of the offense were unable to sustain drives and produce scoring opportunities. The Hoosiers fell into a 21-0 hole heading to the halftime locker room.

“That's the thing, too” continued Allen. “You think about the first half, we just didn't finish our drives. We had two good starts to the drives but did not finish them, and had enough individualized mistakes, individual players that kind of collectively short circuited those. But I think you can just kind of see what we can become from a scheme perspective, as well as the play calling itself and being able to distribute the football.”

Jackson finished the first half 11-of-15 for just 86 yards and an interception.

Enough had been shown, however, that Bell felt comfortable trusting Jackson more in the second half. The game script dictated an opening up of the playbook, and Bell had the confidence in Jackson to deliver.

“Coach Bell believes in me, and I believe in Coach,” said Jackson. “I’m going to do everything he asks me to do. He opened it up a little more in the second half, because we had to because we were down, now I feel like our offense is going to take a big turn after this game.”

Things certainly turned around in the second half, as he finished the game 24-of-34 for 299 yards and a touchdown with just the lone first-half interception. Though he was pressured at times, he was never sacked, and showed great pocket presence to move off of his first read and attack down the field.

“I always talk about, that's a key quality you're looking for in a quarterback is, hey, can he make something out of nothing,” said Allen. “When something breaks down, can he extend the play long enough to get his eyes down the field? Which he's able to do that, and either beat you with his legs or beat you with his arm. The more he plays, the better he's going to get. But I think you just see that growth.”

The eventual 21-14 defeat stung; but out of the growing pains, Allen and his staff may have found play calling confidence and the quarterback to deliver Walt Bell’s vision. 

Tayven Jackson will make his third career start with the Hoosiers on Saturday night against Akron.