Indiana Quarterback Jack Tuttle Shows Toughness in First-Career Start
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan saw Jack Tuttle take a shot to the head and go into the tent, but as he saw Tuttle run into the locker room, he thought he would be fine.
The medical staff just wanted to check on Tuttle, but the game wasn't going to stop for that. As Wisconsin punted the ball back to the Hoosiers, the game went to a TV timeout, and freshman Dexter Williams was in the huddle ready to take his first-career snap.
Sheridan already had the play called for Williams for when play resumed. But with about 90 seconds until the TV timeout ended, Tuttle came sprinting out of the locker room to join his teammates and stay in the game.
As Sheridan put it Monday, it was almost like a movie scene.
"I thought Jack maybe tried to time it up, like he was waiting in the tunnel and then made the dramatic entrance to run back out," Sheridan joked. "We laughed about it after the fact... That was a good moment."
Tuttle said Monday he knew he was fine. He said he took the hit, and when he got up, he knew he was good to go, but he had to go back to the locker room nonetheless just to make sure.
Even head coach Tom Allen said when Tuttle made his dramatic return to the field, he threw up his hands and was like "yay, he's back."
"I love my team," Tuttle said. "I'm never going to give up on them, and we're going to keep fighting."
It was just one example of the toughness Tuttle displayed throughout the course of a hard-fought, 60-minute battle with one of the best in the Big Ten West.
Tuttle took a few big hits from some of the big Badger lineman, but every time, he got back up and continued to play.
"There's nothing like having a tough guy leading your team at that position," Allen said. "That just gives you a boost, man. He's tough."
Since Tuttle doesn't get hit during practice, this was really the first time in a long time where he's been knocked to the ground playing quarterback.
"It was the first time I've really been hit in a year, year-and-a-half or so," Tuttle said. "So, you know, a little bit sore."
Tuttle was awarded the game ball after the Indiana won 14-6, except they didn't give Allen a ball, so Allen took off his glove and handed it to Tuttle.
When Allen called up Tuttle to give him the "game ball," the two embraced for a few seconds while the team cheered.
Tuttle's teammates then started chanting "Tuttle Time," creating a special moment for the Hoosier quarterback after his first-career start.
"It was a really special moment for me and the whole team," Tuttle said. "A lot of hard work. There's still a lot more work to be done here."
But Tuttle has shown he isn't one to bask in his own glory.
Like the rest of his team, he's adopted the 1-0 mindset, where no matter what happens, good or bad, he's on to the next thing.
For Tuttle and the Hoosiers, it's hosting Purdue for the Old Oaken Bucket this Saturday in Memorial Stadium.
"It was really special moment, and you gotta enjoy those," Tuttle said. "We did, and now we're moving on to Purdue."
Related Stories:
- INDIANA RANKED NO. 8 IN AP POLL: The Hoosiers jumped two spots after defeating Wisconsin on Saturday. CLICK HERE
- INDIANA KEEPS PROVING DOUBTERS WRONG: Tom Brew writes how the Hoosiers continue to prove everybody wrong this season. CLICK HERE
- OLD OAKEN BUCKET GAME TIME SET: For the channel, date and time for Indiana versus Purdue this Saturday. CLICK HERE
