What Tom Allen Said After Indiana's Homecoming Loss to Michigan
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana head coach Tom Allen expressed sheer disappointment following Indiana's 31-10 loss to Michigan on homecoming.
The loss was extra tough as former Indiana running backs coach and current Michigan running backs coach Mike Hart collapsed on the sideline during a seizure and was taken to the hospital.
Read the transcript summary, or watch the attached video above of the entire press conference.
—Opening Statement...
ALLEN: "Just thought the kids fought their tails off, played their hearts out. Obviously, we have some guys out, but other guys stepped up. Just didn't finish.
"Had a chance in the fourth quarter against a fourth ranked team in the country. Really good football team. You get a chance to be able to be in the fourth quarter to go find a way to win, and we didn't finish. So, that's highly disappointed.
Obviously, offensively not scoring any points the second half, just two weeks in a row of that, and it's got to change. It's got to change."
—On what is not working in the offense during the fourth quarters…
ALLEN: "You can see the opposite from first half to the second half the ability to move the football today, and then obviously, the second half not to be able to on.
"Obviously, it starts up front. Got to protect. Not getting the job done there, and got to look that the really hard."
—On the discussion of bringing in a new quarterback…
ALLEN: "We'll look at everything as we go through and evaluate where we're at and what we've got to do to be able to have a strong finish to our season.
"We've got six big games left. It's the halfway point right now. And, obviously, right now not playing the kind of football in the second half we have to play. Not protecting the quarterback, not being consistent up front, not getting the job done.
"We'll look at everything, every position, evaluate. Everybody has to be held accountable for their play and the way they're performing both as coaches and players."
—On seeing a response from the current offensive line…
ALLEN: "Not the last three weeks. Not last week. Not this week. Very disappointed. Very disappointing."
—On what Michigan did different in the second half that couldn’t be stopped…
ALLEN: "Honestly, I think just a couple of adjustments there in regards to -- I thought we had a couple of communication errors on a key third downs. The first long drive that they had where they had the ball inside the 2 that I was very frustrated with. Our kids fought hard.
"I think other than the first drive to me was our guys not executing on some critical second and longs and third and longs where we had a chance to get them on the second and longs to get into the third and longer.
"On the third down we have to get off the field. I know we had a couple of communication mistakes as we brought the guys off the field and talked through all that.
"But, I felt like our defense fought hard. I really do. I think they got wore down in the fourth quarter.
"Bottom line is that there's just some things that they try to do to you, and they do a good job of being a big personnel and creating some lighter pictures, and they have athletic tight ends to be able to do that, which makes it tough as you're trying to get the matchups you want and maybe have a chance to expose some of our younger guys that had to play due to injuries.
—On resetting yourself mentally for the rest of the season…
ALLEN: "Yeah, and that's what we'll do. A variety of ways to do that, and it's not an easy task, without question, but the bottom line is, as I told our players a few minutes ago, there's a lot of football ahead of us.
"We've got a lot of great opportunities on our schedule. Every single week is a big opportunity for us, and we take it one at a time. Obviously, yes, our guys' mindset is critical, but it is every time you play in this league.
"You're going to have your ups and downs, and you have to find a way to fight through them. I think this team has learned how do that, but at the same time we have to finish because it's all about finishing."
—On the status of Cam Jones and Bradley Jennings Jr. stepping up…
ALLEN: "He got hurt during the game last week, so we found out probably on Sunday afternoon. It's going to be several weeks at minimum.
"Just, yeah, you lose your best player. He is not just our leader of our team, he is the leader of our defense. He is playing at a high level. I would consider him playing at an All-American level. Statistically it backs that up.
"It's a big blow any time you lose a guy like that, and he gives us a presence as well.
"For us to be able to respond losing a guy like that with a team that runs the football so effectively, especially I would give us three and a half quarters, didn't finish.
"I thought Bradley stepped up. Did some good things, but I think it's a great chance for him to grow and learn. He is playing the position. We moved Aaron Casey to the stinger position to replace Cam.
"But, yeah, Cam is a special player. To just plug another guy in there and not have a drop-off due to his level of play that he has been playing at. At the same time we have to adjust. We have to figure it out.
—On what the dialogue in the locker room when making halftime adjustments…
ALLEN: "You go through and meet as a staff. You have your notes. You go through every single thing, and you go through the issues and go through the positives and try to be able to address the issues and make adjustments for those issues and be able to still continue to take advantage of the positive.
"We do that both defensively and offensively. Obviously, I'm calling defense, so I'm doing that with the defense during halftime and making those adjustments.
"Obviously, the last two weeks our offensive staff hasn't done a good job of making those adjustments. Proof is in the pudding. We haven't scored points in the second half.
"It is what it is. You can call it what you want. The adjustments have to be made in a way that allows us to be successful in the second half. That hasn't happened the last two weeks.
"That's something that we have to address, and that's on our offensive staff. That's their responsibility. At the end of the day I'm the head coach, so I have to make sure it happens."
—On what happened to Mike Hart today…
ALLEN: "I didn't say that, and I'm sorry. I should have. Just prayers for Mike Hart. I don't know the situation. I did talk to Coach Harbaugh at the end of the game. Very close with Mike. Talked to him even this week via text before we played him. It sounds like he is going to be okay, but obviously, a concern when he went down.
"Our hearts for him are heavy and his family. Prayers for them. Thoughts for them. We're praying that he is going to have a full recovery. Appreciate you asking. Thank you."
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