Tom Allen Says Indiana Won't Rotate Quarterbacks, But Choice Remains Unclear
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Eight weeks into the season, Indiana's quarterback situation remains murky.
In Saturday's 52-7 loss at No. 2 Michigan, Indiana flip-flopped between Tayven Jackson and Brendan Sorsby, but neither created noticeable separation in the long-running competition. Dexter Williams II continues to progress in rehab from a torn ACL suffered in the 2022 season finale, landing on the questionable – not out – column of the pregame injury report for the first time all year. If healthy, he adds a third layer to the Week 8 decision.
Indiana stands at 2-4 at a critical point of the season. Saturday's homecoming game against Rutgers is crucial for the big-picture outlook, as are three additional games against teams with below .500 records.
Coach Tom Allen avoided publicly naming a starter on Monday, but he's apparently done with constant changes.
"When we make this decision this week, that person will be the guy," Allen said. "So I'm not going to rotate back and forth."
"Bottom line is we definitely want to be able to have some continuity there."
Both Jackson and Sorsby performed well in the first quarter against Michigan, but were unable to sustain it.
Jackson finished the day completing 7-of-13 passes for 52 yards, two interceptions and a fumble. Sorsby completed 6-of-15 passes for 44 yards and two fumbles. With a couple risky passes, those turnover numbers could have easily been higher.
On the second possession, Jackson led the Hoosiers 60 yards down the field, perhaps their best drive since the Louisville game. But the drive ended with a poorly thrown interception. Then it was Sorsby's turn, and he led a 77-yard drive that ended with a trick-play touchdown on a pass from Donaven McCulley to Jaylin Lucas.
But after accumulating 137 yards on the second and third drives, Indiana mustered just 95 yards the rest of the game. Almost nothing worked for either quarterback. Both Allen and new offensive coordinator Rod Carey thought there were some positives with both early on, but there is much more to fix, especially the turnovers.
"That's the problem, right? That's the issue, is that we're getting this," Carey said while moving his arm up and down. "And so it's my job to get rid of this."
Indiana's Tayven Jackson (2) and Brendan Sorsby (15) warm-up before the start of the Indiana versus Ohio State football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023.
Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK
Carey thought Jackson and Sorsby performed at a high level when they stayed within the offensive system, but it wasn't good when they got away from that. He believes their youth and pressure from the defense has caused the quarterbacks to stray away from the offensive system at times, but Carey took ownership and said it's his job to get rid of that.
To keep them within the system, Carey is narrowing the focus.
"We're just going to do the same things over and over and over again and just limit what those same things are. Not this many same things," Carey said with his arms stretched wide. "This many same things," he said with his hands close together. "And we did that last week, had some success with it, and then didn't have success with it. So what that tells me is you shrink it down a little more."
While Allen feels ready to stick with one quarterback moving forward, it's hard to decipher exactly who that will be. And perhaps most basic, if anyone will be able to hang onto the job for an extended period.
Going on three seasons now, Indiana has had instability at quarterback. Allen, like any coach, stated a goal Monday to pick a quarterback and see that choice continue to improve and grow.
But when that doesn't happen, Allen said there's a performance-based assessment for at each position, and quarterback is no different. Whether it's Jackson, Sorsby, Williams or a combination, Indiana is desperate to find a solution in the final six games.
"Everybody has to perform as well," Allen said. "So whoever that is, I want those guys to know that. There's no doubt they feel that pressure, and you don't want any guy in a position to look over your shoulder. But you also have to look forward and make plays and be a guy that's doing the things you need to do."
