Quarterback Tayven Jackson Transfers to Indiana

Former Tennessee quarterback Tayven Jackson is returning to his home state to play for Tom Allen and the Indiana Hoosiers. Jackson, a former four-star recruit, won two state championships at Center Grove High School and is the younger brother of Indiana basketball star Trayce Jackson-Davis.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – He's coming home.

After one season at Tennessee, quarterback Tayven Jackson announced on Sunday that he's transferring to Indiana.

"I love Indiana and it's always home," Jackson told HoosiersNow.com on Friday. 

Jackson attended Center Grove High School in Greenwood, Ind., where he won back-to-back undefeated Class 6A state championships. He holds the school record for career passing yards, completing 329-of-547 passes for 4,813 yards and 47 touchdowns.

A four-star recruit in the class of 2022, Jackson was ranked No. 198 overall and No. 13 among quarterbacks, according to the 247Sports Composite. He stands at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds.

Jackson visited Bloomington on Saturday for the Indiana versus Wisconsin basketball game alongside Indiana football head coach Tom Allen and offensive coordinator Walt Bell. Jackson is the younger brother of Indiana basketball star forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, who scored 18 points with 12 rebounds, five blocks and four assists in Indiana's 63-45 win.

Indiana football offensive coordinator Walt Bell (left), quarterback recruit Tayven Jackson (middle) and head coach Tom Allen (right) talk before the Indiana versus Wisconsin basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 14 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind. 

He appeared in three games for Tennessee in 2022 in a backup role. In total, he completed 3-of-4 passes for 37 yards and rushed four times for 10 yards and one touchdown.

The addition of Jackson fills a major hole on the Indiana roster heading into the 2023 season. Indiana quarterback Dexter Williams II showed promise toward the end of the 2022 season with mobility and a strong arm, but he suffered a knee dislocation with significant structural damage in the 2022 season finale against Purdue. Williams underwent knee surgery this offseason, and his timetable to return is uncertain at this point. 

With quarterbacks Connor Bazelak, Jack Tuttle and Grant Gremel transferring, Indiana now has four quarterbacks under scholarship heading into 2023 with true freshman Brendan Sorsby, incoming freshman Broc Lowry, Williams and Jackson. 

On Dec. 21, Allen said the goal was to add a quarterback through the transfer portal, and an older one would be ideal. These comments were made before Jackson entered the portal, which could have changed Allen's plan of attack at quarterback. 

Jackson has thrown just four passes at the college level, so he doesn't fit the bill of the experienced quarterback that Allen originally set out to land this offseason. It's still possible that Indiana elects to bring in a transfer quarterback with starting experience under his belt, but with undeniable talent and four years of remaining eligibility, Jackson appears to be Indiana's quarterback for the future. 

Related stories on Indiana football

• TAYVEN JACKSON VISITS INDIANA: Former Tennessee quarterback Tayven Jackson, the younger brother of Trayce Jackson-Davis, is attending the Indiana basketball game with Indiana football coaches Tom Allen and Walt Bell. CLICK HERE
• TAYVEN JACKSON IN TRANSFER PORTAL: Tennessee quarterback Tayven Jackson, the younger brother of Indiana basketball star forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, has entered the transfer portal. Jackson will be in Bloomington, Ind. on Saturday for the Indiana versus Wisconsin basketball game at 1 p.m. ET. CLICK HERE
• INDIANA FOOTBALL TRANSFER PORTAL TRACKER: In our Indiana football transfer portal tracker, you can find a complete list of Hoosiers that have entered the transfer portal, declared for the NFL Draft, exhausted their collegiate eligibility and players that are transferring to Indiana for the 2023 season. We will frequently update this list throughout the offseason. CLICK HERE
• 2023 RECRUITING CLASS: Indiana signed 16 players during the early signing period on Dec. 21, including 11 high school players and 5 collegiate transfers. Here's a full breakdown of each player, complete with quotes from coach Tom Allen. CLICK HERE