Indiana football quarterback Tayven Jackson closed out QB competition in his comfort zone
Michael NiziolekBLOOMINGTON — Indiana football linebacker Aaron Casey caught a glimpse of the “edge” he said quarterback Tayven Jackson brings to the lineup during fall camp.
Jackson converted a third and short when the quarterbacks went live for a very brief portion of practice.
“It was just a short yardage thing and he did a little QB sneak,” Casey said. “He was all fired up. He was like, ‘I love the contact.’ You know how quarterbacks don’t get hit in the offseason. He definitely brought it.”
That “moxie” as coach Tom Allen has called it helped Jackson win the job over Brendan Sorsby after a lengthy quarterback battle.
Allen, who extended the competition into the regular season, announced Jackson as the Hoosiers full-time starter during his weekly press conference on Monday.
“Some guys are like that, when the lights are on and the pressure's on and you've got to make those throws and you've got to make plays and people are in your face, you're getting hit,” Allen said, of Jackson. “I thought it was pretty telling.”
Indiana football QB Tayven Jackson shines in spotlight
Allen pinpointed a moment early in the game against Indiana State that highlighted that.
Jackson had the wind knocked out of him on Indiana’s second drive — ISU defensive lineman Juju Williams hit him as he threw the ball — and missed only one play.
He made a point of telling the coaching staff he was good to go once the trainers were done looking at him and ran full speed down the sideline to get back into the huddle after Brendan Sorsby hit a 31-yard completion.
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One of Jackson’s longest completions of the night also came with pressure in his face.
Defensive lineman Antoineo Harris had a free run at Jackson late in the first quarter, but completed a 21-yard pass to Cam Camper inside ISU’s 20-yard line right before taking a big hit.
Jackson admitted to reporters on Monday that his confidence during the eight months-long competition was at its highest once the season started.
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“I think in the fall camp and spring there was a lot of stress,” Jackson said. “I almost think playing in a game and environment like Indiana, it almost just comes naturally…You are playing ball and trying to win a football game."
Competitiveness goes back a long way
Indiana receivers Omar Cooper Jr. and Donaven McCulley saw that competitive spirit from Jackson going back to their days as high school rivals in the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference.
Cooper and McCulley attended Lawrence North while Jackson went to Center Grove High School. They played football and basketball against each other on an annual basis.
“We’ve always had a connection,” Cooper said, on Monday.
Jackson was 5-0 in his career against Lawrence North with a 4-0 record as a starter.
The Wildcats gave Center Grove a scare during the 2021 playoffs as the program was seeking back-to-back state titles. but Jackson closed out a 29-19 win by making a series of plays in the fourth quarter to keep a then-25-game win streak alive.
“That came down to the wire and I still feel like we should have still won to this day, and talk about it,” Cooper said.
Cooper was convinced Jackson had a bright future ahead of him.
“He always had a good arm and made the right reads and was able to deliver a good ball,” Cooper said. “I used to like watching him when we played against him even though we were losing.”
Indiana’s coaching staff getting a chance to see that in a game was the final piece of the puzzle and now Jackson can move forward without the weight of the competition on his shoulders.
“I feel like when I step onto that field, I just go and play free,” Jacksons said, smiling.
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on Twitter @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.