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BLOOMINGTON — The stakes were a bit higher for Indiana football quarterback Tayven Jackson in his return to the starting lineup in a 31-17 win over Washington.
Jackson’s last start came on a soggy day in Ann Arbor against Michigan on Oct. 14, 2023. The Hoosiers (8-0; 5-0 Big Ten) were in the midst of a downward spiral at the time having recently fired offensive coordinator Walt Ball.
Indiana’s new coach Curt Cignetti ushered in a new complete transformation in the 12 months that followed.
While Jackson was one of the few prominent holdovers, he didn’t get much playing time during the first half of the season as the team’s backup quarterback. It wasn’t until Kurtis Rourke suffered a thumb injury in a win over Nebraska that Jackson got an extended opportunity.
He remained in the lineup against the Huskies with Rourke still on the mend.
“It’s been awhile,” Jackson said, after the game. “I just wanted to get out there and feel loose.”
Indiana’s Tayven Jackson (2) passes during the Indiana versus Washington football game at Memorial Stadium on Oct. 26, 2024.
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The performance was emblematic of a youthful quarterback who spent much of the past year getting second-team reps.
Jackson displayed the traits that made him a four-star ranked recruit coming out of Center Grove High School — he made some impressive throws for big gains down the middle of the field and showed off his athleticism by beating Washington linebacker Deshawn Lynch in a foot race at the goal line — and the same inconsistency that plagued him last year.
“I felt like I could be a lot better throwing the ball, reads could be a lot faster,” Jackson said.
Jackson finished the day 11 of 19 passing for 124 yards with a touchdown and interception. He…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/highs-lows-indiana-football-qb-070139710.html
Author : The Herald-Times
Publish date : 2024-10-27 07:01:39
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