INDIANA UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 18, 2023

Tom Allen

Press Conference

Michigan State 24, Indiana 21

Q. I know this year you guys have preached finishing games. I guess how frustrating is your defense is on the field, four-point lead. They have to get a touchdown, and you're not able to close it out.

TOM ALLEN: Very frustrating. Obviously our guys had a chance to go win the game defensively; didn't do it. Obviously when you try to play a certain way, you know, when you are with to sack the quarterback, there are certain rules that apply to that. So we want those to be enforced, but that obviously didn't happen today.

At the same time that's reality. So guys didn't finish. It's frustrating, without a doubt. Got a lot of young guys out there playing hard, but defense didn't finish. Defense didn't finish.

Q. A lot of those calls came at impact moments. The potential hold on a touchdown, pass interference. Did they ever give you an explanation on the intentional grounding two?

TOM ALLEN: I was told -- you are asking the question I asked specifically. He said that he was not -- his forward progress was not impeded.

On the intentional grounding he said that the receiver wasn't close enough. I said we have a read progression. He is reading the route, and obviously they weren't on the same page.

So obviously didn't agree with the explanation, but that's another discussion.

Q. Tom, the physicality you guys showed running the ball, I think it was your best running effort.

TOM ALLEN: Yes, it was. Over 200 yards rushing, which is why at the end with 22 seconds to go in the game, we had two timeouts. I changed my mind. I decide to go for it. I thought we could get the first down and get a little closer, try to take another shot to the end zone, which we did.

I liked their matchup with their outside receivers. Obviously it didn't work out, but that was the logic there, but I was just trying to get closer. So dual purpose.

Already missed a field goal that we should have made. They were getting a lot of push on our PAT. For those of you who watched, the PATs, a lot of push. The one was blocked from the interior. They have some big guys in there.

I was concerned about that, those longer kicks that were lower trajectory kicks. So it was going to be a 54-yard field goal earlier in the third quarter.

So that was the thought process. Obviously didn't work out. That's why we did what we did.

Q. Tom, with the way both these past two weeks have ended, I guess how do you keep the emotions stable in the locker room heading into the final week?

TOM ALLEN: We're playing Purdue, period. And I got this team's back, period. They know it. We're going to fight to the finish. I promise you that.

Q. In a game like this with another close ending down the stretch, how do you guys keep the locker room together for one more week as you go and get ready for Purdue this week?

TOM ALLEN: We're playing for the Old Oaken Bucket, the biggest trophy opportunity this team has in a given year outside of the postseason. So huge game, massive game.

Once again, we've got guys that are going to be playing their final Old Oaken Bucket game, so that's going to be the motivation, without question.

There's a strong locker room, I promise you that. Strong locker room. Once again, I've got their back.