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.”
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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 also had six carries for 17 yards with a score.
“He made some good plays,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said. “He left as many plays out there. It’s just doing what you’re coached to do. Reading your key, don’t forget to send the motion, those kind of things.”
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One of the biggest hurdles for Jackson and the offense was Washington unexpectedly moving over to zone coverages in the secondary. The Huskies had predominantly relied on man coverage earlier this season with one high safety, but the bye week gave them time to make adjustments.
Cignetti ripped up the game plan at halftime and turned almost exclusively to the run game. Jackson attempted just five passes in the second half and not a single one in the final 13:44 of the game.
“We focused on RPOs, just kept attacking,” Jackson said. “There was no need to get really get (deep) into the play call sheet.”
It was ultimately a rewarding day for Jackson, who lived up to the next man mentality the new coaching staff has preached since taking over.
“I was ready for that opportunity,” Jackson said. “I feel like as a team we did a good job.”
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
