The TaxSlayer Gator Bowl put on its pregame press conferences with each head coach and the respective captains on Wednesday at TIAA Bank Field. Indiana head coach Tom Allen was joined by quarterback Peyton Ramsey, linebacker Reakwon Jones, wide receiver Nick Westbrook, guard Simon Stepaniak and tackle Coy Cronk.
Simon Stepaniak a game-time decision
Indiana head coach Tom Allen addressed a new injury for fifth-year senior guard Simon Stepaniak on Tuesday before practice at Fernandina Beach High School, noting that he didn’t know what the status of his guard would be come game time.
When asked directly on Wednesday about his injury, Stepaniak said he remains a game-time decision, joining the likes of running back Stevie Scott and tackle Matt Bedford.
“It's definitely tough, being such a highly touted game and being a game-time decision,” Stepaniak said. “Just really working through the things, helping the guys as much as I can, and just trying to get healthy and be back for this game, is my main priority right now.”
Stepaniak has missed one game this season, the win at Nebraska, and when he was out, it was redshirt junior guard Mackenzie Nworah who stepped into Stepaniak’s role at right guard. That’s likely how Indiana would counter the situation if Stepaniak isn’t available.
Indiana remains focused
Tom Allen was asked during the first of two media sessions in Fernandina Beach how he plans to keep his team focused while in Jacksonville, and he said he relies a lot on his assistant coaches to maintain focus, since only seven players on the 2019 roster have bowl experience.
He also noted that he thought the team came to Jacksonville focused on their accord, after the dispersed for the holidays and met in Florida on Jan. 28. The head coach said he was encouraged by the first practice on site.
Since then, there haven’t been signs of Indiana straying from that focus, and coming out of the press conference Wednesday, Indiana appeared to be locked in as well, while Tennessee left some concern for its own focus the day before the game.
“There's been a great sense of urgency in practice,” Reakwon Jones said. “We know what our No. 1 objective is and our goal is, and all the guys, from young to old, know what their objective is. Talking to each other in our rooms, ‘We're going to win this game. We're going to win this game.’ That's our goal. It's been very clear what our mission is, and the guys have locked in. The guys are really handling this trip well and keeping that urgency level high.”
Allen expressed why it’s important for his team to remain focused, and the reason seems obvious – a bowl win would be a big step for the program.
“It would be a massive win for us. I’m not going to call it anything different than what it would be,” Allen said Monday. “We haven’t won a bowl game in 28 years. That’s a big deal.”
As Indiana's bowl prep calendar comes to a close, Indiana seems like a team that has been in this position before.
Jauan Jennings responds to first-half suspension
Tennessee all-conference wide receiver Jauan Jennings will miss the first half of the Gator Bowl as punishment for stepping on the face of a Vanderbilt defender in Tennessee’s final game of the season.
Jennings addressed that event in the press conference Wednesday.
“Unfortunately an event took place, and it was unfortunate because it was an accident,” Jennings said. “So just getting mentally and physically prepared for this game is all I'm focused on.”
Jennings’ one-half suspension has been a large part of the conversation surrounding Tennessee throughout the last month, as Jennings is the most dynamic and effective offensive player on Tennessee’s roster. He has caught 57 passes for 942 yards. No other Volunteer has more than 29 catches or 616 yards, both marks owned by Marquez Callaway.
Jeremy Pruitt added his own note after Jennings responded in an effort to support his player.
“Jauan Jennings has done nothing but do everything exactly what we want him to since I've been the head coach at Tennessee,” the head coach said. “In this game – you see it every Saturday – there's lots of physicality in this game. Jauan plays the right way. . .Commissioner Sankey made a decision on that and we're going to support it and in no way does that depict who Jauan is or the circumstances around it.”
Tennessee-Penn State comparison
Tom Allen made the comparison during bowl practices in Bloomington, but he and Peyton Ramsey doubled down on comparing Tennessee to Penn State among teams on Indiana’s roster.
Allen said the areas of Tennessee that resemble Penn State are the way the Volunteers run to the ball defensively and show multiplicity on defense, as well as their speed, size and talent level.
But, Allen said earlier in the week that the line of scrimmage is where the game will be influenced the most. He mentioned that again when asked about the comparison to Penn State.
“It starts with the line of scrimmage,” Allen said. “As a defensive guy, that's the first thing I want is their offensive line, and then you start watching their defensive line and just seeing high-level guys, physical guys, guys that have good burst on defense and guys that are big and strong on offense.”
----
• Talk about it inside The Hoops Forum or The Football Forum
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Follow us on Twitter: @IndianaRivals
• Like us on Facebook.
