IU football: Connor Bazelak back, but Dexter Williams impressed Tom Allen vs. Penn State

BLOOMINGTON – Indiana’s quarterback situation will settle somewhat this week, as coach Tom Allen confirmed starter Connor Bazelak has returned to practice and will start Saturday at Ohio State.

But Allen also said Monday, during his weekly news conference, that redshirt sophomore Dexter Williams impressed with some of his better moments in last weekend’s loss to Penn State, possibly opening the door for Williams to see snaps in the coming weeks.

“I would say that I saw enough from Dexter that I was very encouraged by the way he responded and the way he played. I like the way he threw the football,” Allen said. “Obviously had one poor decision, but I thought (Williams) ran the football with something that we need, and can help us for sure. You try to maximize your entire roster. So yeah, I think that Dexter showed me that he's earned a right to be able to be out there. That will definitely be a part of the moving forward equation, yes.”

Insider:As losses pile and frustrations boil, IU left asking where does it go from here?

Insider: Issues at quarterback turn the Hoosiers' season into even more of a mess

Allen was quick to affirm that Bazelak — whose injury prevented him from dressing out Saturday — remains Indiana’s starter. Allen’s comments did not suggest an open competition with three games left in a season that appears highly unlikely to continue past the Old Oaken Bucket game later this month.

Bazelak spent Saturday’s game with offensive coordinator Walt Bell in the offensive coaches’ suite in the press box. When healthy, he has been Indiana’s full-time starter this season, throwing for 2,099 yards, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Allen declined to go into specifics on the nature of Bazelak’s injury, beyond saying, “He was beat up pretty good.”

IU started veteran Jack Tuttle in Bazelak’s place. Tuttle moved the Hoosiers well in bursts offensively, particularly scrambling out of the pocket, but a shoulder injury cut his afternoon short.

Allen said Monday Tuttle’s shoulder issue is still being evaluated. Tuttle is a fifth-year player with one year of eligibility left who already confirmed his intention to transfer after the season. A team captain all season, Tuttle has elected to remain with the Hoosiers through the 2022 campaign.

Williams wasn’t the only backup quarterback to see time after Tuttle’s injury forced him out of Saturday’s game.

True freshman Brendan Sorsby actually got snaps behind center first, completing 3-of-6 passes for eight yards and an interception.

Williams eventually replaced him to greater success. He finished just 4-of-11 with two picks, but passed for 41 yards and rushed for 24 more. Williams also captained one of just two Indiana touchdown drives against the Nittany Lions.

Long considered an intriguing prospect because of his combination of arm strength and mobility, Williams excelled in small-school football in Georgia before signing with the Hoosiers in the 2020 class. A torn ACL ruled him out of all of last season, but more than once this year, both Allen and Bell have singled him out as a player to watch in the future.

“He’s got all the natural, physical skills. He loves ball and he’s a studier, he’s a worker,” Bell said Monday. “Dex is just, he’s unrefined right now. We’ve got to catch up some of the other tools with the really sharp ones, and he’s gonna be a really good player for us moving forward.”

That won’t necessarily be this weekend in Columbus, with Bazelak back in the starter’s chair. But Allen’s comments, combined with Bell’s continued praise, suggest Indiana’s coaching staff sees a potentially bright future — and not necessarily a distant one — for Williams at quarterback.

Follow IndyStar reporter Zach Osterman on Twitter: @ZachOsterman.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana football: Connor Bazelak is back; Dexter Williams impressed