Maryland at IU, noon Saturday, BTN

BLOOMINGTON – The flight of fans out of Memorial Stadium toward the end of Indiana’s loss to Penn State on Oct. 20 was not an unfamiliar sight.

IU once again led late against a ranked Big Ten opponent — 21-20, 4:01 left in the third quarter. And again that lead slipped away to the tune of a 33-21 deficit with 10:25 left in the fourth. The Hoosiers scored a late touchdown and recovered an onside kick to put themselves in position to threaten the Nittany Lions before the eventual loss. But numerous fans, accustomed to the similar script , weren’t there to see it.

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And while fans lamented the state of the program and criticized coaching decisions there were some IU players who took to Twitter to call out what they felt was lackluster support.

“I love this team more than words can explain,” redshirt junior tight end Austin Dorris tweeted. “If you leave the stadium early, don’t come to the game. We’re all we got and we aren’t gonna stop until we get what we want. #GoHoosiers”

A number of fans replied to that tweet with support. Teammates, new and seasoned, retweeted Dorris. Redshirt senior offensive lineman Delroy Baker Jr. even quoted the tweet and said what Dorris addressed “hurts my soul as a 5th year.”

Saturday, IU (4-5, 1-5 in Big Ten) plays host to a Maryland team that’s one win shy of bowl eligibility. It travels to face No. 4 Michigan on Nov. 17 and faces a giant-slayer in Purdue the week after in Bloomington for the Old Oaken Bucket. Coach Tom Allen knows how important it’ll be for the Hoosiers to have the fans' support for each home game, especially with IU's bowl eligibility at stake.

But he doesn’t share the sentiment expressed by Dorris and others.

“You got young kids that say or do things out of frustration,” Allen said Tuesday on the Big Ten’s weekly teleconference. “I addressed it with our team. I don’t like our guys saying stuff like that. You notice I didn’t say anything like that. We have to play to a level that keeps our fans in the stands.”

Allen recognizes his players fought back against Penn State. He recognizes they played with the energy he wants them to have and the sense of urgency conference games require.

It just didn’t happen consistently enough to compel the fans to stay or get the win. A refrain fans who watched IU lose to Michigan State in the Hoosiers' Big Ten opener at home will recognize.

“To me it’s our responsibility to be able to put a team on that football field that plays for 60 minutes to a level where those fans don’t want to leave,” said Allen, who added he didn’t take some of the fans leaving personally.

Freshman running back Stevie Scott said his teammates didn't talk much in the locker room about the exodus of some fans because they do their best to focus on what’s happening on the field. They see the fans leaving, but the only thing Scott and his fellow Hoosiers can control is their play.

Sophomore cornerback Raheem Layne said everyone on the team can rely on each other, and that's enough.

“I don’t really feel like that affects us,” said Layne when asked about fans leaving during the Penn State game. “It’s not good to see, but we all we got.”

Still, as Allen looks to change the conversation around the program and deliver wins in close games — not heart-wrenching losses — the effect a strong fan presence all four quarters can have is undeniable. Especially in winnable games against Maryland and Purdue.

“We need everybody’s support here,” Allen said. “I’ve said it all along, it’s going to take all of us here as a program to get where we want to be and it’s a process for sure but would love to have a great crowd here Saturday.”

Follow IndyStar sports reporter Jordan Guskey on Twitter at @JordanGuskey or email him at jguskey@gannett.com.

INDIANA VS. MARYLAND

Kickoff: Noon, Saturday, Memorial Stadium.

TV/Radio: BTN/WFNI-1070 AM, 107.5 FM.