Written by Amanda Pavelka (@amandapavelka3)

The recruiting trail just got a little brighter for Indiana head Coach Tom Allen. Despite coming up short in back-to-back 5-7 seasons, Allen and Indiana coaching staff have managed to bring in IU’s highest ranked recruiting class in 2019. With a verbal commitment from Indiana’s highest-ranked recruit in history this year, it was clear that Allen is truly building something special. Coming off back-to-back road wins, at Maryland and Saturday’s 38-31 finish at Nebraska, it is a fact that Allen’s game plan for building the Indiana football program is indeed effective.

“This constitutes breakthrough. There’s no question. I know I took some heat with that when I came out with it a few years ago and I believe with my whole heart that we were going to breakthrough year one,” Allen said, “We were obviously close, but we didn’t.”

The Hoosiers are starting to see Allen’s recruiting pay off. In his first full recruiting class, the class of 2018, players like Michael Penix, Stevie Scott, Cam Jones, James Head and Micah McFadden along with a handful of other players have become impact pieces on each side of the ball.

“Year two we were close and we didn’t,” Allen said. “That’s where grit came in. That became our one word for this year. Sometimes I catch some heat for one words, but those are powerful things, so I really don’t care what anybody thinks about our one words. They unite us, they give us tremendous focus, it gives us purpose, and gives us things we have to have as a team. Those are things we have to do.”

Even with last year’s heartbreaking loss in the Old Oaken Bucket that ended their bid for a bowl for the second year in a row, Allen managed to bring in four-star wide receiver Rashawn Williams, the highest-ranked recruit in the history of IU football. Williams turned down the offers to stay home and play for Michigan or Michigan State, but was sold on Allen and the kind of football program Indiana is becoming.

Going into year three as head coach, Allen’s actions have to speak louder than words, and he realizes that.

“You have to show evidence on the field that the breakthrough is actually coming and actually going to happen,” Allen said.

The investment in the Terry Tallen Football Complex has boosted morale and recruiting since its August debut, and with back-to-back road wins to clinch a bowl bid in October, IU football has the results to prove themselves on the rise.

“I’m going to get on the phone, call some recruits myself and I’m going to tell them ‘Did you watch the game? Do you see what we’re doing at Indiana? Everything I told you, we’re doing,” Allen said.

Allen has done a stellar job bringing high-ranked talent to Bloomington with losing records both seasons, so it’s safe to say advertising a football scholarship to players and their families will be much easier 6-2 in October, bowl-eligible.

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