Football and Family Collide on the Field for the Allens
/
Indiana head coach Tom Allen takes a moment before the game vs Purdue Image: Sammy Jacobs Hoosier Huddl
Written By Lauralys Shalllow
Coaches and parents are both leaders. Coaches lead a team, and parents lead a household. The team listens to its coach, and the kids listen to their parents (most of the time). Often times, the coach and parent roles intersect as kids are younger and playing for fun and friendships.
However, in the case of IU Coach Tom Allen and redshirt freshmen linebacker, Thomas Allen, the coach and parent role meet while competing at one of the highest levels of football.
Thomas chose to play collegiate football for his dad, but he was not always interested in the idea until he was faced with an extreme.
“At first I was like heck no I’m not playing for my dad,” Allen said. “I talked to some guys that did it, and I realized at the end of the day, he will always see you play, or he will never see you play.”
With offers from Rutgers, Colorado State and South Alabama, Thomas could have gone up to the northeast, out west or down to the deep south.
Thomas chose IU. Thomas chose family.
Thomas said he is close with his family, and he wanted his grandparents to be a 90-minute drive up the road to see him play football.
“My grandpa is my best friend,” Allen said. “I want him to see me play all the time.”
Thomas’s grandpa, Thomas Allen Sr., coached the middle Tom at New Castle High School. Allen said he knows how it feels to get chewed out by your dad in practice, and he remembers having to go above and beyond to earn his spot in high school playing under his father.
Allen said the biggest challenge he finds in coaching his son is being so hard on him. Others who have been in the same position as Allen, told him not to be his son’s position coach because it is almost impossible to do. Of course, Allen is a linebackers guy and Thomas is fighting for the starting inside linebacker spot.
Last year, Thomas was on the scout team and Allen never saw him practice, but now he is in the first place Allen’s eyes go during practice as a linebacker.
“Now he is in the middle of stuff,” Allen said. “It’s about learning how to take criticism from your dad. He calls me Coach Allen, but he will always be my son. He knows he has to earn (his spot) on this team.”
Thomas said having his dad as head coach is different, but it is also a cool experience. Allen is coach on the field, and Thomas can’t go back home and complain to mom about anything on the field because it is all business in practice. The two have a completely different relationship on the field.
Thomas said he is at IU because he is from this state and wants do great things at this university, and getting to play for his dad makes this a cool experience.
“We are a close family and so we are thrilled and blessed to have this opportunity,” Allen said. “But I’m gonna be all over his tail.”
Fans of Hoosier Huddle can help support the site by shopping on Amazon using the ad below at no cost to the shopper. Thank you for your support.