The Goal is Clear Entering Tom Allen’s Third Year

Written by Amanda Pavelka (@amandapavelka3)

Tom Allen did not hesitate when he talked about expectations going into his third year of coaching at Indiana during Big Ten Media Days in Chicago. Allen’s words could not have been more clear-cut on Thursday—“We’re going to win a bowl game. That’s what we’re shooting for.”

That’s a rather lofty goal for a coach who led a team that struggled to finish, ending bowl-less with a 5-7 overall and 2-7 conference record for two years in a row, but Allen was quick to convince the media otherwise.

“We had some depth in 2018, but it was very, very young depth, depth that caused us to be able to, at times, struggle to finish as well, “ Allen said, “(We) went out and recruited, built relationships, and signed the highest-ranked class in the history of our program.”

It seems like deja vu— it was the same story last year when Allen snagged the second-highest-ranked class for 2018, but the combination of the two groups, and last year’s freshman with a year under their belt can only bade better for the Hoosiers in the upcoming season. “This year I see us as a football team that is starting to build the depth you need to compete in this conference,” Allen said Thursday, “I would consider us a young, experienced team. We played 16 freshman last year, ten on defense, six on offense, in meaningful minutes in the rotation. Those guys had a chance to develop and grow.”

It was not just the depth that led to the Hoosiers coming up empty in December— Allen stretch himself too far acting as both head coach and defensive coordinator. After a season of sleepless nights at the office, Allen handed the defensive coordinator torch to linebacker coach Kane Wommack, and only good things have come from that decision so far.

“I’ve felt very strongly about staying in that role the first two years,” Allen explained, “but I think it was time for me to be able to step aside from that and be able to become a better coach of the team and not just the head coach of defense.”

Allen filled the defensive coordinator position with the man he consulted with all last season—linebacker coach Kane Wommack. Being that both learned the system they use from Wommack’s father Dave, it seemed like a perfect promotion for him. After speaking with players on B1G Media Day, it seems to be that he’s a good fit for the team too.

“They share a lot of the same views and interests,” senior linebacker Raekwon Jones said, “They’ve known each other for a long time, so they kind of think the same. Kane’s a great guy. Coach Wommack’s a great guy and he leads us. He wants us to play with swagger. He wants us to have fun. He wants us to go out and just be physical, be dominant, have all that stuff.”

Wide receiver Nick Westbrook sees the changes in Allen already going into his senior season—“He’s changed a lot just understanding that he doesn’t have to do it all. He’s given up the reigns to Coach Wommack and wants to be a better head coach and just recognized that for him to be a better coach to everybody, he has to give up some of that control that he had and focus more on us and develop us more as players and as people and holding us accountable on offense and on defense.”

Not only does the defensive coordinator seem to be in capable hands—the hire of Kalen DeBoer as offensive coordinator could put the Hoosiers back on the map if he proves himself worth the two-year, $800k contract Fred Glass allowed.

“I’ve known him for many, many years,” Allen said, “He’s been a very successful collegiate head coach and also a very, very effective offensive-minded individual that can move the football down the field and score points, which has been our issue on offense.”

DeBoer took the Fresno State squad that ended 1-11 in 2016 and led the offense to win 22 games in two years, pocketing a Mountain West title in 2018, proving himself capable of total transformation of a team.

“I think there will be some changes,” Allen explained, “It will look a little different, but I wouldn’t say it’s wholesale changes for sure. But at the same time, it is a new system, new offense, new play caller. I think play calling is an art and I think that Kalen DeBoer is a gifted play caller.”

So there you have it— a relieved coach with a familiar, trustworthy defensive coordinator to take the load off, and a talented, experienced offensive coordinator who has the track-record to take Indiana to the next level.

Overall, Indiana has a lot work to do to prove themselves and they have the cards to progress to six wins. Only time will tell if Allen sees thru that those cards are played right. Now is the time for Allen to prove himself as the pressure for Indiana football to see a successful post season has only heightened every year since their last bowl win in 1991.