Tom Allen Encouraged by Efforts Put Forth in Fall Camp So Far

Image: Indiana University Athletics

Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

The Indiana Hoosiers entered their fourth day of fall camp on Monday and head coach Tom Allen is encouraged by what he has seen so far.

“I always tell our team that the best way for me to gauge the buy-in of our team, their attitude and where they are at is how hard they go during special teams drill work.” Allen said on Monday. “I have been really encouraged by that; the intensity of it, the effort given every single rep by a whole slew of guys. I have seen that, and it has been encouraging.”

The first four practices of any football season are a slow ramp up as players are getting acclimated to wearing pads and the physicality of the game as well. So far the Hoosiers have continued to install there own offense and defense and haven’t gotten to scheming teams yet.

“I think we have been aggressive in our install by what we are putting in each day. I have been around different approaches. Some are a little slower and say you go and put a bunch in the first four or five days and then go back. I have been places where you go the first two days and then day three is nothing new. We have just kept plowing right through it with this group.” Allen explained.

“We feel like we have a lot of maturity out of our team and, as you mentioned, a lot of the work has been done in the play practices. The [groundwork] was installed there, and things from the spring, as well, which was all stuff you missed a year ago. I feel really good about the aggressiveness of the installs on both sides, and even the special teams. We've got a lot put in and sometimes that causes day four and five, there can be some information overload, especially for the new guys, but we are able to be three-deep [at each position] and have our ones, twos and threes going, and actually up to as many as fours in certain drills. It is obvious that the depth is different than it has been in the past and that helps us practice better and helps us get more guys ready to play.” Allen continued.

Position battles are always the talk of fall camp and the Hoosiers have some battles of their own heading into the 2021 season. Nothing has been settled yet as the Hoosiers have not even scrimmaged yet.

“We want to get to the first scrimmage, which is this Saturday. We call it preseason game No. 1. After that, you will have an idea, but after the second [scrimmage], I would say yes [we will have a good idea on a two-deep]. Right now, we are wide open [in competition]. We have a lot of guys that we see competing. We are not focused on ones and twos at this point. We tell the guys that even if you are a three or four in the rotation, you are competing to play on Saturdays. We are just trying to get guys involved.” Allen said about the depth chart.

Other News Around Camp

IU has been wearing extra padding on their helmets so far in fall camp. Tom Allen explained why on Monday:

“The extra padding on the helmets is for concussion prevention. I do think in the future we could see that be mandated for practices, it is not yet, but it has been discussed in the medical world ... We start with everyone [wearing them], but then we might focus on some certain groups that will or won't have them based on a guys history. You could probably see our O-line and D-line keeping those on in practice because they get that constant pounding. I think that anything we can do to make it safer for our guys we're all for. And, we are researching other options, as well. This is something that we have discussed [as a program] and other schools have as well, and we are doing anything we can to keep our guys healthy.”

Allen also touched upon the passing of legendary coach Bobby Bowden:

He had an “unbelievable impact on this country, on our profession, this sport. I can't even say enough awesome things about him. He was one of those guys I've always looked up to read his books. I was a 23-year old high school head coach in Tampa, Florida and would go up there and meet with their staff, watch him practice and I had written him a note about some things and I didn't expect a handwritten response. That's what I got. And that made an impression on me. I mean, that was probably (19)90. It was after (the) ‘93 season before ‘94 season so they'd won national championship in ‘93. So he obviously he's got a lot of things going on he didn't have to take time to write back to me he didn't even know, but that just shows you who he was, you know, and that I've never forgotten that. And just, it was a personal response and we talked about, you know, to care for your players, you know and and helping them win the things that matter most. And he's such a strong man his faith and he addressed that in his letter to you know and and I've never forgotten that so it's made a huge impact on me and like, I'd go up there and watch him and when they were at their the pinnacle of what they were doing and, and just where he led, and just, you know obviously did a phenomenal job, you know, as a football coach and, you know, that's pretty obvious but it's it's what he did off the field is what I wanted to emulate and I've always looked up to and he's a guy that I want to be like.”