Allen Gives an IUFB Update on the Eve of Spring Practice

Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

The Indiana Hoosiers kickoff spring football practice on Tuesday and head coach Tom Allen met with the media via Zoom to give an update on his program, that included a reworked contract for Allen.

“I'm excited to be back and ready for spring football tomorrow.” Allen said. “Really looking forward to that. We had a great six-week period with our guys in the weight room. Coach Wellman and his staff have done a tremendous job with that group and on a consistent basis. I'm looking forward to getting back on the field with our guys. A lot of guys back from the 2020 season as you know. I'm anxious to see these guys and run them around a little bit.”

The Hoosiers have three goals that Allen made clear on Monday as well. “Number one, want to do a great job improving our fundamentals and technique, with an emphasis on relentless toughness in everything we do. Number two, for me it's about developing our depth in all three phases, offense, defense, special teams, and also scheme adjustments you always do in the spring time.” Allen explained.

The Hoosiers will start in helmets on Tuesday and work their way up into full pads. COVID-19 will still hang over spring practice after cancelling the Hoosiers 2020 spring session, but Allen has learned from the protocols put in place and is excited to get started.

“We are still with similar protocols, we're still testing our guys multiple times a week currently and that will continue throughout spring football. We are wearing masks in the buildings. We won't be wearing them on the practice fields or during outdoor workouts as far as the players go. Coaches will still be doing that during practice.” Allen said. “Some of those things have not changed, you think about it, when this happened a year ago, we had our first four practices in, left for spring break and then everything changed. We have learned an awful lot.”

Monday was also a big day for Allen as IU announced his reworked contract that included a raise.

“I am very thankful and appreciative of Scott Dolson.” Allen said. “I appreciate his commitment to our football program. University President Michael McRobbie has been a huge in all of this and so has the Board of Trustees. Just appreciative of all of them and the leadership here at Indiana. Like I have said all along, I wanted to be at a place that values the football program, invests in the program, and allows us to have the infrastructure and support to do great things. That is what I want us to be able to do, and I appreciate their support in that area and all that they have chosen to invest in our football program at Indiana University. This is a special time for us, and we are blessed and appreciative of it.”

The Hoosiers are coming off a 6-2 season where they finished ranked 12th in the AP Poll.

Other Notes

-  Cornerbacks coach Brandon Shelby is going to be our assistant head coach.

-  Kasey Teegardin is going to have the responsibilities of both the bull and husky, labeled that as outside linebackers coach in addition to doing special teams, which he worked with those guys last fall.

-  Caleb Murphy has moved from tight end last fall for some depth there, moving him back to defensive lineman.

-  Gavin McCabe, also moved him back to defensive line.

-  D.K. Bonhomme, Alfred Bryant, Michael Ziemba, those three guys listed as bulls, which is our weak-side hybrid/outside linebacker type person.