Countdown to IUFB Kickoff: 4 Days (IUFB 1976 - Present)

Written by Nathan Comp

#4

The Hoosier Huddle countdown to kickoff is in its final leg. Just 4 days remain until the Hoosiers kickoff the 2019 season in Indianapolis against the Ball State Cardinals. Today we will highlight the most recent era of Indiana Football.

Highlights of the Era

The beginning of this era of Indiana Football saw now ESPN College Gameday host Lee Corso leading the Hoosiers. Corso took over the program in 1973 and coached for 9 years. He had two most notable moments at the helm. The first came in 1976, when Corso famously called a time out after scoring a touchdown early in the 2nd quarter against Ohio State. He proceeded to huddle his team in the endzone for a picture with the scoreboard in the background reading: Indiana 7, Ohio State 6. The Buckeyes went on to win the contest 47-7, but this was the first time Indiana had led Ohio State in over 25 years and the photo was featured in future recruiting brochures. Corso’s second highlight of his tenure was more of an actual football success story: the 1979 season. The Hoosiers finished that season with a 7-4 winning record and a victory over previously unbeaten BYU in the Holiday Bowl. This propelled Indiana to its first top-20 ranking since 1967.

After a brief one-year stint from Coach Sam Wyche, the winningest coach in Indiana history was hired in 1984: Bill Mallory. Mallory came from Northern Illinois and after going 0-11 in his first season, quickly got Indiana to the postseason after just three seasons. Mallory led the Hoosiers to six total bowl games during his 13-year tenure and was the coach during Indiana’s most recent bowl victory, the 1991 Copper Bowl. Many have documented similarities in the approach to coaching between Mallory and the current Indiana coach, Tom Allen. More can be read on this in Pete DiPrimio’s book, The Quest for Indiana Football Glory. Mallory recruited and coached the greatest player to ever wear the Hoosier jersey, Anthony Thompson.

Cam Cameron took over the Hoosiers next. Although he did not have much success as a coach, he did coach one of the more exciting Hoosiers of all time, Antwaan Randel El. Randel El became the first player ever to both pass and rush for 40 career touchdowns. He finished his college career fifth on the all-time NCAA yardage list and became the first player in college football history to record 2500 total yards in four consecutive seasons.

Moving forward a couple years, in 2005 Terry Hoeppner was hired from Miami of Ohio to lead the Hoosiers. Hep was able to immediately rejuvenate excitement with the Indiana program. Despite 49 true or redshirt freshman and 72 underclassmen overall, Hep was able to lead the youngest team in the Big Ten to 5 wins, the most since 2001. During Hep’s brief tenure, fan attendance increased by 39%, season ticket sales increased by 46%, and student season ticket sales increased by 110%. Unfortunately, Hep’s time was cut much too short when he announced in 2006 that he was taking a medical leave of absence. Hoeppner passed away from a battle with brain cancer shortly afterward.

After digressing under Coach Bill Lynch, Indiana hired Kevin Wilson from Oklahoma in 2011. Wilson is still known as a great offensive mind and was able to bring in much stronger recruiting classes. He led the program to back-to-back bowl berths in 2015 and 2016 against Duke and Utah, though both ended in defeat. Wilson was fired prior to the 2016 bowl game amid allegations of player mistreatment and “philosophical differences” with Athletic Director Fred Glass. Wilson is now the offensive coordinator for the Ohio State Buckeyes under Ryan Day.

When Wilson was fired prior to the 2016 bowl game, defensive coordinator Tom Allen was named head coach. Allen has been tasked with changing the culture inside the Indiana program and bringing excitement back to the program. Known best for his defensive turnarounds all across college football, Allen sacrificed his defensive coordinator duties this offseason to focus solely on head coaching duties. The Hoosiers have gone 5-7 the past two seasons under his direction.

Best Coach

The best coach of the era would have to be Bill Mallory. Mallory is the winningest coach in Indiana history having won 69 games, including two bowl games, over his 13 seasons. Leading the Hoosiers to 6 bowl games is unprecedented in any other coach’s tenure. And, as he so gracefully said it, “It should have been seven bowls!”

Best Player

This era had two of the best ever at Indiana with Anthony Thompson and Antwaan Randel El. However, the title of best would have to go to Anthony Thompson. The 1989 Heisman runner-up amassed 5299 rushing yards in his career. In 2007, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He finished his career at Indiana having won the 1989 Maxwell Award, 1989 Walter Camp Award, and breaking the record for most touchdowns in college with 65. Today, Thompson serves as the Senior Associate Athletic Director for Engagement and Sports Performance at Indiana. This is his 6th year in the role. He remains Indiana’s career leader in rushing yards, carries, points and touchdowns. He is the only Indiana athlete in history to have his number retired.

Best Team

1987 Indiana Hoosiers. Despite the season ending in defeat in the Peach Bowl to Tennessee, it was a narrow 27-22 defeat in the team’s first ever meeting and a spectacular overall season. Bill Mallory was awarded the second of his back-to-back Big Ten coach of the year honors. IU defeated both Ohio State and Michigan that year and finished second in the Big Ten. The year ended with an 8-4 record.