Written by Evan McShane

During head coach Tom Allen’s press conference on Wednesday, he expressed a confidence level in both the Big Ten’s plan to begin their season and his team’s ability to rise to the challenge. “I believe in what we're doing. There's no doubt that everyone is kind of in the same boat,” Allen said. Indiana’s head coach is not one to make excuses, and COVID-19 is no exception. While the circumstances are unprecedented, each team is dealing with the same set. “The team that's able to manage that the best, the mentally toughest team,” Allen says will determine who will have success in 2020.

The Indiana coaching staff and players alike have kept their composure and togetherness throughout the course of this pandemic. Allen explains, “We have a maturity about our team, we've got a lot of guys who have played a lot of football that are playing for us this season, to me, that gives us an advantage.” With coaching changes in college football more frequent than ever before, Allen believes his low turnover rate will benefit the Hoosiers. “We've got continuity in our staff and the scheme that we are running. While we have a new offensive coordinator, we didn't change our system.”

Allen went into further detail, “so I think those continuities—even though we got a limited number of spring reps, a start-stop in the fall that we've all dealt with—I think that helps a team that has more experience and more guys back that have been playing in the current systems and even the bowl practices we had.” Allen preached the importance of the extra practices awarded to the Hoosiers in preparation for the 2020 Gator Bowl. “Those are looming even larger than ever with every passing practice that you miss, that time that we had,” he said.

Not only continuity, but experience is another important factor for the Hoosiers this season.

“We've got a lot of guys who are good football players that are back.” Allen acknowledges that even with a condensed season, many of the challenges remain the same with a normal college football season. “Keeping them healthy, that's going to be, we said from the beginning whoever can stay the healthiest is going to be the last man standing and that's probably not going to be any different now even though we delayed the start,’ Allen explained. IU’s coach has prepared his team to adapt to a seemingly ever-changing situation. “We've now compressed the season so now there's not a lot of wiggle room, if there's a postponement or cancellation of the game, you probably won't be able to play that game because of running out of time.”

Tom Allen has always remained focused only on what he can control, and 2020 is no different. “It's definitely going to create some challenges, but the team that can manage this the best, shows the most maturity and is able to stay the healthiest is going to have the best season, so we've got to be that team,” Allen declared. “That's our challenge and I really love our football team, I love the toughness we have and I love the way the guys have responded and stayed together and just kept believing.” That Allen has rallied his troops thru uncertain times should be no surprise to Hoosier fans by now.

So far, no Indiana football players have requested to sit out the 2020 season. “Guys have not chosen to opt-out, that's not something they've been thinking about and they believe in what we're doing and there's obviously, people have individual reasons for doing that, but it hasn't really been something our guys have come to me and really talked about much, just only a couple of guys have had some discussions about some things.” Allen reiterated, “At the same time, all we can control is one thing, getting ready to play game number one and we play our best football week number one and do everything we can to start this season out 1-0.” Whether the Hoosiers play only one football game in 2020 or ten, Allen will have his Hoosiers ready.

The overall attitude from Allen during his press conference was calm and confident. He just wants to see what his team looks like on Saturdays. As eager and Indiana fans are to watch football, the players and coaches are ten times as eager to play. Bowl games are still a possibility, which would make this season feel much more normal, but Allen and the Hoosiers are focused only on what they can control: winning game one. Allen knows he can’t control whether or not the Big Ten’s plan succeeds uninterrupted, but he will make sure his team is prepared for whatever comes their way.

The Huddle

Maturity and Mental Toughness Give Tom Allen Confidence for 2020 Season

Hoosier Huddle