Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

Tom Allen’s message is not a new one. In fact, the Indiana University head football coach has spoken about love, acceptance and compassion for one another since the day he took over as IU’s defensive coordinator more than five years ago. The nationwide protests and civil unrest following the brutal but all too familiar murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer have made Allen’s cry to love each other, or “LEO”, more urgent than ever. Allen was the first collegiate football coach publicly speak out in support of the protests. He did not do it to be first or to grab attention. He did it because he believes in the cause.