Tom Allen Appreciation Thread

[Kelly_32]

Seven years ago today, Tom Allen was named the head football coach at Indiana.

While the last three years did not go nearly as well as any of us wanted, we shouldn’t let it overshadow what Tom was able to accomplish at IU.

The 2019 and 2020 seasons were so much fun for all of us. It actually felt like we had a good chance to win every Saturday.

During the 2020 season, when we were in the midst of Covid, CTA and his Hoosiers brought us something to be excited about during a time when our lives were turned upside down.

The back to back January bowl games were unprecedented. The Penix dive for the pylon. Smacking Michigan after so many losses. The win at Wisconsin with the postgame interview. It truly was a magical time.

Tom Allen is a really good man and Indiana was fortunate to have him. He represented our program in a first class manner. Here’s hoping we see him on a sideline again celebrating a takeaway with his guys.

 

[It Will Do]

Great post.

 

[IndyMitchell]

His time at IU definitely had some bright spots. Everyone rooted for him because he is such a good guy and he really tries to LEO. LEO is awesome but he had to balance that with doing his job to the best of his abilities first.

Not letting Hiller go and blaming only Sheridan was the big one. Firing a friend has to be tough but it was time. Everyone could see it was a huge issue and I am not sure if even Deboer could completely mask how bad that issue was. That one decision was the main domino in my opinion.

 

[frikkenfrakken]

He never half-assed it. He just couldn't sustain the success. Some of his staff let him down, some of the kids let him down. Some of his in-game management was poor. But, he was always giving 100%. That just isn't always enough.

 

[SRThoosier]

Had he won the close ones the past two seasons, it’s a much different narrative. He’s going to land someplace as a DC and be fine. He’s a good man who’s quietly done some great things away from the field that people will never hear about.

 

[cshartle123]

Allen was the beneficiary of idiot Glass who wanted to replace Wilson. Allen did not have the resume for a power five job. He was an exit strategy. Glass mismanaged the football program worse than he did the basketball program.

 

[OpenWheels]

I appreciated the he didn't lose the team this year. Showed me a lot that players felt he walked the walk not just talk the talk.

Thanks for representing Indiana University with integrity Coach Allen.

 

[cshartle123]

I appreciated the he didn't lose the team this year. Showed me a lot that players felt he walked the walk not just talk the talk.

Thanks for representing Indiana University with integrity Coach Allen.

What were you watching? The team folded time and time again because they played for themselves. We were 3-9.

 

[oldcougar77]

Seven years ago today, Tom Allen was named the head football coach at Indiana.

While the last three years did not go nearly as well as any of us wanted, we shouldn’t let it overshadow what Tom was able to accomplish at IU.

The 2019 and 2020 seasons were so much fun for all of us. It actually felt like we had a good chance to win every Saturday.

During the 2020 season, when we were in the midst of Covid, CTA and his Hoosiers brought us something to be excited about during a time when our lives were turned upside down.

The back to back January bowl games were unprecedented. The Penix dive for the pylon. Smacking Michigan after so many losses. The win at Wisconsin with the postgame interview. It truly was a magical time.

Tom Allen is a really good man and Indiana was fortunate to have him. He represented our program in a first class manner. Here’s hoping we see him on a sideline again celebrating a takeaway with his guys.

Thanks for this post. Coaching is a results-driven occupation - especially so given the money these guys earn. With that said, it bothers me to see snark and hate-filled, juvenile posts personally disparaging coaches. Their coaching is fair game for criticism, but it is really pathetic to question their motives or deride them with childish nicknames. Same goes for ADs and IU Presidents. I'm sure it doesn't bother the coaches at all ( laughing all the way to the bank comes to mind) but it would be nice if folks could just thank them for their effort and let it go. As long as they didn't embarrass the university, break rules, or bash IU I see no reason to pile on after they're gone. I appreciate that Bill Lynch, Kevin Wilson, Mike Davis, Tom Crean, and Archie Miller have never publicly disparaged IU. I hope Tom Allen does the same.

 

[Orbit7958]

I appreciate him going away for $5mil less. 🙏

 

[OpenWheels]

What were you watching? The team folded time and time again because they played for themselves. We were 3-9.

Disagree. I was pleased by how hard they continued to play down the stretch.
I don't feel 'they played for themselves'. That's silly. That's not why they blew leads. Unprepared sure.

 

[jacksback]

I appreciate him going away for $5mil less. 🙏

I just appreciate that he is finally gone. Easily one of the most overpaid people who ever walked the earth.

 

[ams66]

Had he won the close ones the past two seasons, it’s a much different narrative. He’s going to land someplace as a DC and be fine. He’s a good man who’s quietly done some great things away from the field that people will never hear about.

He's walking out with $15M plus whatever he earned in the last 7 years. If he never works again he'll be fine. He's a good guy but he hit his ceiling as a coach and that's never pleasant to watch.

 

[vesuvius13]

Coach Allen helped a lot of people while at IU and they had better lives knowing the Allens. @019 and 2020 led many of us to believe IUFB had turned the corner; maybe it will now if the new coach coming in.

 

[Bucket Getter]

Disagree. I was pleased by how hard they continued to play down the stretch.
I don't feel 'they played for themselves'. That's silly. That's not why they blew leads. Unprepared sure.

Did you happen to notice the 638 missed tackles in the bucket game?

 

[DANC]

I appreciated the he didn't lose the team this year. Showed me a lot that players felt he walked the walk not just talk the talk.

Thanks for representing Indiana University with integrity Coach Allen.

I think the defense quit on him. Carey gave the offense a shot in the arm when he went with Sorsby.

I agree with whoever said above that Allen's assistants let him down. But Tom hired them, so that's on him, ultimately.

I know most of us were praying and hoping Allen would make it as a winning coach at IU. He's a very good, sincere man who had the kid's on the team best interest as top priority.

Tom was, and is, a success in life. The fact he didn't make it as our FB coach doesn't change that fact.

Best wishes to Coach Tom Allen and his family. I really wish he'd find a job as DC with Deboer - they would make a great team, I think.

 

[iubud]

I appreciate that he is gone and I don't have to watch another CTA team.

 

[OpenWheels]

I think the defense quit on him. Carey gave the offense a shot in the arm when he went with Sorsby.

I'll give maybe a couple games where the defense no longer had emotion. When a coach has a leg out the door because he's clearly going to get fired, I can't blame it all on him. I thought the team was supportive.

Anyway, as it was an appreciation thread, just mentioning I appreciated that part of what I saw. If you don't, you don't.

 

[Kelly_32]

If you’re using a Tom Allen Appreciation thread to throw more shade at the man, it says a lot about your lack of character.

 

[wi_hoosier]

Had he won the close ones the past two seasons, it’s a much different narrative. He’s going to land someplace as a DC and be fine. He’s a good man who’s quietly done some great things away from the field that people will never hear about.

He got a $15.5M payout... he is definitely going to be fine.

 

[Palmbeachhoosier]

What were you watching? The team folded time and time again because they played for themselves. We were 3-9.

You could not be more wrong

 

[Bucket Getter]

You could not be more wrong

It sure looked like the D were only playing to not injure themselves. The bucket game tackling was the most horrific thing I’ve seen in 60 years of Hoosier fandom. Seriously.

 

[iubud]

I'll give maybe a couple games where the defense no longer had emotion. When a coach has a leg out the door because he's clearly going to get fired, I can't blame it all on him. I thought the team was supportive.

Anyway, as it was an appreciation thread, just mentioning I appreciated that part of what I saw. If you don't, you don't.

The team never showed emotion. The sidelines looked like a bunch of people at a funeral. As the units came off the field, the only excitement I saw was the D giving each other high fives. The statues standing on the sideline barely moved to give them room to get off the field.

I didn't see anyone trying to pick each other up or celebrate. The exception was Jackson that would come over to where the OL sat and gave them a high 5. By the end of the year he was standing around with his helmet off and a towel over his head. Allen was the only person with emotion. That was strange.

I'm convinced many made up their mind about entering the portal well before the season was over. I would have expected More in the portal if Allen had returned. I like Allen. I hope he gets a DC job somewhere and is wildly successful.

 

[3rdindianacav]

Seven years ago today, Tom Allen was named the head football coach at Indiana.

While the last three years did not go nearly as well as any of us wanted, we shouldn’t let it overshadow what Tom was able to accomplish at IU.

The 2019 and 2020 seasons were so much fun for all of us. It actually felt like we had a good chance to win every Saturday.

During the 2020 season, when we were in the midst of Covid, CTA and his Hoosiers brought us something to be excited about during a time when our lives were turned upside down.

The back to back January bowl games were unprecedented. The Penix dive for the pylon. Smacking Michigan after so many losses. The win at Wisconsin with the postgame interview. It truly was a magical time.

Tom Allen is a really good man and Indiana was fortunate to have him. He represented our program in a first class manner. Here’s hoping we see him on a sideline again celebrating a takeaway with his guys.

The results weren't there and it was time for a change but some perspective is needed on his tenure.

First, IMO, he is an outstanding person and his dedication to the betterment of the players as young men was fantastic.

Second, the administration failed the program once again with a lack of effort on the NIL front following the two really good years he had. Hopefully that has been rectified with NIL push we are seeing now.

Last, a bit of IU football history. Tom Allen was the 18th head coach at IU since 1923. In that span of 100 years of IU football, Tom Allen had the 4th best winning percentage of those 18 coaches. Only 1 coach in the last 100 years has had a winning percentage greater than .500 and that was Bo McMillan from 1934-1947. Only 2 coaches in the entire history of IU football have had a winning percentage higher than .600. Gonterman and Horne from 1896 to 1904. I submit that the problem has not been all coaching.

Tom Allen was paid well and did not deliver, received a fantastic buyout, and has the means to live a great life. But that does not detract from the fact that he was fully committed to IU and is a great person. If only IU as an institution would have given him the same commitment.

Time to move forward. All in on CCC. I hope IU is all in on him as well. This is a chance to change the next 100 years of IU football. GO HOOSIERS!

 

[Bowlmania]

I'm sure CTA will be fine, but these have to be difficult days for him, still living in Bloomington with all the local buzz about the new coach, probably not ready to list the house yet because he's not sure where his next stop will be, probably getting unwanted sympathy from people he runs into, etc. If it were me, I'd be on a long vacation far from Bloomington, but with my phone close by. Who knows. Maybe that's what he's doing.

 

[Eyedoc991]

I very much appreciated his love for IU football. I don't think he would have ever left for another gig. Wish it would have worked out.

 

[Kelly_32]

I'm sure CTA will be fine, but these have to be difficult days for him, still living in Bloomington with all the local buzz about the new coach, probably not ready to list the house yet because he's not sure where his next stop will be, probably getting unwanted sympathy from people he runs into, etc. If it were me, I'd be on a long vacation far from Bloomington, but with my phone close by. Who knows. Maybe that's what he's doing.

We should hear some news soon.

 

[Bucket Getter]

I'm sure CTA will be fine, but these have to be difficult days for him, still living in Bloomington with all the local buzz about the new coach, probably not ready to list the house yet because he's not sure where his next stop will be, probably getting unwanted sympathy from people he runs into, etc. If it were me, I'd be on a long vacation far from Bloomington, but with my phone close by. Who knows. Maybe that's what he's doing.

Seems like all that loot would pay for a nice all-inclusive somewhere.