IU head coach Tom Allen gave updates through the IU Football Sports Information Department on where his team stands. Workouts begin Tuesday.
Below is the full transcript, and there is video following this link.
On building off the bowl game into winter workouts…
Allen: I feel like that it was a great experience for our team. We had a really good week together out there. It's a really beautiful place, great opportunity. A place a lot of our guys have never been before. It really created a lot of neat memoires for our players and their families. Really enjoyed that, obviously the game was not we wanted, but I'm very proud of our players. I'm proud of the preparation they put into it. The process of getting ready for it, I thought they did everything I asked them to do and it just came up a little short. You can go through, and I told our team afterwards, it was a team loss. Each phase had an opportunity in those last few minutes to seal the deal and we weren't able to do that. In some ways, it was a microcosm of our whole season. The things we had struggled with at times, protecting the football and scoring in the red zone, those reared their little ugly head in that game. Defense had a shot to finish out the game with a one-point lead and couldn't do that. We only gave up a field goal, but it was enough to be the difference. We had a chance on special teams to seal it as well and didn't do that. All three phases can learn from that. I feel like it gives us tremendous leverage to show where we are as a program. We played a great football team in a neat venue on a national stage and played extremely hard, played well. Just didn't finish. We are excited for the opportunity to breakthrough in 2017.
On the first week of recruiting…
Allen: It was fun to get back on the road. There's a lot of excitement. I was in Indiana the first couple of days and really sensing from the high school coaches, the recruits and even the younger guys you get a chance to work out in their venues and their schools. Just a lot of excitement about Indiana high school football toward Indiana University because of the connections I have with the state. Bringing in Mike DeBord as the guy who many of the coaches know as well. I just sense a lot of excitement for next season.
On where the Hoosiers will be at for Signing Day…
Allen: Probably going to be in the low 20s. It won't be a full group just based on our numbers, every year that varies. Based on how many seniors and guys that leave the program. It'll be a smaller group than last year.
On the new assistant coaches and how they have adjusted…
Allen: It's been good. It's added to some of the excitement around here. We bring in guys that have a strong track record and have great success at the places they've been. With Mike's (DeBord) ties to the state, that's been huge for us. Shawn Watson already being here and so highly respected by our players and then Grant Heard, a guy who has done a tremendous job in the SEC and coaching at a high level, recruiting at a high level. Our kids sense that it's now going to be the expectation here.
On the AFCA Convention and the AFCA proposals...
Allen: Those were my first experiences in those meetings as head coach and I enjoyed those. I supported the 10th coach and I see that as a possibility. We as a group approved it and it obviously moves forward from there to be voted on. I think it's great for our game and for our players. That's really the whole objective, what's best for the student-athletes. A chance to have an early Signing Day, we've talked about doing that as well. Adding one of those in December, possibly. I feel like that's a positive thing that once again helps the student-athletes and their families and us coaches. Just to be able to do a better job of - maybe when the kid has a decision, he can sign early and then you can focus on the rest of the signing class after that. I think there's going to be some incremental changes in recruiting. I think there's a big push to want to see growth in that area. Change is hard. Nobody wants to do things different sometimes, but I think it's what's best for the future.
On Tegray Scales and Rashard Fant returning…
Allen: We talked as a staff and those are probably two of our biggest signees in this class, to convince those guys to stay. We were very honest with them up front, and said 'hey, we are going to explore that with you and be alongside you to help you make the best decision possible for them and their families.' We did that and let the process play itself out and be as thorough as we could be and as upfront and as honest with them about what we thought. We let the NFL say what they think and then together made a decision. We felt like it was best and we agreed for them to come back. Very excited. Great players, great young men that have tremendous value to our program.
On Devine Redding and Marcus Oliver leaving…
Allen: Love those two guys. They have been great players here, great leaders, great young men that we are very, very proud of. We wish them nothing but the very best and as they prepare now for the Combine, Pro Day and those opportunities that's going to create for them. Obviously, they've laid a tremendous legacy here. I am very excited about their futures and wish them the very best.
On Ralph Green III at the East-West Shrine Game and Dan Feeney at the Senior Bowl…
Allen: It's another validation to what we are doing here and the progress we've made. I'm really happy for both of those guys. Dan has been tremendous here and will be a tremendous pro player and has an opportunity to be a top pick, first round type guy. To be in the Senior Bowl will be a great chance for him to show he's a great player, great person representing Indiana Football. Ralph having the opportunity to play in the East-West Shrine Game is a tremendous honor for him and a tremendous honor for our defense. We've challenged our guys and when the team plays well, individuals get recognized. We are very happy for him and he played his tail off this season. We had a tremendous amount of buy-in from the beginning and he helped lead the turnaround of our defense.
On facing Kevin Wilson and Ohio State to open 2017…
Allen: It's really pretty exciting. I'm very happy for him. It's going to make that first game a little more interesting for sure. We've gone against him in practice, talked a little about that. He's a great offensive mind and has always done a great job on that side of the ball at the other places he has been. He'll have a lot of weapons to choose from there at Ohio State. We wish him nothing but the best, and he will continue to be a close friend of mine and now a guy we can compete against. It's going to be a great first opportunity for us.
On what's to come in the next months…
Allen: We will begin workouts on Tuesday. They will be back in there lifting, running and training as a group. We have different groups and we divide them up. It allows our strength staff – it's a critical time for us to develop. We have a lot of guys here who have talent but need to get bigger and stronger. This is going to be a critical set of months coming up, leading up to spring football. Our guys are excited, anxious to get back at it. Because of the bowl season, we haven't had a lot of time off. Their bodies have had that chance to recover and rest, so now they're champing at the bit to get back.
Below is the full transcript, and there is video following this link.
On building off the bowl game into winter workouts…
Allen: I feel like that it was a great experience for our team. We had a really good week together out there. It's a really beautiful place, great opportunity. A place a lot of our guys have never been before. It really created a lot of neat memoires for our players and their families. Really enjoyed that, obviously the game was not we wanted, but I'm very proud of our players. I'm proud of the preparation they put into it. The process of getting ready for it, I thought they did everything I asked them to do and it just came up a little short. You can go through, and I told our team afterwards, it was a team loss. Each phase had an opportunity in those last few minutes to seal the deal and we weren't able to do that. In some ways, it was a microcosm of our whole season. The things we had struggled with at times, protecting the football and scoring in the red zone, those reared their little ugly head in that game. Defense had a shot to finish out the game with a one-point lead and couldn't do that. We only gave up a field goal, but it was enough to be the difference. We had a chance on special teams to seal it as well and didn't do that. All three phases can learn from that. I feel like it gives us tremendous leverage to show where we are as a program. We played a great football team in a neat venue on a national stage and played extremely hard, played well. Just didn't finish. We are excited for the opportunity to breakthrough in 2017.
On the first week of recruiting…
Allen: It was fun to get back on the road. There's a lot of excitement. I was in Indiana the first couple of days and really sensing from the high school coaches, the recruits and even the younger guys you get a chance to work out in their venues and their schools. Just a lot of excitement about Indiana high school football toward Indiana University because of the connections I have with the state. Bringing in Mike DeBord as the guy who many of the coaches know as well. I just sense a lot of excitement for next season.
On where the Hoosiers will be at for Signing Day…
Allen: Probably going to be in the low 20s. It won't be a full group just based on our numbers, every year that varies. Based on how many seniors and guys that leave the program. It'll be a smaller group than last year.
On the new assistant coaches and how they have adjusted…
Allen: It's been good. It's added to some of the excitement around here. We bring in guys that have a strong track record and have great success at the places they've been. With Mike's (DeBord) ties to the state, that's been huge for us. Shawn Watson already being here and so highly respected by our players and then Grant Heard, a guy who has done a tremendous job in the SEC and coaching at a high level, recruiting at a high level. Our kids sense that it's now going to be the expectation here.
On the AFCA Convention and the AFCA proposals...
Allen: Those were my first experiences in those meetings as head coach and I enjoyed those. I supported the 10th coach and I see that as a possibility. We as a group approved it and it obviously moves forward from there to be voted on. I think it's great for our game and for our players. That's really the whole objective, what's best for the student-athletes. A chance to have an early Signing Day, we've talked about doing that as well. Adding one of those in December, possibly. I feel like that's a positive thing that once again helps the student-athletes and their families and us coaches. Just to be able to do a better job of - maybe when the kid has a decision, he can sign early and then you can focus on the rest of the signing class after that. I think there's going to be some incremental changes in recruiting. I think there's a big push to want to see growth in that area. Change is hard. Nobody wants to do things different sometimes, but I think it's what's best for the future.
On Tegray Scales and Rashard Fant returning…
Allen: We talked as a staff and those are probably two of our biggest signees in this class, to convince those guys to stay. We were very honest with them up front, and said 'hey, we are going to explore that with you and be alongside you to help you make the best decision possible for them and their families.' We did that and let the process play itself out and be as thorough as we could be and as upfront and as honest with them about what we thought. We let the NFL say what they think and then together made a decision. We felt like it was best and we agreed for them to come back. Very excited. Great players, great young men that have tremendous value to our program.
On Devine Redding and Marcus Oliver leaving…
Allen: Love those two guys. They have been great players here, great leaders, great young men that we are very, very proud of. We wish them nothing but the very best and as they prepare now for the Combine, Pro Day and those opportunities that's going to create for them. Obviously, they've laid a tremendous legacy here. I am very excited about their futures and wish them the very best.
On Ralph Green III at the East-West Shrine Game and Dan Feeney at the Senior Bowl…
Allen: It's another validation to what we are doing here and the progress we've made. I'm really happy for both of those guys. Dan has been tremendous here and will be a tremendous pro player and has an opportunity to be a top pick, first round type guy. To be in the Senior Bowl will be a great chance for him to show he's a great player, great person representing Indiana Football. Ralph having the opportunity to play in the East-West Shrine Game is a tremendous honor for him and a tremendous honor for our defense. We've challenged our guys and when the team plays well, individuals get recognized. We are very happy for him and he played his tail off this season. We had a tremendous amount of buy-in from the beginning and he helped lead the turnaround of our defense.
On facing Kevin Wilson and Ohio State to open 2017…
Allen: It's really pretty exciting. I'm very happy for him. It's going to make that first game a little more interesting for sure. We've gone against him in practice, talked a little about that. He's a great offensive mind and has always done a great job on that side of the ball at the other places he has been. He'll have a lot of weapons to choose from there at Ohio State. We wish him nothing but the best, and he will continue to be a close friend of mine and now a guy we can compete against. It's going to be a great first opportunity for us.
On what's to come in the next months…
Allen: We will begin workouts on Tuesday. They will be back in there lifting, running and training as a group. We have different groups and we divide them up. It allows our strength staff – it's a critical time for us to develop. We have a lot of guys here who have talent but need to get bigger and stronger. This is going to be a critical set of months coming up, leading up to spring football. Our guys are excited, anxious to get back at it. Because of the bowl season, we haven't had a lot of time off. Their bodies have had that chance to recover and rest, so now they're champing at the bit to get back.
