Tom Allen's coaching staff is officially complete.
Allen has hired Darren Hiller and Nick Sheridan to his Hoosier staff, it was formally announced Friday. Hiller will serve as run game coordinator and offensive line coach while Sheridan will handle quarterback coaching duties.
Hiller replaces Greg Frey, who bolted to Michigan shortly after National Signing Day. A 23-year coaching veteran, Hiller spent last year as the co-offensive coordinator, run game coordinator and offensive line coach at the University of South Florida.
Under Hiller's leadership, USF finished fourth in the nation in scoring (43.8 points per game), fifth in rushing (285.3 yards per game) and 11th in total offense (511.5 yards per game).
"I'm very excited to have the opportunity to work with Tom Allen," Hiller said in a statement released by IU Athletics. "He's a friend of mine and he's going to be wonderful to work for. I know Indiana's offense has been really good these last few years. Being up in Cincinnati, I had an eye on what was happening over in Bloomington. I look forward to helping build on the success they've had and getting to work with (offensive coordinator) Mike DeBord."
Hiller was actually hired into a similar role by Houston just last month but opted out once Indiana came his way. He was in Bloomington on Thursday night to take in Indiana basketball's loss to Purdue.
"I have known Darren Hiller for a number of years and have always been so impressed with him, both as a person and as a coach," Allen said. "He is a tremendous teacher in the area of the offensive line. Darren does a great job mentoring young men and finding ways to motivate them to play at their highest level. He has been a part of a tremendous offensive attack at South Florida and I think that will continue with us here at Indiana."
Unlike Hiller, Sheridan is an up-and-coming coach. He'll replace Shawn Watson, who accepted the offensive coordinator job at Pitt.
"I'm appreciative of the chance to work for Tom Allen at IU, a place that is known for excellence in athletics and is an unbelievable institution," Sheridan said in a statement released by IU Athletics. "IU is really focused on the student-athlete, giving them a great experience as a student first and athletically in a great conference against great competition. Getting the chance to work for Mike DeBord again is a great opportunity. When it presented itself, I couldn't get to Bloomington fast enough."
If anything, Allen said he can see parts of Watson in Sheridan.
"Nick Sheridan is a young offensive mind that I am very impressed with," Allen said in a statement released by IU Athletics. "I love the fact that he is a coach's son. He has been around this game his entire life. I know that we feel like we got a young Shawn Watson in Nick Sheridan."
Sheridan worked under DeBord as a graduate assistant at Tennessee from 2014-16 and was originally going to coach running backs at Central Michigan before the opportunity at Indiana emerged. The 28-year-old coach played quarterback for Michigan under DeBord's guidance.
"It's exciting to have Nick coach the quarterbacks here, as he did for the University of Tennessee these past two years," DeBord said in a statement released by IU Athletics. "I know I had the title of coaching the quarterbacks, but I was assisting with the offensive line during those two years and Nick had the quarterbacks in meetings, practice and game preparation and did an outstanding job with them. I believe that Josh Dobbs success as a quarterback these past two years is not only the result of what Josh did but also what Nick did as a coach in his preparation and continuing his growth. I know he'll continue to do a great job with our quarterbacks at Indiana University."
Under the current rules, Indiana's coaching staff is now complete.
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