Indiana enters the 2021 season as a program that is no longer 'on the rise'.
Tom Allen has brought Indiana football from an afterthought to now a team that is ready to push through. Since the start of 2019, Indiana is 14-7 and 11-5 in the Big Ten. IU's 14 wins are fourth most amongst Big Ten teams while the 11 conference wins rank third.
The Hoosiers also rank in both the preseason AP and USA Today polls for the first time since 1969.
With the majority of the Hoosiers' top players returns from a 6-2 season a year ago, Tom Allen knows his team is ready to take that next step.
"I think it's just the people, it's leading a team, it's building a team and those principles are consistent and the same, no matter what the level is. I think it's the discipline to be true to who you are every day and not fall victim to listening to the outside noises occasionally. I think that to me is really the key to all this," Allen said. "What time teaches you is to trust that to not try to go out and reach for things that you think might be what they are. I think sometimes we over complicate situations and it's not easy, but it's a simple process."
If this is the year for Indiana to not only challenge Ohio State atop the Big Ten but also break the 30 year drought without a Bowl victory, it will have to to pass many early tests.
Indiana plays four games against preseason top-25 teams in Iowa, Cincinnati, Penn State and Ohio State.
The first of those is No. 18 Iowa in week one.
The Hoosiers have lost three straight games against Iowa in Iowa City, with its last win coming in 2007.
This is also the third time in five years that IU will face off against a ranked team to start the season.
These pasts tests make Allen believe that his program is ready for 2021's first test.
"The expectations are what they are. Like we said in the beginning, we came here with a vision to be able to change the expectations and create belief. That process is ongoing and so we're embracing it," Allen said. :You have to be able to have those earmuffs and blinders, that part doesn't change, and to be able to create the focus that you want to be able to be an elite performer on game day.
"I think that the thing that you learned is just the true value of staying true to the process and how you get your team to perform. It's all about consistent performance and how do you get that. Whether that's through high expectations, low expectations or everything in between, how do you get your team to perform at a high level each and every week to be able to block out those distractions."
While Indiana has dealt with 'expectations' in the past, those were more on the negative end of the spectrum.
Before these past two seasons, IU hadn't had a winning season since 2007 and hadn't had back-to-back winning seasons since 1993-94.
"In the past, those distractions have been negative distractions: people telling you what you can't do and judging you based on your past. Now you have to be able to block out the positive distractions and maybe some people saying that they're expecting you to do more things than you've maybe done in the past," Allen continued. "You still have those that continue to doubt, but that's a part of it and that's okay.
"I think just understanding how to address that with your guys. I think you don't shy away from it. I don't think that anything that's assumed and not addressed in both positive and negative situations creates a very positive outcome. I think you need to address things. We have tried to address this and talk about it as a team and being able to allow ourselves to consistently prepare at a high level."
And that all played into Tom Allen's 'word' for 2021. Before each season he chooses one word to signify what Indiana is prepared to do for that year.
This year was 'chase'.
"That's why chase was chosen in 2021 at the beginning of the program and you don't just get better because you have a lot of guys back and you got a lot of guys that are supposed to be playing at a certain level, [chase] is what are you doing every single day," Allen said. "I think it's just a confirmation of how you do that, and I've been fortunate to be a lot of places that have had to, been a part of turnarounds and then you have success and then you have to play to those standards. So not necessarily as a college head coach, but definitely part of those staffs and then in high school as well."
The 'chase' begins this week against No. 18 Iowa.
"We have a lot of respect for [the Iowa] program and we're going to have to play our best football. So excited for the opportunity."
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