BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The search for Kevin Wilson’s replacement did not take long following the former Indiana head coach’s resignation.
IU on Thursday night announced the promotion of defensive coordinator Tom Allen to head coach full-time. Terms of the deal have yet to be finalized, but athletics director Fred Glass said it will be a six-year deal.
“Once Coach Wilson and I concluded to part ways, I turned to determining who the best person in the country would be to keep up our momentum and take use to another level with our football team,” Glass said. “I quickly concluded that person was in our midst in Tom Allen. He is a leader of men. He is demanding without being demeaning. He is a proven, successful coach on a national scale with deep Indiana ties. He cares about his players, and they care back.”
Allen, a native of New Castle, Indiana, met with Glass at 10 a.m. Thursday morning. The hiring became official at a 6:00 p.m. news conference at the Henke Hall of Championships inside Memorial Stadium Thursday night, where Allen immediately began laying out his vision for the Indiana football program.
That vision will be predicated on accountability. Allen wants a program that graduates players, develop them as young men and competes for championships.
The foundation for the vision was being laid as Allen spoke Thursday night. Aside from Allen, of course, Indiana’s coaching staff was out on the recruiting trail Thursday evening making in-home visits with committed and uncommitted prospective players.
Meanwhile, current players tweeted messages of support of Allen once the announcement became official. They were informed during a team meeting at 5:15 p.m. ET.
“Couldn't be more thankful for the opportunity that Coach Wilson gave me,” IU redshirt junior kicker Griffin Oakes tweeted. “He truly believed in me. I trust Coach Allen and 100 percent have his back.”
In his press conference Thursday night, Allen expressed remorse for Wilson.
"My heart breaks for him,” Allen said. “I never expected this to happen."
Allen planned to also reach out to high school recruits committed to and targeted by the program Thursday night.
From a staff standpoint, Allen said he will keep all of Indiana’s assistant coaches through the bowl game and then he will reevaluate.
Throughout describing his plan for the future of the Indiana, Allen was very emotional and choked up, to the point of fighting back tears throughout his opening statement.
For as difficult as that transition was, Indiana had to move forward. With the change official, Allen now has his eyes set on Indiana’s bowl game and the future.
From a recruiting standpoint, he wants to continue the focus Wilson had on recruiting heavily in the state of Indiana, making a point to make in-state football coaches feel welcome at IU. It’s also important to him because of his 10 years of experience coaching Indiana high school football previously.
“Those coaches are always welcome here at Indiana University,” Allen said. “I hope they're here as much as I was when I was a high school coach, watching practice, talking ball, learning, growing together.”
Allen said his goal for the program is to break through next season.
He mentioned joking about in his last press conference being tired of getting text messages from friends telling him how hard Indiana played, how close it was.
For Allen, the time is now.
“Those things are true,” Allen said. “It's time to break through.”
