Indiana University Athletics
Allen A 2016 Broyles Award Candidate
11/23/2016 3:24:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana associate head coach/defense Tom Allen is a nominee for the 2016 Broyles Award, the Frank & Barbara Broyles Foundation announced today. The 40 nominees in this year's class were chosen from almost 1,500 assistant coaches representing over 128 Division One college football programs.
The Broyles Award honors college football's top assistant coach. The award was established in 1996 to recognize legendary head football Coach Frank Broyles. Coach Broyles had a track record of producing some of the most successful assistant coaches in college football history.
Allen is the second Hoosiers assistant is as many years to earn a nomination for the prestigious honor. Assistant head coach/offensive line coach Greg Frey was a candidate in 2015.
In his first season in Bloomington, Allen has engineered one of the top defensive turnarounds in the country. Allen's charges have improved in every major statistical category against a schedule featuring four top 10 opponents, a program first.
IU is holding its opponents to 382.0 total yards, an improvement of 127.3 yards from 2015, the largest improvement in the country. The Hoosiers have limited their foes to 94.1 fewer passing yards, also first nationally, and 10.0 fewer points, which ranks 10th.
Indiana has surrendered 30 fewer touchdowns vs. 2015 and lowered opponents third down conversions by 11.9 percent. The defense has limited big plays, allowing 35 fewer 20-plus yard plays vs. 2015, 12 fewer 30-plus yarders, eight fewer 40-plus yarders and 11 fewer 50-plus yarders.
IU is tied for third in the Big Ten in defensive TDs (2, T-31st nationally), fourth in third down percentage (30.2, 10th), fifth in tackles for loss (78, T-26th), tied for fifth in fumbles recovered (6), sixth in defensive passing efficiency (119.4, 34th) and interceptions (10), and tied for sixth in sacks (24).
Junior linebacker Tegray Scales is first in the conference in tackles (106; 14th nationally) and solo stops (78; 2nd nationally, 1st among Power 5 schools), and second in tackles for loss (16.5; T-13th). His seven double-figure tackle games put him in a share of first in the league (T-3rd nationally).
Redshirt junior linebacker Marcus Oliver holds the program record and is the NCAA active leader with 11 career forced fumbles, while redshirt junior cornerback Rashard Fant's 18 passes defended and 16 pass breakups are first in the nation. Fant is also tied for first in the NCAA among active players with 46 career passes defended (Breon Borders, Duke; Desmond King, Iowa).
The legendary 18-member selection committee will select five finalists from the list of nominees and an overall winner. Those finalists will be invited to travel to Little Rock, Ark., where the 2016 Broyles Award winner will be announced on Tuesday, Dec. 6, at 1 p.m. at the Marriott Hotel.
This year marks the first time the Frank & Barbara Broyles Foundation has presented the award. Proceeds from the 2016 Broyles Award will go to support the mission of the Broyles Foundation; to educate, support, and connect with Alzheimer's caregivers.
The winner of the 2015 Broyles Award was Lincoln Riley, University of Oklahoma.
The Broyles Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 21 awards boast 699 years of tradition-selection excellence.
The Broyles Award honors college football's top assistant coach. The award was established in 1996 to recognize legendary head football Coach Frank Broyles. Coach Broyles had a track record of producing some of the most successful assistant coaches in college football history.
Allen is the second Hoosiers assistant is as many years to earn a nomination for the prestigious honor. Assistant head coach/offensive line coach Greg Frey was a candidate in 2015.
In his first season in Bloomington, Allen has engineered one of the top defensive turnarounds in the country. Allen's charges have improved in every major statistical category against a schedule featuring four top 10 opponents, a program first.
IU is holding its opponents to 382.0 total yards, an improvement of 127.3 yards from 2015, the largest improvement in the country. The Hoosiers have limited their foes to 94.1 fewer passing yards, also first nationally, and 10.0 fewer points, which ranks 10th.
Indiana has surrendered 30 fewer touchdowns vs. 2015 and lowered opponents third down conversions by 11.9 percent. The defense has limited big plays, allowing 35 fewer 20-plus yard plays vs. 2015, 12 fewer 30-plus yarders, eight fewer 40-plus yarders and 11 fewer 50-plus yarders.
IU is tied for third in the Big Ten in defensive TDs (2, T-31st nationally), fourth in third down percentage (30.2, 10th), fifth in tackles for loss (78, T-26th), tied for fifth in fumbles recovered (6), sixth in defensive passing efficiency (119.4, 34th) and interceptions (10), and tied for sixth in sacks (24).
Junior linebacker Tegray Scales is first in the conference in tackles (106; 14th nationally) and solo stops (78; 2nd nationally, 1st among Power 5 schools), and second in tackles for loss (16.5; T-13th). His seven double-figure tackle games put him in a share of first in the league (T-3rd nationally).
Redshirt junior linebacker Marcus Oliver holds the program record and is the NCAA active leader with 11 career forced fumbles, while redshirt junior cornerback Rashard Fant's 18 passes defended and 16 pass breakups are first in the nation. Fant is also tied for first in the NCAA among active players with 46 career passes defended (Breon Borders, Duke; Desmond King, Iowa).
The legendary 18-member selection committee will select five finalists from the list of nominees and an overall winner. Those finalists will be invited to travel to Little Rock, Ark., where the 2016 Broyles Award winner will be announced on Tuesday, Dec. 6, at 1 p.m. at the Marriott Hotel.
This year marks the first time the Frank & Barbara Broyles Foundation has presented the award. Proceeds from the 2016 Broyles Award will go to support the mission of the Broyles Foundation; to educate, support, and connect with Alzheimer's caregivers.
The winner of the 2015 Broyles Award was Lincoln Riley, University of Oklahoma.
The Broyles Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 21 awards boast 699 years of tradition-selection excellence.
Players Mentioned
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