DIPRIMIO NOTEBOOK: Tom Allen and The Art of Learning To Finish

By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Finish the deal.

It sounds simple. Make the right play at the right time.
Indiana is so close. Head coach Tom Allen and the Hoosiers know it.

What will it take for them to make it happen, and achieve the program-changing breakthrough?

"I see it as two things." Allen said during this week's media session. "Number One is youth with this group.

"Number Two, you have to learn how. Learn how to finish. Learn how to win those kinds of games."

IU pushed No. 25 Michigan State to the brink last Saturday, just as it with other Big Ten powers the last few years.

The Hoosiers aren't Ohio State, crushing every team in its path. They will face cliffhangers and bad breaks and doubt.

Allen is convinced these Hoosiers (3-2) will find a way to overcome.

"Since I've been here, there have been a lot of to-the-bitter-end (conference) battles, and there's not a lot of margin for error," he said. "So how do you finish the close games?

"To me, it's wrapped up in trusting in the discipline of the preparation to be able to execute in those moments because -- there's no rocket science to this -- it comes down to a few key plays at the end of the game. I've heard coaches talk about this forever. It doesn't matter the level. The NFL is no different. Games are one-possession games every week. That's how it is in this conference for the most part.

"In the last four to five minutes of a game, can you execute at a high level? That is the key. It's the value of walk-throughs and how critical they are, and that every one of those reps, you have to believe."

It's doing the little things, Allen added, and doing them over and over.

"We have to do it. We have to experience it. We have to put ourselves in position to execute at the high level in those moments.

"Part of it is talent. That's where recruiting comes in. Part of it is depth. When you don't have the depth, fatigue sets in and you make a mental mistake.

"We're addressing those things, but we've got to get it done on the field. Those good plays need to be made by the Hoosiers, not by the opponent. That's what it comes down to."

*****

IU has a bye before hosting Rutgers (1-3) for Homecoming on Oct. 12, and Allen wants to maximize the time by mixing work and rest and giving players a break after going full bore since the beginning of August.

"I have three goals for the bye week," Allen said. "Number One, to create a mental and physical break for our guys from the grind of the season. You go through fall camp, a full month of that, then you go right into the first five games, and just the mental break that you need. So not going to have near as much meeting time, not going to be a lot of scheme.

"We are going to work, and when we work, we'll be full bore. Practices will be a little shorter, but just the physical break as well. We've got to get some guys rested.

"Goal No. 2 is to get all the injured guys healthy, so to really maximize our rehab this week and be able to go into Rutgers healthy as much as possible. That's goal two.

"And goal No. 3 is to improve fundamentally and technically as a football team in all three phases."

Actually, there is a fourth goal – recruiting. Coaches will head out to check out prospects on Thursday and Friday.

*****
Near misses aren't part of Allen's resurrect-the-program plans, and you'd better believe he lets the Hoosiers know it.
Case in point -- Monday's team meeting after the Michigan State loss wasn't a time for hugs.

"I got after our guys," Allen said. "It was very hard on them in some areas in accountability. As I told our team, the film creates accountability because everything that happens on game day shows up on film, and the film never lies."

That's true as much for the coaches as the players, Allen added.

"It creates accountability for coaches. It creates accountability for me, foremost and utmost, and for the players and how they perform. So sometimes those are hard meetings to have, and you get after them hard. But you also realize you see what we're building, you see the progress, you see what we're becoming, and the work that's in front of us and the opportunity in front of us."

*****

Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has started three games and won two Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards.

Consider his latest effort -- throwing for 286 yards and three touchdowns against Michigan State while completing 78.6 percent of his passes -- came after missing the two previous games, and amid limited practice while recovering from an injury.

"It was his first true road game in conference play," Allen said, "and just really encouraged by the way he handled the moment. It wasn't too big for him. He was very poised and very effective."

Penix had plenty of help, from running backs Stevie Scott III and Ronnie Walker Jr. to receivers Whop Philyor, Donavan Hale and Nick Westbrook to tight end Peyton Hendershot to an offensive line bouncing back well from the loss of veteran Coy Cronk because of a season-ending injury.

"That group offensively just did a great job of helping Michael Penix have the game that he had," Allen said. "(Scott's) effort on pass (protection) was phenomenal. That's a collective buy-in that you see. That's a guy understanding L-E-O (Love Each Other) and understanding it's not about him. He's not caring who gets the credit. He ran hard.

"Ronnie Walker is the epitome of that. Just doing his job 100 percent.

"I could go on and on, even Westbrook, the way he blocked, made some catches. D. Hale, some big catches, but the way he blocked. Peyton Hendershot didn't have a bunch of catches, but, man, he blocked his tail off, and he was physical.

"Obviously, Whop played to a (high) level (14 catches, 142 yards, 2 touchdowns), but he was crushed at the end of the game. He had a great game and had stats and all that, but he was so emotional afterwards because he wants to win, his team wants to win.

"As a collective effort, that was the offensive coaches' game plan. It was the execution of it, the receivers, the way they performed as well as the way they blocked for each other, the effort up front."

That offensive line effort included true freshman Matthew Bedford, whose first college start while replacing Cronk came in one of the Big Ten's most intimidating environments. Offensive line coach Darren Hiller made sure Bedford was ready.

"He played every snap, which, going into it, we weren't sure he would be able to handle that type of workload in that environment for the first time ever, but he did a great job," Allen said.

"He made mistakes for sure, but I'm really proud of him and how he responded."

*****

Allen is all for turning the other cheek, but not when it comes to the Hoosiers defense.

When the unit fails to play to his standards (he was the defensive coordinator the previous 3 years), Allen will let everyone know it, including current defensive coordinator Kane Wommack.

"I'm always involved in the defense," Allen said. "I'm a pretty fiery guy. I love Kane, and we're really close, but I'm going to rip his tail when his tail needs to be ripped.

"I'm not going to apologize for being fiery and intense because there's no sense in apologizing. It's going to happen again.

"I do feel for Kane because you don't really want to be the DC for the former DC who is now the head coach. It's a tough job. I'm hard on him in meetings. I'm hard on him during games.

"When we don't execute, that's when I want to make sure we put our guys in the best position. That's football. It's the passion of the moment."

*****

IU allowed 300 passing yards against Michigan State, and has to elevate its secondary play, Allen said.

Still, there were some bright moments, including true freshman cornerback Tiawan Mullen having an impressive performance.

"The young secondary has to continue to grow," Allen said. "Tiawan played extremely well, but we challenged some other guys about elevating their play."

Playing man coverage adds to the pressure … and the opportunity.

"We put those guys on an island at times," Allen said. "That's part of what we do. We know that. They know that, and that's what you embrace. I felt like they lost some of those one-on-ones (against Michigan State), and sometimes it was just one-on-one technique and winning those battles.
"Time has taught me that you stay the course. We've just got to get better. There's no doubt. We dropped a pick-6. That's tough. You drill and drill and drill."

Cornerbacks coach Brandon Shelby and safeties coach Kasey Teegardin are at the forefront of those drills.

Allen referred to his father, also Tom Allen, a long-time Indiana high school football coach.

"My dad taught me this a long time ago. He said, 'You'd better make sure you have the best defensive back coach you can find, and the best offensive line coach you can find, because those are the two areas that are the hardest for kids to play. They'll get you beat if you don't get them right.

"I believe it. We've got great coaches in those spots, and we've got really good players. I'm excited for them to continue to grow and develop."

Indiana University Athletics

DIPRIMIO NOTEBOOK: Tom Allen and The Art of Learning To Finish

Players Mentioned

Matthew Bedford

Coy Cronk

Donavan Hale

Peyton Hendershot

Tiawan Mullen

Michael Penix Jr.

Whop Philyor

Stevie Scott III

Ronnie Walker Jr.

Nick Westbrook

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