The Quest for Indiana University Football Glory – Final Thoughts

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Quest for Indiana University Football Glory, written by Hall of Fame sports writer Pete DiPrimio, takes an unprecedented look at the Hoosier program thanks to exclusive access to practices, meetings, players, coaches and more. In this chapter, coach Tom Allen talks about why L-E-O (Love Each Other) is such a cornerstone of his program, and what that could mean for the future.

Tom Allen reclined on a couch in his spacious Memorial Stadium office, tie missing, but at the ready, pumped for an alumni event at Henke Hall to recognize the 2018 signing class, perhaps the best recruiting group in program history.

It helped soothe the sting from missed bowl opportunity.

Most recruiting services rated IU's 2018 class in the top-40 nationally, but No. 6 in the rugged six-team Big Ten East, which reflected the Hoosiers' annual challenge.

No matter. Allen was eager to embrace the future and contemplate a head coaching debut season that, with a final 5-7 record, hadn't delivered on its breakthrough hopes.

And so …

"The frustration is still there," he said. "I still feel it. The disappointment in the season. I expected us to win more than we did."

Indiana could easily have won seven games. That it did not, that it lost the rivalry opportunity to Purdue with the postseason on the line, frustrated and motivated.

"That's what left such a bad taste after the Purdue game," Allen said. "We knew we were so close. We'd been close before, but this was different.

"There were a lot of positives. So many things we continue to advance, but there are things we need to address. For whatever reason, we haven't finished well -- whether it's better strength and conditioning, better depth, execution. We'll continue to address that."

That process became clearer a few days later, when Allen decided to part with strength coach Keith Caton, who had been hired by former head coach Kevin Wilson. Caton spent the 2016 and '17 seasons with the Hoosiers after a four-year run at Baylor.

Allen replaced Caton with former Indiana fullback David Ballou, who had spent the previous season as Notre Dame's co-director of football strength and conditioning. Ballou also spent 14 years as the head strength and conditioning coach at Avon High School near Indianapolis. Avon won six state titles in multiple sports during his time there.

Another top priority was quarterback. Richard Lagow and Peyton Ramsey had alternated strong play with struggles. Winning teams don't have that. It had to be fixed.

"That hurt us," Allen said. "I know we were that one component away from being a really good team.

"Our defense finished top 26. We wanted to be top 25 and missed it by one spot. We had six categories where we were a top-25 defense. We have changed that culture. We have to have all three phases – defense, offense, special teams -- to create those end of game situations we want."

IU was so close in 2017. It lost four games by eight points or less, one in overtime.

"We've got to find a way to win those close games," Allen said. "We had chances to beat top-20 teams. That's the next thing we want so bad."

The goal was to turn wanting into doing. Allen insisted it wasn't a matter of if, but when.

"There is a consistent expectation that we compete at a high level every time we take the field. There's not a drop off. We have to be consistent every week. We've been that way. There is enough young talent that they got a chance to experience that. They also got a chance to experience the devastation of being close. The more guys want to change it, the more it intensifies their passion to make that change."

Again, he insisted, change was coming.

"We have to keep recruiting at a high level. We've got to improve our strength and conditioning, and we've got to continue to develop the guys we have."

Allen pointed to recruiting as the ultimate difference maker.

"It's the way we're recruiting. It's putting one good class, then another good class, then another good class. That's how you have to create the depth we need to compete.

"The optimism is from seeing a product on the field that is getting to the point where we envision it to be. It's not where we want it to be, but we're making progress. That encourages more passion and focus to close the gap."

As far as the Dec. 20 signing day, with IU landing 23 prospects, including standouts such as four-star (out of five) quarterback Michael Penix Jr. out of Florida and Indiana Mr. Football Reese Taylor out of Indianapolis Ben Davis, Allen said, "When the day starts you're exhausted, but you leave energized because of what just happened. When it all is done, you crash. You've just been going and going and going.

"You just finish a long season, and the very next day you're on a plane flying somewhere, and that hasn't stopped. It eventually takes its toll. You go off adrenaline."

As far as the class's strong national ranking, Allen said, "What do these young men develop into? That's the question. What do these guys look like two years from now, three years from now? What do they become?"

Allen's wife, Tracy, briefly entered the room. She was helping with the celebration preparations as she did in so many things while balancing her own successful educational consulting business.

She and her husband are, in every way, a team.

The time to head to the reception was nearing, but Allen wasn't close to ending his thoughts on the state of the Hoosiers. He insisted they're on the verge of sustained success to rival that of former coach Bill Mallory.

A glowing Memorial Stadium lit up the night as if to emphasize that.

"I do see us having that kind of success," Allen said. "Once again, it's knowing who you are, knowing what you want and not let anybody talk you out of it.

"Coach Mallory is the one who did it. He built it. It took a certain period of time. He built it in a certain way that they had consistent performances. They were consistently competing to be in the late-season hunt for the Big Ten, and bowl games. That's what I want. I want us to be in the hunt. I want us to be competing.

"I believe in our core principles. I believe we're doing everything we can do to have success."

Behind him are the signs of what those principles can produce, and what the program means. There's a plaque for Allen being nominated for the 2016 Broyles Award, which goes annually to the nation's best assistant coach. There's a photo of Allen touching Hep's Rock in a tribute to former coach Terry Hoeppner.

There are books that reflect the man and his beliefs – "The Edge," "Beyond the Game," "The Coach's Bible" and "Today's Moment of Truth."

Finally there is the framed photo of a lion, a gift from Tracy and her belief that her husband is "The Lion Chaser" because of his bravery, focus and determination. It reflected, as nothing else could, that success is coming.

In so many ways, it was already here.

EDITOR'S NOTE: To purchase a copy of The Quest for Indiana University Football Glory, go to this link via Indiana University Press: https://bit.ly/2kvZXjH

The Quest for Indiana University Football Glory – Final Thoughts

Players Mentioned

Michael Penix Jr.

Peyton Ramsey

Reese Taylor

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