Indiana University Athletics
The Wright Fit – New Coach Embraces Indiana’s Football Vision
1/31/2020 9:41:00 AM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - You'd better believe Tom Allen made a big impression on Kevin Wright.
It had nothing to do with Allen's football coaching.
Wright couldn't shake the image of a coach who jumped on players when he wasn't jumping all over the sideline, who seemed forever blessed with a teenager's energy despite Father Time's best efforts to slow him down?
Wright first saw it when he was coaching at Indianapolis Warren Central High School and Allen was at cross-town rival Ben Davis.
"That was a big-time rivalry in the early 2000s," Wright says. "We used to give him a hard time because we thought he would hurt somebody, jumping around and doing all those things."
Wright smiles from a press conference setting in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall's rowing locker room.
"He's still doing it."
Allen certainly is, now as Indiana's head football coach, and for the first time in a 20-year coaching career, Wright will work with him as the Hoosiers' new tight ends coach.
"It's good to be back home," Wright says, "It's exciting to get back to something at this level."
Wright spent the last five years at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., compiling a 44-2 record against some of the nation's best high school competition. He directed a program that worked with players ranging from eighth grade to those training for the NFL Combine.
"It was a combination of a little bit of everything," Wright says.
It was rewarding, but an opportunity to return to his Indiana roots, and to coach at the Big Ten level in general, Indiana in particular, was too good to pass up.
"It was a goal," Wright says of coaching at the Power 5 conference level, "but it had to be the right fit for the right person at the right place.
"This is just a great opportunity."
Wright brings championship credentials from his head coaching stops at Carmel and Warren Central, as well as IMG. His overall coaching record is 229-65 with four state championships (3 at Warren Central, 1 at Carmel) and two state runner-up appearances.
He was the fifth Indiana coach to win football state titles at multiple schools.
Football coaching success runs in the family. Wright's father, Bud, is the winningest high school coach in Indiana history and a member of the Indiana High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame. In 53 years at Sheridan High School, he's won 410 games and nine state championships.
"My father is still coaching in his 54th year at the same high school, which I think might be a record at any level at any place," Kevin Wright says.
The son set his own records. He led IMG to five-straight Top-6 national rankings. He also developed contacts that will be invaluable in recruiting talent-rich Florida.
"I've known him for years," Allen said. "He's been one of the most successful high school coaches in the country. He's done a tremendous job working with some of the top talent in the country at IMG.
"Kevin allows us to expand our recruiting base and continue our success in the state of Florida. He's a great fit for our program in so many ways."
In between coaching at Warren Central and Carmel, Wright was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Western Kentucky, his alma mater.
Western Kentucky gave Wright a taste of college coaching, but he wanted more at a higher level.
"So what better place than at Indiana," Wright says. "Coach Allen was talking about how long it's been since we've won a Big Ten championship. I believe we can do it. I believe in Coach Allen's vision. That's why I felt it was the right time and the right place."
IU is coming off an 8-5 season that culminated in a TaxSlayer Gator Bowl loss to Tennessee. Wright joins safeties coach Jason Jones as new additions to the staff in the wake of offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer leaving to become the Fresno State head coach, and special teams coach Williams Inge joining DeBoer as defensive coordinator.
Wright had previously worked with IU strength coach David Ballou, and speed coach Dr. Matt Rhea at IMG.
"I had never met (Jason Jones)," Wright says. "I ran into him (at the Atlanta airport), and in an hour and a half, it like he was one of my brothers. We really hit it off."
Wright took the IU job a couple of weeks ago, and immediately returned to Florida to recruit. He was back in Bloomington recently for a recruiting event with Indiana high school juniors and was impressed with what he saw.
"It's probably the best group (of Indiana players) I have seen in 20 years."
As far as recruiting Florida, Wright says he has "great relationships" there.
"We had to create them just to get games at IMG. Whether it was southwest Florida or Miami or Jacksonville, I know a lot of those folks."
Wright also has plenty of state-of-Indiana contacts.
"I have pretty deep ties in the state. Hopefully we can have a great mix of Indiana kids, Florida kids and then a national mix, which is what you're seeing at the Power 5 level across the country."
The goal is to position Indiana for long-term success. Wright is convinced Allen will make it happen -- jumping on players along the way when the situation warrants.
"Having known (Allen) for so long," Wright says, "you know what he's about. He's one of the good guys in college football.
"Guys either change as they climb the ladder, or they don't. He's the same guy. It's the same culture. Now he has an opportunity at a bigger stage."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - You'd better believe Tom Allen made a big impression on Kevin Wright.
It had nothing to do with Allen's football coaching.
Wright couldn't shake the image of a coach who jumped on players when he wasn't jumping all over the sideline, who seemed forever blessed with a teenager's energy despite Father Time's best efforts to slow him down?
Wright first saw it when he was coaching at Indianapolis Warren Central High School and Allen was at cross-town rival Ben Davis.
"That was a big-time rivalry in the early 2000s," Wright says. "We used to give him a hard time because we thought he would hurt somebody, jumping around and doing all those things."
Wright smiles from a press conference setting in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall's rowing locker room.
"He's still doing it."
Allen certainly is, now as Indiana's head football coach, and for the first time in a 20-year coaching career, Wright will work with him as the Hoosiers' new tight ends coach.
"It's good to be back home," Wright says, "It's exciting to get back to something at this level."
Wright spent the last five years at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., compiling a 44-2 record against some of the nation's best high school competition. He directed a program that worked with players ranging from eighth grade to those training for the NFL Combine.
"It was a combination of a little bit of everything," Wright says.
It was rewarding, but an opportunity to return to his Indiana roots, and to coach at the Big Ten level in general, Indiana in particular, was too good to pass up.
"It was a goal," Wright says of coaching at the Power 5 conference level, "but it had to be the right fit for the right person at the right place.
"This is just a great opportunity."
Wright brings championship credentials from his head coaching stops at Carmel and Warren Central, as well as IMG. His overall coaching record is 229-65 with four state championships (3 at Warren Central, 1 at Carmel) and two state runner-up appearances.
He was the fifth Indiana coach to win football state titles at multiple schools.
Football coaching success runs in the family. Wright's father, Bud, is the winningest high school coach in Indiana history and a member of the Indiana High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame. In 53 years at Sheridan High School, he's won 410 games and nine state championships.
"My father is still coaching in his 54th year at the same high school, which I think might be a record at any level at any place," Kevin Wright says.
The son set his own records. He led IMG to five-straight Top-6 national rankings. He also developed contacts that will be invaluable in recruiting talent-rich Florida.
"I've known him for years," Allen said. "He's been one of the most successful high school coaches in the country. He's done a tremendous job working with some of the top talent in the country at IMG.
"Kevin allows us to expand our recruiting base and continue our success in the state of Florida. He's a great fit for our program in so many ways."
In between coaching at Warren Central and Carmel, Wright was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Western Kentucky, his alma mater.
Western Kentucky gave Wright a taste of college coaching, but he wanted more at a higher level.
"So what better place than at Indiana," Wright says. "Coach Allen was talking about how long it's been since we've won a Big Ten championship. I believe we can do it. I believe in Coach Allen's vision. That's why I felt it was the right time and the right place."
IU is coming off an 8-5 season that culminated in a TaxSlayer Gator Bowl loss to Tennessee. Wright joins safeties coach Jason Jones as new additions to the staff in the wake of offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer leaving to become the Fresno State head coach, and special teams coach Williams Inge joining DeBoer as defensive coordinator.
Wright had previously worked with IU strength coach David Ballou, and speed coach Dr. Matt Rhea at IMG.
"I had never met (Jason Jones)," Wright says. "I ran into him (at the Atlanta airport), and in an hour and a half, it like he was one of my brothers. We really hit it off."
Wright took the IU job a couple of weeks ago, and immediately returned to Florida to recruit. He was back in Bloomington recently for a recruiting event with Indiana high school juniors and was impressed with what he saw.
"It's probably the best group (of Indiana players) I have seen in 20 years."
As far as recruiting Florida, Wright says he has "great relationships" there.
"We had to create them just to get games at IMG. Whether it was southwest Florida or Miami or Jacksonville, I know a lot of those folks."
Wright also has plenty of state-of-Indiana contacts.
"I have pretty deep ties in the state. Hopefully we can have a great mix of Indiana kids, Florida kids and then a national mix, which is what you're seeing at the Power 5 level across the country."
The goal is to position Indiana for long-term success. Wright is convinced Allen will make it happen -- jumping on players along the way when the situation warrants.
"Having known (Allen) for so long," Wright says, "you know what he's about. He's one of the good guys in college football.
"Guys either change as they climb the ladder, or they don't. He's the same guy. It's the same culture. Now he has an opportunity at a bigger stage."
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