Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Moving Forward in Football and Life
6/22/2020 9:00:00 AM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana Hoosiers are back together.
That is a big first step.
Can they turn these last few months of pandemic, team-and-school separation, racial injustice and even death into a source of strength?
Head coach Tom Allen has a message for that.
"Nobody could predict these kinds of things are going to happen and happen in succession," he says. "Those serious, heavy things happening one after the next. That's why you have to live your life with core values and core principles."
Allen's point is simple. Life will rock you. You can't control that, but you can control your response. Get knocked down and get back up. Get hit hard and hit harder. Take shots and keep coming.
That's the don't-blink mindset Indiana's fourth-year coach preaches. He aims to help build, for each player, a strong foundation that "can't be shaken." It's designed for what the Hoosiers are facing now, and for what they'll face when the season starts, and beyond.
One thing is clear -- they won't face it alone.
"You've got to be there for your guys," Allen says. "Young people are forming that foundation. We're helping them establish that. Some kids are stronger than others. Some are more fragile than others.
"When things go wrong, when adversity hits, we have to get those young men whose foundation isn't as strong, we've got to be a part of that stabilizing structure and have the wisdom to know what that looks like. What you need to say and not say. What they need and what you can provide."
Providing comes from Allen and his assistant coaches. It also comes from Mike Pechac (director of player development and academic enhancement), John Powell (director of student-athlete development), Mike Doig (director of football operations) and even sports psychologists.
"They are player-development guys and character-development coaches," Allen says. "They help our guys through the tough parts of life."
It got the toughest with the recent murder of former IU player Chris Beaty during protests in Indianapolis, and the tragic deaths of receiver Cam Wilson's parents.
"Those are some heavy things that are real life," Allen says. "It makes football seem trivial. You have to move forward. We have to make that a priority. It's balancing all those things and help our guys handle what life's going to throw at them."
Finding balance starts with communication.
"The dialogue is continuous," Allen says. "(Position coaches) are in constant communication with their guys.
"I want (players) to know that we're here for them. That we'll listen. I want to know what they're feeling, I want to know what's going on the inside of their minds.
"Sometimes you can tell when a guy's not right, but it's harder when you're apart. You have to be able to rely on that previously built relationship to know your guys well enough to know when something's not the way it needs to be."
That extends to interactions with police.
"We want to have that next step of dialogue with our players and law enforcement," Allen says. "I think that is a very important part of all this. To talk man-to-man and voice concerns and things that they feel and things that are going on in their heads and be able to have an open forum. To be able to have that safe space."
This reflects Allen's player commitment. He wants to wants to build a great program (last season's 8-5 record looms as the real starting point), but more importantly, he wants to build great men prepared for a successful life.
"That's what my ultimate responsibility is," he says. "That's what I believe I'll be judged for as a coach one day. It's not for the wins and losses, it's for the character of the men we develop.
"You excite each one of them. That gives us a great opportunity during these challenging times to maximize the core value of our program and help it be at the forefront."
Ultimately, it comes down to Love-Each-Other, Allen's driving philosophy that affects everything he does.
"That's why L-E-O to me is such a big deal. It's what I believed in my whole coaching career. I brought it here and I believe in it and stand by it because it's about life and it's transferable to the great football theme I believe in. That's what we're trying to do here. We want to do both. I think you can do both."
Now, after nearly three months of separation, the Hoosiers can again do it together. The goal is to be ready to make a national statement in the Sept. 4 season opener at powerhouse Wisconsin.
"Our guys are extremely hungry to get back to football," Allen says. "I think some level of normalcy will help. Getting back into a routine with your teammates will help.
"I talked to a parent and she said, 'I just want to get him back with you guys. Everything is going to be okay.'
"We get back to doing the things we love. The Covid-19 situation, we'll have to deal with it. The issues in our country, we'll have to deal with it. When you're all together, that helps.
"You've got to manage it. It's about growing up, being an adult. We've got to teach them how to do that."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana Hoosiers are back together.
That is a big first step.
Can they turn these last few months of pandemic, team-and-school separation, racial injustice and even death into a source of strength?
Head coach Tom Allen has a message for that.
"Nobody could predict these kinds of things are going to happen and happen in succession," he says. "Those serious, heavy things happening one after the next. That's why you have to live your life with core values and core principles."
Allen's point is simple. Life will rock you. You can't control that, but you can control your response. Get knocked down and get back up. Get hit hard and hit harder. Take shots and keep coming.
That's the don't-blink mindset Indiana's fourth-year coach preaches. He aims to help build, for each player, a strong foundation that "can't be shaken." It's designed for what the Hoosiers are facing now, and for what they'll face when the season starts, and beyond.
One thing is clear -- they won't face it alone.
"You've got to be there for your guys," Allen says. "Young people are forming that foundation. We're helping them establish that. Some kids are stronger than others. Some are more fragile than others.
"When things go wrong, when adversity hits, we have to get those young men whose foundation isn't as strong, we've got to be a part of that stabilizing structure and have the wisdom to know what that looks like. What you need to say and not say. What they need and what you can provide."
Providing comes from Allen and his assistant coaches. It also comes from Mike Pechac (director of player development and academic enhancement), John Powell (director of student-athlete development), Mike Doig (director of football operations) and even sports psychologists.
"They are player-development guys and character-development coaches," Allen says. "They help our guys through the tough parts of life."
It got the toughest with the recent murder of former IU player Chris Beaty during protests in Indianapolis, and the tragic deaths of receiver Cam Wilson's parents.
"Those are some heavy things that are real life," Allen says. "It makes football seem trivial. You have to move forward. We have to make that a priority. It's balancing all those things and help our guys handle what life's going to throw at them."
Finding balance starts with communication.
"The dialogue is continuous," Allen says. "(Position coaches) are in constant communication with their guys.
"I want (players) to know that we're here for them. That we'll listen. I want to know what they're feeling, I want to know what's going on the inside of their minds.
"Sometimes you can tell when a guy's not right, but it's harder when you're apart. You have to be able to rely on that previously built relationship to know your guys well enough to know when something's not the way it needs to be."
That extends to interactions with police.
"We want to have that next step of dialogue with our players and law enforcement," Allen says. "I think that is a very important part of all this. To talk man-to-man and voice concerns and things that they feel and things that are going on in their heads and be able to have an open forum. To be able to have that safe space."
This reflects Allen's player commitment. He wants to wants to build a great program (last season's 8-5 record looms as the real starting point), but more importantly, he wants to build great men prepared for a successful life.
"That's what my ultimate responsibility is," he says. "That's what I believe I'll be judged for as a coach one day. It's not for the wins and losses, it's for the character of the men we develop.
"You excite each one of them. That gives us a great opportunity during these challenging times to maximize the core value of our program and help it be at the forefront."
Ultimately, it comes down to Love-Each-Other, Allen's driving philosophy that affects everything he does.
"That's why L-E-O to me is such a big deal. It's what I believed in my whole coaching career. I brought it here and I believe in it and stand by it because it's about life and it's transferable to the great football theme I believe in. That's what we're trying to do here. We want to do both. I think you can do both."
Now, after nearly three months of separation, the Hoosiers can again do it together. The goal is to be ready to make a national statement in the Sept. 4 season opener at powerhouse Wisconsin.
"Our guys are extremely hungry to get back to football," Allen says. "I think some level of normalcy will help. Getting back into a routine with your teammates will help.
"I talked to a parent and she said, 'I just want to get him back with you guys. Everything is going to be okay.'
"We get back to doing the things we love. The Covid-19 situation, we'll have to deal with it. The issues in our country, we'll have to deal with it. When you're all together, that helps.
"You've got to manage it. It's about growing up, being an adult. We've got to teach them how to do that."
Players Mentioned
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