Allen Finds ‘Right Fit’ in New Defensive Coordinator

By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Charlton Warren didn't come to Indiana, didn't give up a great coaching job at Georgia, to back down.

The Hoosiers new defensive coordinator will recruit for and against the best. He will push to elevate a difference-making defense (see last year's national-best 17 interceptions). He will challenge, build and tweak, but not reinvent.

In other words, offenses beware.

"I'm super competitive, man," Warren said during Wednesday's introduction press conference. "Don't play me in checkers. I want to win."

Warren honed that competitiveness while coaching defensive backs the last two seasons at Georgia, and the secondary before that at Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina and Nebraska.

Before that he had defensive coordinator responsibilities at Air Force, his alma mater. As a player, he was a three-year defensive back letterman who played on perhaps the best team in program history, the 12-1 Falcons from 1998.

Then there was a military background where Warren was an avionics program manager, and then an air-to-ground weapons program manager. Basically, he redesigned cockpits and outfit jets and drones with state-of-the-art weapons systems.

Add it all up and Warren has the coaching versatility needed in these pass-happy college days.

So head coach Tom Allen made him an offer he couldn't refuse.

"I was so impressed with his understanding of everything, all three levels (defensive line, linebacker and secondary)," Allen said. "That was at an extremely high level throughout this process. That is what you have to put all together as the coordinator."

Like Allen, the 44-year-old Warren coaches with enormous energy, although he probably won't be head butting with helmeted players any time soon.

"You probably will hear me from a couple fields away," he said.

"I am very passionate about the game. I am passionate about helping kids make plays and grow.

"When it clicks for a player, when the light comes on and you see them playing full tilt, not thinking, just playing the game they love, that is very exciting."

Allen's Love-Each-Other philosophy drew Warren.

"Being tough, being able to tackle, being relentless in effort," he said. "Those are all the things that are preached.

"The whole culture here. The bond the players have. The way the team competes resonates with me and my background of discipline, accountability and toughness."

Allen didn't hire Warren to install a new defense. Allen's 4-2-5 approach works, especially last season and in 2017.

"I was not looking for somebody to bring (his) defense to Indiana and install it," Allen said. "That is not what we are doing here. We have a system that we believe in."

Allen wanted someone who "understood that and embraced that and was excited about that," while also recognizing that "we will continue to modify, mold, build and grow."

Someone, in other words, like Warren.

"I have a lot of respect for where he has been and the man that he is," Allen said. "That's important to me.

"It is always about fit when recruiting players and coaches. Fit to me is guys that are aligned philosophically, how you motivate, how you lead, how you build a family, how you build a program, how you build belief, confidence and trust in each other. We really found those values in Charlton."

Warren, who will coach linebackers as well as the overall defense, will have plenty of returning talent from one of the Big Ten's top defenses, highlighted by All-Americans Micah McFadden at linebacker and Tiawan Mullen at cornerback.

Warren arrives with an elite recruiter reputation. 247Sports rated him as the nation's No. 11 recruiter last season for Georgia.

He says he will relentlessly recruit "real relationships" first, to know the player, the parents, the aunties and uncles, the coaches and "the influencers in their lives."

He will go head to head against the nation's best programs because, "You have to swing, get in the ring and be ready to battle.

"We are not going to get them all, but if you do not try, you will not get any of them. We will try; we will throw our punches; and we are going to try to get the best young men for Indiana University to help us develop our team culture and help us win games."
While SEC country has been his main recruiting, Warren added, "I can go recruit in Alaska if you need me to."

Given IU has recruited Australia for punters, the possibilities are intriguing.

"If the player is good enough," Warren said, "I will go there."

Allen, IU's former defensive coordinator, will have major input on the defense with Warren, just as he did with former defensive coordinator Kane Wommack (now the head coach at South Alabama).

"I definitely will be more involved in the beginning," Allen said. "I will be hands on, but that's how I am."

The Hoosiers have gone 14-7 with two bowl appearances in the last two seasons. They want more (Allen's key word for next season is "Chase"), and Warren is positioned to help them get it.

"He has the ability to pull greatness out of his players," Allen said.

Allen Finds ‘Right Fit’ in New Defensive Coordinator

Players Mentioned

Micah McFadden

Tiawan Mullen

Related Videos