Indiana University Athletics
Battling Back -- Thomas Allen Focuses on Finishing ‘The Right Way’
3/26/2021 12:00:00 PM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Thomas Allen refuses to concede his college football playing career is over.
Are you surprised? Is anyone? Allen is, after all, very much his father's son.
The end is coming, as it does for everyone, and the Indiana linebacker is driven to finish on his terms, not misfortune's.
"You only get to play Division I football once," says the three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, "and I want to finish my career the right way."
Injuries come, surgeries follow, obstacles arrive and Allen keeps coming, as relentless as Joe Frazier in his boxing prime. The NFL isn't an option, but another college football season is, and if his body allows it, he will make the most of it.
"You've got to take advantage of every opportunity," he says. "You don't take anything for granted."
Last November's dislocated hip (similar to what ended former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's season in 2019) at Michigan State ended Allen's season. The year before, it was a shoulder injury. Before that, well, the football Gods keep knocking Allen down and he keeps bouncing back up.
"He's a tough sucker," says Indiana head coach Tom Allen about his son. "I couldn't be more proud of him. He's a warrior."
The younger Allen is four months into his rehabilitation and he's not close to being ready to practice at a Big Ten level. Slow jogging around the practice fields is the best he can do.
He's not complaining.
"A crappy run on the field is better than not doing it at all," he says.
The good news – he has five months before August practice starts, enough time to get ready.
"Rehab is going good. This has been a long process, and I still have a long way to go, but to see the improvement has been great."
Flash back to the injury. Allen instantly knew he was in trouble. So did his father.
"I have had enough injuries that I knew something was seriously wrong," Allen says. "I remember screaming, knowing something was messed up in my hip. Then the doctor got it popped back in. I was able to at least think and know where I was and my surroundings."
Adds Coach Allen: "The biggest thing I remember is the sick feeling in my gut. They knew right away the hip was out of its socket. I knew what that meant.
"I thought, 'Man, I don't know if that's going to be it for him.' He's had some serious injuries. You have to evaluate your whole future and what you want to do."
Surgery followed, and then struggles to stand and walk, which came with significant pain. Tagovailoa, who has recovered to play for the NFL's Miami Dolphins, called to offer advice and encouragement.
Allen was full of questions.
"How are you supposed to feel right away? How are you supposed to feel after four months? He told me to text him any time.
"He was great to talk to because it's such a rare injury. There are very few people you can ask about it."
Uncertainty included IU's medical staff.
"I remember talking to my (physical therapist) and him saying that there's not a lot of research to base what we're doing, which kind of freaks you out."
Allen will get married this summer, to IU softball player Annika Baez. He talked to her, as well as his family, about whether he should try football one more time.
Their answer – go for it.
"He's a tough kid," Coach Allen says. "He works extremely hard. It's a painful rehab. Probably as painful as any injury you can have. You have to get that hip movement back.
"He's on schedule. He's doing great. I'm a little surprised he's moving around as well as he is. He has every intention of finishing this thing out."
A coaching career is almost certainly in the younger Allen's future. His father has been a coach since graduating from Maranatha Baptist College in 1992. His grandfather, Tom, was a long-time successful Indiana high school football coach.
"I've always thought I wanted to be a coach," the younger Allen says. "It's in the family."
The injury gave Allen an early coaching start. He became, in essence, an unofficial assistant linebackers coach down the stretch. He helped break down film and game plan.
"Throughout my career I've been able to help out younger guys. I've been blessed to know our defense and be able to help when I can.
"I was able to be in the meetings and see the coaching side. I got to help on some breakdown of film. That was fun. I've never seen that side. I've seen it, never (on the coaching side), getting ready for a game. That was eye opening."
It helped take his mind off the disappointment and focus on the bigger picture -- help the Hoosiers win.
"It was cool to be able to do that and help my team as much as possible. I wasn't able to be on the field, but I could help them in the meeting room. It was better than nothing."
Now Allen hopes to get one last shot as part of a strong linebacker group led by All-American Micah McFadden and All-Big Ten honoree Cam Jones. Attacking defense played a huge role in last season's 6-2 record, and could again this season. The 6-3, 240-pound Allen could have a major role. He does, after all, have 53 tackles, one interception and one forced fumble in his 24 college games.
"The sky's the limit," he says.
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