Indiana University Athletics
Quoted: Fall Camp Edition - Tom Allen (Lucas Oil Stadium)
8/18/2023 12:30:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – As the Indiana Football program continued the third week of fall camp, head coach Tom Allen addressed the media prior to the start of its practice at Lucas Oil Stadium on Friday (August 18).
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference, while video of the media sessions can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Tom Allen | Head Coach
On his history in Lucas Oil Stadium...
TA: That [game versus Ball State in 2019] was the first one and the only one. When I was a high school coach, this [Lucas Oil Stadium] wasn't built yet. We played three times in the old dome [RCA Dome] and was blessed to win three state championships in that facility, but never got to play in here. Played Ball State in here a few years ago, so 1-0.
On Matt Hohlt being put on scholarship...
TA: Those moments are always special and wherever you see them from it is always a pretty cool thing. When you know so much about [Matt Hohlt] and how hard he has worked, he is so respectful. You saw the response, and it is always a big response, but that was pretty passionate. It was just so genuine with our guys. They love him and respect him. He has worked so hard, and he is a good football player. He has such great instincts, but it is the details. It's the way he works, the way he prepares, the way he practices, the way he does everything. It is at such a high level, and it allows him to be very effective. He was a really good player for us last year, so he earned it. Came here as a walk-on and pretty cool that his dad did the same thing. It's kind of neat to see him have that opportunity and those are the ones you can't wait for.
We always try to find creative ways to do those, so for him getting put on the board for Swarm D, which is a big deal. We put guys up there on that wall that represent the culture on that side of the football, defensively, and we got to put him up there on that. Then, had the chance to announce him as a scholarship award winner. It was pretty awesome.
On expectations of today's practice…
TA: We're in spiders, so not in pads, but to be a very crisp, sharp, focused practice. A lot of situational football. We're going to work on a lot of end-of-game situations. I want it to be crisp and clean, and just show our great habits of how we position ourselves with everything. We'll go full-speed, tag-tempo. So, tagging off in proper position to make those plays blocking and tackling. Special teams is a big emphasis, as well. A lot of clock management situations to go through. All the stuff is scripted and then there's a few things I'm going to add that the coaches don't know to be able to see how we react to those situations. To me, it's really a lot about being crisp and clean and working on game-like situations.
On Jacob Mangum-Farrar's ability to help lead the defense in short time…
TA: Jacob is a guy that I trust. He's big and physical, he can run. Very intelligent young man, obviously, a Stanford graduate. Just is a guy that has come in here and has earned the respect of his teammates by how hard he's worked, how much time he's put in the film room and how much he studies and prepares. That is a position where as you you've said, you've got to run the defense. Ace (Aaron Casey) is going to be right next to him and Ace has played both positions and I think he's more naturally a stinger, which is great for him to be able to be in that spot.
I just feel like that Jacob is a guy that commands a lot of respect of his teammates because of how he's prepared. We tell those backers they've got to run the defense. They've got to run that side of the football with the confidence and those kinds of things. He has the ability to do it. He obviously has a lot of experience and played a lot of football there in the PAC-12 and excited to have him here with us. I expect him to be a very good player for us this year.
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference, while video of the media sessions can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Tom Allen | Head Coach
On his history in Lucas Oil Stadium...
TA: That [game versus Ball State in 2019] was the first one and the only one. When I was a high school coach, this [Lucas Oil Stadium] wasn't built yet. We played three times in the old dome [RCA Dome] and was blessed to win three state championships in that facility, but never got to play in here. Played Ball State in here a few years ago, so 1-0.
On Matt Hohlt being put on scholarship...
TA: Those moments are always special and wherever you see them from it is always a pretty cool thing. When you know so much about [Matt Hohlt] and how hard he has worked, he is so respectful. You saw the response, and it is always a big response, but that was pretty passionate. It was just so genuine with our guys. They love him and respect him. He has worked so hard, and he is a good football player. He has such great instincts, but it is the details. It's the way he works, the way he prepares, the way he practices, the way he does everything. It is at such a high level, and it allows him to be very effective. He was a really good player for us last year, so he earned it. Came here as a walk-on and pretty cool that his dad did the same thing. It's kind of neat to see him have that opportunity and those are the ones you can't wait for.
We always try to find creative ways to do those, so for him getting put on the board for Swarm D, which is a big deal. We put guys up there on that wall that represent the culture on that side of the football, defensively, and we got to put him up there on that. Then, had the chance to announce him as a scholarship award winner. It was pretty awesome.
On expectations of today's practice…
TA: We're in spiders, so not in pads, but to be a very crisp, sharp, focused practice. A lot of situational football. We're going to work on a lot of end-of-game situations. I want it to be crisp and clean, and just show our great habits of how we position ourselves with everything. We'll go full-speed, tag-tempo. So, tagging off in proper position to make those plays blocking and tackling. Special teams is a big emphasis, as well. A lot of clock management situations to go through. All the stuff is scripted and then there's a few things I'm going to add that the coaches don't know to be able to see how we react to those situations. To me, it's really a lot about being crisp and clean and working on game-like situations.
On Jacob Mangum-Farrar's ability to help lead the defense in short time…
TA: Jacob is a guy that I trust. He's big and physical, he can run. Very intelligent young man, obviously, a Stanford graduate. Just is a guy that has come in here and has earned the respect of his teammates by how hard he's worked, how much time he's put in the film room and how much he studies and prepares. That is a position where as you you've said, you've got to run the defense. Ace (Aaron Casey) is going to be right next to him and Ace has played both positions and I think he's more naturally a stinger, which is great for him to be able to be in that spot.
I just feel like that Jacob is a guy that commands a lot of respect of his teammates because of how he's prepared. We tell those backers they've got to run the defense. They've got to run that side of the football with the confidence and those kinds of things. He has the ability to do it. He obviously has a lot of experience and played a lot of football there in the PAC-12 and excited to have him here with us. I expect him to be a very good player for us this year.
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