Two-Time Indiana Football Captain Terry Tallen the Gift That Keeps on Giving

Indiana University honored former football captain Terry Tallen with the prestigious Laurel Pin Conferral Award on Saturday night for all of his philanthropic donations to the university. His former coach Lee Corso, current Indiana head coach Tom Allen, and former IU athletic director Fred Glass all spoke about Tallen, who is the gift that keeps on giving.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. —Two-time Indiana football captain, defensive standout, philanthropist and Kelley School of Business alumnus Terry Tallen knows what it’s like to receive a scholarship to Indiana University to play the game he loves at the highest level.

The greater Cincinnati native earned a scholarship in 1977 that would propel him into a highly successful college football career for four seasons at Indiana, but even more importantly, it set the stage to get the education he needed to have a successful career in commercial real estate.

All of that success has allowed him to give back to the university he loves.

Forty-plus years later, the longstanding California resident found himself back on his old turf to receive one of the most prestigious awards the university bestows, the cherished Laurel Pin Conferral Award presented by Indiana University president Pamela Whitten and IU Foundation CEO and president J.T. Forbes on Saturday night during an event at the IU Auditorium.

Former Indiana football player and Laurel Pin Conferral Award winner Terry Tallen / (Photo courtesy: Terry Tallen)

The Laurel Pin honors the most generous philanthropists and their significant gifts to Indiana. The Laurel Pin recipients' generous giving makes a great institution of higher education even better. 

Fred Glass, the former Indiana vice president and director of athletics and author of the popular part autobiography and part oral history of Indiana University, ‘Making Your Luck,’ said Tallen is only the second football alumnus to receive this award.

“There’s nobody who’s done more as a student, athlete and financial supporter of IU football,” Glass said. “People need to see it before they can be it, and when they see Terry step up and do that, I think it can and has inspired athletes to do the same.”

Terry Tallen stands alongside CEO and IU Foundation president J.T. Forbes with his Laurel Pin award. (Photo courtesy: Terry Tallen)

Terry Tallen stands beside his wife Diane with his Laurel Pin award. (Photo courtesy: Terry Tallen)

Humbled by the Laurel Pin honor, Tallen credits his success and ability to donate funds to his time spent as a Hoosier, the Kelly Business school education and plenty of hard work.

“To come here to Indiana and be in this position some 40 years later, it’s very gratifying,” Tallen said. “I am living proof of what one could achieve with an IU education, a strong work ethic and a little good fortune. In large part, the good fortune is due to the life-long relationships and friendships established with IU leadership, faculty, coaches, teammates and fellow students at IU.

“The contributions that I’ve made to Indiana University over the years were done with love, and they were absolutely intentional with the objective of being inspirational as well as aspirational for past, present and future IU student athletes to not only pay it back, but pay it forward to future generations of Indiana University student-athletes regardless of sport.”

Terry Tallen and his wife Diane ride alongside former Indiana Vice President and Director of Athletics Fred Glass in the pace car for the 2018 Little 500 / (Photo courtesy: Terry Tallen)

In 2019, Tallen struck a deal with Glass and current athletic director Scott Dolson and donated $2 million to build a 25,000 square-foot football complex situated below the west stands of Memorial Stadium.

“You have to have a great locker room,” Tallen said. “You have to have all the bells and whistles in the locker room. We are competitive in all matters. In the hyper-competitive world of major college football recruiting, you must have the very best facilities and we have achieved this objective. Our athletic facilities are second to none."

Yes, the complex is complete with a barber shop where players are known to cut each other’s hair. The shop, along with the rest of the locker room space, is named the Terry Tallen Indiana Football Complex in honor of his generous donation.

“One of the greatest personal rewards to me was seeing the video when the players, our great coach Tom Allen and Fred Glass entered the facility and they saw it first opened and ready to go,” Tallen said. “The enthusiasm was extraordinary. It really touched my heart.”

Indiana football coach Tom Allen said that past, present and future athletes are reaping the benefits of the state-of-the-art facility giving athletes another reason to go to IU.

“They were just thrilled,” Allen said. “When they got to see the finished product, they went nuts. It’s first class. We bring recruits in there, their parents in there. They’re just like ‘wow.’”

Tallen’s philanthropic contributions don’t end there. Since 2008, Tallen has sponsored an annual scholarship, The Terry Tallen Football Leadership Scholarship granted to a deserving football team captain enrolled in the Kelley School of Business who demonstrates leadership on and off the field.

Linebacker Micah McFadden, the most recent scholarship winner, was just selected by the New York Giants on Saturday in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Former scholarship recipients Wes Martin and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine are also playing professionally. 

Still, he gives more than just money. He also devotes a lot of time to help students as well. Tallen often visits the Kelley School of Business as a guest lecturer in the Real Estate School. He is a successful long standing commercial real estate investor and developer, public speaker and philanthropist always willing to give business students advice.

Allen is thrilled to show his players what an Indiana football alumnus can do long after hanging up the cleats following that final game.

”They can see his success that he’s had in life from a professional perspective,” Allen said. “You can see him be able to articulate the vision he had for being able to give back and what he experienced when he was here at Indiana and how much it benefitted him.”

Allen said he sees Tallen in some of his current players, young men who exemplify intelligence, toughness and dependability.

“We want to have a full team full of Terry Tallens,” Allen said.

Terry Tallen, Tom Allen and Wes Martin await the announcement of the Terry Tallen Football Complex / (Photo courtesy: Terry Tallen)

But this didn’t happen overnight. It actually started off pretty rough for Indiana football in the 1970s. At the time, present-day ESPN College GameDay broadcaster Lee Corso was the coach. He took over in 1973 and was eager to build up a strong team of leaders.

When Tallen was recruited by Corso as a freshman in 1977, the Hoosiers finished with a 5-5 season record. The next year was worse at 4-7, but the team never wavered and only got stronger under Corso’s leadership.

Tallen, a starting nose tackle and middle linebacker, was a formidable defender and Corso saw a great leader in him from the day he recruited Tallen.

“He brought that kind of mentality, a hardworking, tough, strong leader on and off the field,” Corso said this week from his home in Florida. “You could tell immediately he was going to be a great success in life.”

Corso added that Tallen was smart on and off the field, using his strong football IQ to set up the defense many times. The quality that most impressed Corso though was his aggression on the field and his speed.

Terry laughed at the idea that Corso and his teammates thought he was fast.

“Remember what they used to say about me, Coach?” Tallen asked. “I had deceptive speed … I was slower than I looked.”

Corso chuckled and said, “Well, they never told me that.”

Tallen’s tenacity led him to be elected captain for both his junior and senior seasons. In 1979, the Hoosiers saw major improvement with an 8-4 record. The trip to the postseason for the 1979 Holiday Bowl was even more exhilarating.

“There was something about that team,” Tallen said. “We always expected to get better, expected to play harder, and we always expected to win, and that’s what we were able to bring home in December of 1979. We were a family in the truest sense and we still are today. In large part to the significant contributions by our great teammate and IU Assistant Athletic Director Mark Deal.”

Tallen found himself co-captaining a Hoosiers team that would take down a powerful Brigham Young University team 38-37 in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego, Calif.

Indiana football wins the Holiday Bowl in 1979 as coach Lee Corso (left) and team captain Terry Tallen (62) accept the trophy / (Photo courtesy: Terry Tallen)

“It was a see-saw game,” Tallen said. “Brigham Young was undefeated coming into the game. They were 11-0, and 10th-ranked in the nation. They very much expected to beat us, and we very much expected to beat them. We know how that worked out!”

Forty-two years later, Corso and Tallen are still close. The pair are having lunch together this May in Florida.

“He’s not only my ex-college football coach,” Tallen said. “He’s my lifelong friend.”

Corso said he always knew Tallen would be successful after football. He recalled that no matter how bad things were going, Tallen and his teammates kept moving forward. Corso wasn’t one ounce surprised that Tallen has chosen to give back to the place that shaped him into the man he is today.

Terry Tallen stands alongside his former Indiana football coach Lee Corso at Memorial Stadium.  / (Photo courtesy: Terry Tallen)

“His loyalty was to Indiana and all of his fellow teammates,” Corso said. “He was well-respected by all the guys, and we knew one thing, that whenever he was successful, he would give back to Indiana because he’s that kind of guy.”

Tallen accepted his Laurel Pin in a black-tie ceremony on Saturday night in Bloomington, thrilled to return to his old yet familiar Cream and Crimson home.

“I’m proud of you Terry,” Corso said. “I’m proud of you.”

Musician John Mellencamp was also honored with a Laurel Pin on Saturday night. Mellencamp also entertained the group with several of his hit songs, much to the delight of the recipients, students and faculty.

Tallen hopes his many donations and gifts will resonate with current and future players throughout all 24 IU sports and encourage them to give back to their alma mater as well.

“With an Indiana University education and a strong work ethic, one can achieve anything in this world" Tallen said. "I am deeply grateful to President Pamela Whitten and the IU Foundation for this recognition."