Tom Allen Happy For Indiana’s Success As He Approaches Playoff Semifinal At Penn State

The former Indiana football coach said he has kept in touch with some of the players he coached at Indiana, who helped the Hoosiers achieve a historic season in 2024.

Former Indiana football coach Tom Allen (right) shakes hands with Penn State coach James Franklin (left) after a game at Beaver Stadium in 2021. / Matthew OHaren-Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Though he coaches a Big Ten rival now, former Indiana head coach Tom Allen watched the Hoosiers’ 11-2 season with a smile.

Now the defensive coordinator at Penn State, Allen spoke to reporters Wednesday in Miami ahead of the Nittany Lions’ College Football Playoff matchup against Notre Dame. He has a game plan to worry about – like how to stop the Fighting Irish, who defeated Indiana 27-17 in the first round of the playoffs – but Allen noted his feelings toward Indiana’s record-breaking season.

“So happy for the players, man,” Allen said. “A lot of those guys came there, and they got a chance to truly see through the things that we tried to be able to start to do. So yeah, very happy for those players and very happy for the guys in that situation, it’s awesome.”

During his Indiana tenure, Allen always made a point to build strong relationships with his players. He wanted that culture to extend throughout the program, seen through his “Love Each Other,” or LEO, mantra, which players often spoke of and even wore as part of their uniform. It was a big part of Allen’s successful run, going 8-5 with the Hoosiers in 2019 and 6-2 in the shortened 2020 season.

It’s clear that left a lasting impression with those who stayed in Bloomington as the program transitioned to new head coach Curt Cignetti. Though Cignetti made plenty of changes through the transfer portal, some players from Allen’s teams also had success with Cignetti. They  include 2024 starters like Mike Katic, Carter Smith, Bray Lynch, Amare Ferrell, Jamier Johnson, Lanell Carr Jr., Josh Sanguinetti, Nico Radicic and several others.

Allen said he’s kept in touch with some of his former players during Indiana’s historic 2024 season.

“Those guys, there’s no question I’ve had communication with the guys that I coached there and they obviously played in the first round of the playoffs,” Allen said. “So yeah, I just talked to one of them yesterday. But the bottom line is that when you coach the guys and you invest in them and you get to know them and you bring them into your program, you’re never gonna stop being a part of their lives, and that’ll be forever for me and that’s how I coach and that’s how I want it to be.”

Indiana football coach Tom Allen and the Hoosiers celebrate after beating Illinois in 2022. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Indiana fired Allen after the 2023 season and a 9-27 run in his final three years as the Hoosiers’ head coach. College football changed a lot during Allen’s final stretch at Indiana as the transfer portal and name, image and likeness payments moved to the forefront. Indiana did not adapt to that well initially with Allen, but it was a big reason for the Hoosiers’ success under Cignetti.

Allen has had immediate success calling plays for a Penn State unit that ranks sixth nationally in total defense, seventh in scoring defense, eighth in run defense and 27th in pass defense. Now more than a year removed from his time at Indiana, on Wednesday Allen discussed how his perspective has changed since being at Penn State in regard to the importance of a program’s buy-in compared to his time at Indiana.

“I just think in today’s game, you gotta invest. You gotta go all in on football,” Allen said. “It’s the moneymaker. It’s the way you support your entire university, all your sports, and I think it looks like they’re starting to figure that out, which is awesome. I said that when I left, or when I was asked to leave. So that’s what they needed to do. I love Indiana, it’s my home.” 

“At this level, Penn State does that, they’re all-in with football. We have an amazing AD that’s all in and a fanbase that’s all in, and they get that you better invest at a high level in this sport and when you do that, there are many benefits, all the other sports are able to benefit. But it’s a commitment that some aren’t willing to make. I think sometimes, you think about the traditions of Penn State, there’s a genuine love for football in our whole state of Pennsylvania, and it goes – it’s been this way for a long time. So I think that’s a big deal, and I think it’s their first love, if you want to call it, and I think that matters because when you love something and you have a passion for something you invest in it and you help it grow. 

“So to me, I’ve just been reinforced more than ever that, man, if you want to be a national contending program you better invest in football in every way possible and that’s what Penn State’s doing. So yeah, I think that’s what I’ve learned the most.”

Allen and the Nittany Lions take on Notre Dame at 7:30 p.m. ET Thursday in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. on ESPN.

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