Tom Allen Talks No Season, Team Mindset Heading into Fall

Indiana coach Tom Allen is using this fall as an opportunity to make his team better and prepared for whenever they can play again.

Dylan Wallace | Aug 20, 2020

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — When Tom Allen first heard the news of the Big Ten postponing football season this fall, he was overcome with a lot of disappointment.

But that's not the mentality Allen wanted, and it's a feeling he rarely expresses.

This season was one Allen was really looking forward to. But after Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren wrote in an open letter that the Big Ten won't revisit its decision, it confirmed there will be no fall season for Big Ten teams no matter what.

So Allen flipped a switch.

"We aren't going to blink or look for excuses," Allen said. "Our guys are very, very focused with the task at hand."

The task is to "sharpen your acts." That's the motto Allen is bringing to this football-less fall.

With a 12-hour schedule model approved by the NCAA for teams not competing this fall, Allen will get 12 hours with his team each week as opposed to the 20 hours if it were a regular season.

Allen said the players will have Saturday and Sunday off, and most of their time will be spent in the weight room. The other hours will be contributed to skill work, meetings and film session.

According to Allen, there is more things they are able to do with skill work compared to summer practices, so he is glad they will be able to sprinkle in some of that with the weight room.

In terms of the possibility for a spring season, there are three things that come to Allen's mind for that to happen.

Number one is the safety of the players.

"It has to be safe for our players," Allen said.

The second is it has to provide a "quality" experience and season. Allen wants it to be thought out and worth it for the players to compete, so they are able to enjoy playing like they would in the fall.

The third, and most important to Allen, is that he doesn't want the spring season to affect the 2021 fall season.

"I don't think it should negatively affect the 2021 season," Allen said. "I'm not in favor of a shortened fall... Keep that season secure, and do whatever we can to make things work this spring."

Allen doesn't know when his team will take the field again, but that's why he's taking this fall so seriously. He allowed the players to take some breaks, go home if needed and clear their heads from the last few weeks. But now that they are back on campus as students and are set to start classes, Allen is ready to make his team the best he can.

The ever-insightful Allen pulled a quote from Abraham Lincoln to reference this fall. Lincoln once said, "Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe."

"It's all about preparation," Allen said.

Like Lincoln would sharpen the axe, Allen wants his players to sharpen their acts.

"When we are told it's safe to play, whenever that may be, we will be ready."

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