‘Nothing Slides’ – Allen Ramps Up Urgency As Fall Camp Begins

By Press release submission

Aug 7, 2022

How does Indiana bounce back from last season's disappointment?

It starts, and certainly doesn't end, with one word:

Accountability.

Head coach Tom Allen pushes that concept hard. He wants to regain the magic from the 2019 and '20 seasons (a 14-7 overall record with consecutive bowl appearances).

Now that practice has officially started, it's all about turning wanting it into doing it.

"A big emphasis starts with the coaches," Allen says following Tuesday's fall camp practice. "We talk about you never walk by anything that you don't address. You never let any little thing slide."

In other words, if there's a mistake, fix it immediately. That goes for players as well as coaches.

"(No one should) just walk by a mistake," Allen says.

Allen challenged the entire team during a Monday night meeting.

"It's the higher sense of urgency on those things; even how we warm up. In everything we do, we're trying to heighten the sense of urgency in every little minute detail. Everybody can have their opinions about what it means by little things, because those little things are everything that you do.

"You intensify. You get what you emphasize and that's what we're going to focus on."

Allen wasted no time setting an urgent practice tone. He wanted players to understand that fall camp is far more intense than the player-led practices, and had the raspy voice to prove it.

"That's why my voice was pretty affected within about 15 minutes being out there. The urgency, the attention to detail, how we walk-through.

"I promise you, it's not the same (as player-led practices). Especially in regard to urgency between the reps, transition from one thing to the next, and how you walk-through.

"I just want to set that tone for everything we do. The tempo, the hustle, the execution, the attention to detail. Yes, it's heightened for sure."

It especially hit home for the freshmen who didn't come to campus until June.

"It's really different than anything they have ever been part of before," Allen says. "It's a little bit after culture shock. I can see it in some of their eyes, but that's okay. That's part of it and they'll figure it out."

Allen wants the veterans helping them figure in out.

"Pulling them aside in between practices and talking to them, 'Hey, this is how we do this,' or 'Hey, this is what you got to make sure you do.'"

Allen will again call the defense (he gave it up a couple of years ago to focus on his head coaching responsibilities), but won't run everything. That role falls to new defensive coordinator Chad Wilt, who runs meetings and handles all the details so Allen can still have time with the rest of the team, including quarterback meetings and full team meetings.

Allen embraces the head coaching role, but he will always be a defensive coordinator at heart.

"I really love it. I really enjoy this opportunity. This is really where my heart is in regard to the actual game itself as to the defensive side of the football in regard to scheming."

New offensive coordinator Walt Bell figures to ramp up the tempo and player rotation to stress defenses to the maximum.

"I just think you've got to play a lot of guys," Allen says. "For me, tempo has always been a part of us here. You just use it at different times.

"The key is you've got to get a lot of guys involved. That's going to be a philosophy of playing lots of players on both sides of the football for multiple reasons."

Those reasons are keeping players fresher for the end of games, and for the end of the season.

"I also think there is just an ability to alter how you do things as an offense. It's about us as an offense figuring out what we can do really well and maximizing that and then minimize the things that can hurt us."

Freshman receiver Kamryn Perry was a highlight on the first day of practice, impressive given that he didn't arrive on campus until the summer, and didn't have the benefit of winter conditioning or spring practice.

The 5-9, 170-pound Perry caught 63 passes for 1,116 yards and 20 touchdowns for Georgia's Marietta High School as a senior.

"He didn't look as new as he might have," Allen says. "He jumped out to me. He made some plays, some catches. He has a really good burst to him. He has great acceleration."

The freshmen defensive newcomers who didn't get to Bloomington until the summer weren't quite solid on the first day.

Allen understood.

"I thought some guys on defense looked like deer in the headlights. They're going to be good players, but definitely not used to this, which is okay. I don't think any of them really were just like (wow) today.

"I get it. I'm not criticizing them. Those things take time. That's okay. As long as they respond, which I believe they will, then they'll figure it out."

Allen's drive for competition extends to punting. James Evans started all 12 games last season as a true freshman, averaging 41.9 yards, with 12 of more than 50 yards.

Still, the Hoosiers brought in Alejandro Quintero, and it's not just for show, Allen insists.

"He is here to beat James," Allen says. "The best punter is going to punt, so if he beats (Evans) out, he beats him out. Everything is up for competition. Nobody's job is secure. I don't care who you are."

Quintero came to IU out of Blinn College in Texas.

"We intentionally found somebody that we thought had leg talent," Allen says. "Somebody that could be a kicker and a punter because of the numbers that you have when you travel.

"Alex fit the bill on that. Excited to have him here. He's got a strong leg and a chance to help us."

Allen says he's made it clear Evans -- and all the Hoosiers -- will have to earn his starting spot again.

"James knows that. James has worked really hard. I think we all need to have somebody behind us pushing us. I think that's healthy; I think that's human nature; and I think it will make him better."