UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Football head coach James Franklin announced the hiring of Tom Allen as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Allen spent the previous seven seasons as the head coach at Indiana.
"I have always had a ton of respect for Tom Allen, and we are excited to welcome him to our staff," said Franklin. "I've enjoyed following his coaching career and his experience as a head coach and defensive play caller will bring tremendous value to our program. Coach Allen has led aggressive and attacking style defenses that will complement what we have already established. We are looking forward to welcoming Tom, his wife Tracy, son Thomas, and daughters Hannah and Brittney to Happy Valley."
"I am thrilled for this opportunity with Penn State Football and want to thank Coach Franklin and Dr. Kraft for believing in me," said Allen. "I have a tremendous amount of respect for Coach Franklin and having been across the sidelines from him, I've seen what he is building here. To be trusted to join this storied program has me fired up, and I can't wait to get to work alongside this coaching staff, these student-athletes and to immerse myself in the Happy Valley community."
The 2020 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) National Coach of the Year, Allen brings 32 years of coaching experience to Happy Valley. He comes to Penn State after spending the last eight years at Indiana, with seven seasons (2017-23) as Indiana's head coach and one as the Hoosiers' defensive coordinator. During his last 28 seasons, the teams for which Allen has been a member of the coaching staff have posted a combined record of 255-117 (.685).
Allen joined the Hoosiers in 2016 as associate head coach/defense and led the biggest defensive turnaround in the nation. He inherited a defense that was second to last among Power Five teams in passing yards allowed, third to last in total defense and scoring defense and fifth to last in first downs allowed the year prior to his arrival. He engineered an IU defense that improved in every major statistical category against a schedule featuring four Top 10 opponents in 2016.
Indiana held its opponents to 129.4 fewer total yards and 94.1 fewer passing yards per game from 2015, the nation's largest improvement. Additionally, IU's defense allowed 10.4 fewer points per game from 2015 (4th nationally) and gave up 25 fewer touchdowns. From 2015-17, the Hoosiers had the most improved defense nationally in total defense (-169.4) and passing defense (-134.1), the sixth-most improved in third-down defense (-12.2 percent), and the ninth-most improved in points per game allowed (-12.3 ppg).
In his eight-year tenure with the Hoosiers, IU's defenses were known for getting off the field on third downs, ranking in the top five in the Big Ten on third down in five seasons and in the top 15 nationally twice. The Hoosiers ranked sixth in the Big Ten in third down defense (36.6%) during the eight-year span.
During his time with IU, Allen coached four defensive All-Americans (Tiawan Mullen – 2020 first team; Aaron Casey – 2023 second team; Tegray Scales – 2017 second team; Micah McFadden - 2020 third team) and 35 All-Big Ten honorees, including six first-team selections. Of the 35 All-Big Ten honorees on the defensive side, three were first-team linebackers (Casey, McFadden and Scales). A total of 15 Indiana alums on offense and defense are current NFL players who were coached by Allen.
Coaching Accomplishments
- Allen spent seven seasons at the helm of the Hoosier football program, including a 6-2 record and 6-1 mark in Big Ten play during Indiana's 2020 season.
- His team closed the 2020 campaign ranked for a program-record 10-straight weeks and found themselves in the top 10 six times. His squad, which ranked as high as No. 7, finished with the No. 12 ranking from the Associated Press, Indiana's highest end-of-year ranking since 1967.
- In addition to being the AFCA National Coach of the Year, Allen was tabbed the 2020 Hayes-Schembechler Coach of the Year (Big Ten coaches vote) and the Dave McClain Coach of the Year (Big Ten media vote), and was a finalist for the 2020 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award, the George Munger College Coach of the Year Award, the Dodd Trophy, and the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award.
- Three coaches from Allen's staffs were candidates for the Broyles Award, including 2020 finalist Kane Wommack and 2019 semifinalist Kalen DeBoer. Wommack is South Alabama's head coach and DeBoer is the head coach at Washington.
- During the 2023 season, second-team All-American linebacker Aaron Casey was among the nation's best at the linebacker position, posting 109 tackles on the season, which included a Big Ten-best 20 tackles for loss (3rd nationally and 2nd among Power Five programs). He was the only FBS defender with multiple games of four tackles for loss or more.
- Cornerback Tiawan Mullen, a 2020 first-team All-America honoree, became the first Hoosier cornerback since Tracy Porter in 2007 to collect first-team All-Big Ten recognition. He made 38 tackles (27 solo) to go along with 3.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, one forced fumble, four pass breakups and one quarterback hurry.
- Linebacker Micah McFadden, a third-team All-American in 2020, earned first-team All-Big Ten honors after he led the team with 58 tackles (44 solo), six sacks, and 10.5 tackles for loss. McFadden topped the league in sacks, tied for second in solo stops, shared third in tackles for loss, and tied for eighth in interceptions (2).
- During the 2019 campaign, Indiana was third in the Big Ten in defensive touchdowns (3; 12th nationally) and fifth in third down conversion defense (35.2%; 34th).
- IU's defense posted 26 takeaways during the 2018 campaign, ranking second in the Big Ten and 11th in the FBS.
- During his debut season as head coach for the Hoosiers, Allen's defense ranked third in the Big Ten and eighth nationally on third downs, as opponents converted at just a 29.9 percent clip. IU also ranked third in the league in tackles for loss (7.3 per game; 21st nationally), fourth in passing defense (179.7; 17th nationally) and sacks (3.0 per game, 11th), fifth in fewest first downs allowed (210; 12th) and sixth in total defense (340.1; 27th).
- In his first year in Bloomington in 2016 as associate head coach/defense, his defensive unit ranked fourth in the Big Ten in third down defense (32.9%; 15th nationally) and fifth in tackles for loss (7.5 per game; 19th), passing efficiency defense (117.3; 24th), sacks (2.5 per game; 31st) and takeaways (23; 38th).
- Linebacker Tegray Scales earned second-team All-America honors in 2016 and became the first Hoosiers linebacker recognized on an All-America team since 1987, as he led the nation with 93 solo stops and 23.5 tackles for loss.
- Prior to Indiana, Allen served as South Florida's defensive coordinator in 2015. The Bulls went 8-5 and earned a trip to the Miami Beach Bowl.
- Allen mentored three all-conference selections while at USF and the American Athletic Conference's top scoring defense (19.6 ppg in league play).
- During his lone season in Tampa, USF tied 13th nationally in tackles for loss (7.5 per game), 14th in interceptions (17) and 24th in takeaways (25).
- Prior to his time with the Bulls, Allen spent the 2012-14 seasons as the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Ole Miss. The Rebels closed out 2014 with a 9-4 record and ranked No. 9 after they met No. 6 TCU in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
- Ole Miss spent nine weeks in the AP Top 10 during the 2014 season, with a high-water mark of No. 3. The Rebels led the nation in scoring defense (13.8 ppg) and allowed a national-low 18 touchdowns.
- Ole Miss topped the SEC in five categories that season and ranked in the Top 20 nationally in 11, including 10th in red zone defense, 11th in tackles for loss (7.5 per game), 12th in takeaways (28), 13th in total defense (321.2) and 13th in defensive touchdowns scored (4).
- As Arkansas State's assistant coach in 2011, the Red Wolves went 10-2 overall and 8-0 in the Sun Belt. Allen coached first-team all-conference selection Demario Davis and second-team pick Nathan Herrold. Davis was selected in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the New York Jets.
- Prior to ASU, Allen served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Drake University in 2010, where the Bulldogs allowed just 330 yards per game while ranking No. 6 in the FCS in rush defense (94.2), No. 8 in sacks (33), No. 17 in tackles for loss (81) and No. 25 in scoring defense (20.4).
- At NAIA Lambuth University (2008-09), Allen was the assistant head coach, defensive coordinator, and linebackers coach, and he was a part of two Mid-South Conference championships and the school's first undefeated regular season (11-0) in 2009.
- The Lambuth defense ranked No. 4 nationally in scoring defense, No. 7 in pass defense and sacks, No. 9 in total defense, and No. 12 in third-down conversions.
- Allen's first collegiate post was at Wabash College, where he served as the secondary coach and special teams coordinator.
The Allen File
Personal
Hometown: New Castle, Indiana
Education: Maranatha Baptist, 1992; Indiana University, 2002
Family: Wife: Tracy; Son: Thomas; Daughters: Hannah, Brittney
Coaching Career
2017-23 – Indiana (Head Coach)
2016 – Indiana (Associate Head Coach/Defense)
2015 – South Florida (Defensive Coordinator)
2012-14 – Ole Miss (Linebackers/Special Teams Coordinator)
2011 – Arkansas State (Assistant Head Coach)
2010 – Drake (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
2008-09 – Lambuth (Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
2007 – Wabash College (Special Teams Coordinator/Secondary)
2004-06 – Ben Davis High School (Head Coach)
1998-03 – Ben Davis High School (Defensive Coordinator)
1997 – Marion High School (Defensive Coordinator)
1995-96 – Armwood High School (Defensive Coordinator)
1992-94 – Temple Heights High School (Head Coach)
Playing Experience
- Maranatha Baptist (1988-91)
Bowl Games/Postseason as a Coach
- 2020 Outback Bowl – Indiana
- 2019 Gator Bowl – Indiana
- 2016 Foster Farms Bowl – Indiana *
- 2015 Miami Beach Bowl – South Florida
- 2014 Peach Bowl – Ole Miss
- 2013 Music City Bowl – Ole Miss
- 2012 BBVA Compass – Ole Miss
- 2012 GoDaddy.com – Arkansas State
* - served as head coach for Foster Farms Bowl
The 2023 Penn State football season is presented by PSECU.