Why was Tom Allen fired? Exploring potential reasons behind former Indiana HC's dismissal 

On Sunday morning, the Indiana Hoosiers announced they fired coach Tom Allen after eight seasons with the program. This did not come as much of a surprise, as many people expected him to be on the hot seat.

What led to the firing of coach Tom Allen? Let's take a deeper dive into some reasons that could have led to this change.

Why did Indiana fire Tom Allen?

The Indiana Hoosiers have not been able to play well under Tom Allen because there were only two seasons in which the team had a winning record (2019 and 2020). However, you cannot coast from the previous success, as in the previous three years, the team has had a record of 9-27.

Rutgers v Indiana

The team has not been able to get much better and in a tough Big Ten Conference that is about to expand with the USC Trojans, Washington Huskies, Utah Utes and UCLA Bruins in 2024, it is going to be very easy to be buried at the bottom of the Big Ten and not see a way out.

Another potential reason was just wanting a new face for the program. Allen has been the face of mediocrity and just uninspired performances for too long.

Just take a look at what the Michigan State Spartans did yesterday by firing the entire coaching staff and hiring Oregon State Beavers coach Jonathan Smith. The entire culture changes throughout the program and creates some excitement and buzz throughout the football program.

It is also clear the athletic department did not care about the $20 million buyout attached to this move.

With money not being an issue and doing this move now, it gives the Hoosiers the ability to have a coaching search with as many potential candidates available.

It is likely they have targeted a few coaches but nothing has been reported as of this writing. This shows a shift in the Indiana athletic department toward not accepting mediocrity from their football program.

When did Tom Allen join Indiana?

Tom Allen joined the Indiana Hoosiers heading into the 2016 season as he was hired to be part of Kevin Wilson's staff as defensive coordinator. Allen turned the program around, as in one year, the defense went from 120th in the FBS in total defense all the way to top 10.

Wilson suddenly resigned following the season and Indiana's athletic director, Fred Glass, promoted Allen to head coach.