Indiana football coach Tom Allen took to the podium at the Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis in a far different position than last year.
The Hoosiers were coming off one of their best seasons in a half a century and picked by the media covering the leading to compete for a Big Ten East title in 2021.
But this year, they’ve been picked to finish last.
“The bottom line is things didn't go the way we wanted them to go in 2021, and when that's the case, you do one of two things,” Allen said before the gathered media inside Lucas Oil Stadium. “You either feel sorry for yourself, or you sit there and do a thorough evaluation of everything that you do, which is what we began in January.
“And we had a chance to go through that process, make changes, add some new players to our team, add some new staff to our program, and then allow us to get back to work, and that's what we've done.”
Change was in the air for IU after last season, which began with high expectations but ended with a thud. The Hoosiers finished 2-10 overall and went 0-9 in the Big Ten.
Offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan was fired immediately after the season and defensive coordinator Charlton Warren left shortly thereafter for North Carolina.
Allen said falling from 6-3 in 2020, when the Hoosiers were ranked in the top 10 at one point, to 2-10 last year will test the program
“I understand that sometimes things don’t go the way they want them to go,” Allen said. “When you experience that, I think you get a chance to find out who you are and what foundation that you have.”
Among the new players Allen brought in is junior quarterback Connor Bazelak, who started all 11 games last season at Missouri, where he threw for 2,548 yards with 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
He’ll compete with Jack Tuttle and Dexter Williams for the starting job. Tuttle started two games last season, while Williams missed the season with an ACL.
Allen said he’s looking for a quarterback who can take care of the football after four quarterbacks combined to throw 15 interceptions last season.
“To me, it's about having a great mastery of the offense and where to distribute the football to the right players per the scheme that we're having and per the call,” Allen said. “So, I want to find a guy that's able to do both of those at a high level, and you've got to win that locker room. That's what it comes down to.”
One player not in the quarterback mix this fall is Donaven McCulley, who appeared in seven games last season. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound sophomore has moved to wide receiver.
But because of his athleticism, McCulley will still show up in the backfield on occasion.
“We’ll still have packages for him, because of the skill set that he brings to our football team,” Allen said. “And it’s all about getting your best players on the field.”
Indiana opens its season at home against Illinois on Sept. 2.
