‘That’s out of my hands’: Indiana football head coach Tom Allen discusses job security following season-ending loss to Purdue

The Indiana football program enters a key stage in the program; making a decision on head coach Tom Allen.

Indiana dropped its season-finale to Purdue on Saturday, 35-31, falling to 3-9 on the season and 1-8 in Big Ten play.

The Hoosiers finished the 2023 season as the only Big Ten team to finish with just one win in league play. It has also gone just 3-24 overall in league games the last three seasons.

Now, it’s decision time for the Hoosiers. Will Tom Allen return to Indiana next season?

“You know, I get it, you’ve gotta win,” Allen said postgame when asked about his job security. “I understand the nature of college football. I understand that. I’ve been doing this a long, long time.  I don’t know anything more than anybody. I’m just gonna keep battling, scratching and clawing.  That’s out of my hands. It’s not up to me.”

Following a 14-7 record across the 2019 and 2020 seasons, Indiana has gone just 9-27 overall from 2021-2023.

The Hoosiers have finished last in the Big Ten in two of the last three seasons. Allen has won more than two games in Big Ten play in just two seasons.

In seven full seasons, Allen is just 33-49 with just two seasons of bowl eligibility.

Typically, the assumption would be to move on from Allen but his contract makes it a difficult question to answer. Allen’s buyout sits at over $20 million if he were to be fired this season. It drops to less than $8 million at this point next season.

Before Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher received a record-buyout of $76 million, the highest buyout rewarded was Gus Malzahn at nearly $22 million. Tom Allen’s buyout would be one of the highest in college football history.

Indiana lost seven of its last eight games this season.

Indiana football lost its final three games of the season all by less than a touchdown.

“We’ve kinda seen in all three of the games, all three phases having an opportunities to finish and not being able to get that job done,” Allen said about their close losses. “It is very frustrating, disappointing’s not even the right word it’s just devastating.”

Time will tell whether or not Indiana Athletic Director Scott Dolson makes a move, but the resume is not one of a head coach at the power five level that typically makes it much longer on his current contract.

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