Tom Allen Has 'Embraced' Penn State, Wrestling Included
Upon joining the Penn State football staff, Tom Allen quickly found his priorities. In addition to hitting the recruiting trail, evaluating players and making one notable change, Allen also naturally has become a Penn State wrestling fan.
There he was, the former Indiana head football coach cheering on the top-ranked Nittany Lions wrestling team in mid-February. Allen joined Penn State football coach James Franklin matside for the Penn State-Nebraska match, savoring the win as he would from a football sideline.
"I think Tom's embraced it," Franklin said recently.
Allen, who was Indiana's head coach for seven years, entered a unique spot at Penn State. Manny Diaz spent two seasons elevating a defense that former coordinator Brent Pry already had operated at a high level. When Diaz left to become Duke's head coach, Franklin sought a coordinator who would fit his system while operating independently. That could be a tough ask for some coordinators, especially one who had been a head coach.
"The important thing was, who can we hire to continue that tradition and also has similar philosophies to what the roster has already been built on rather than starting all over again?" Franklin said. "... We interviewed a number of high-profile guys, both [defensive coordinators] and head coaches. Again, that's part of it, right? Who can come in here and is going to embrace it? When you're coming in here and you're following arguably a defensive coordinator that had our defense ranked anywhere from number one and number three statistically, you'd better hire somebody that's got the confidence to walk into that room, as well. That played a part in it."
Allen did not make the decision haphazardly. He spent several days in State College during the interview process, which took longer than Franklin expected. In that time, and after Franklin hired him, Allen received interest from other programs. But the process gave him the confidence to say yes and confirm it.
"I think that put him in a position where he was very comfortable," Franklin said. "Put us in a position where we were comfortable, as well. Allowed me to feel comfortable what I was signing up for and who I was signing up for. I think it also allowed him to feel comfortable with those things, as well. ... I just think him feeling comfortable with all those things allowed him and his wife to turn down some of those and continue kind of going in the direction that we want to go."
Allen already has made an impact, as Penn State's updated defensive roster includes one significant change. Abdul Carter, a two-time All-Big Ten linebacker, is listed at defensive end on the 2024 Nittany Lions roster. Allen has deployed a defensive player at the position known as the "Bull" on several defenses, including Indiana's. It's a sort of hybrid outside linebacker/edge rusher spot that required a broad skillset: pass rush, edge contain in the run game and the ability to drop into pass coverage. Carter already has demonstrated those skills at Penn State, and Allen potential could put them to use in that spot.
As Penn State moves toward spring practice, Allen has more decisions to make. The Nittany Lions have to reshape some positions, notably defensive end and cornerback, but have talent to develop. Allen also will be intriguing to follow for the framework he uses. Penn State traditionally has run a 4-3 base defense, though coordinators got creative with various personnel moves. Pry played safety Ji'Ayir Brown in a blitzing "prowler' package, while Diaz last year occasionally used three defensive ends in pass-rush situations.
Allen will have the freedom to make similar moves but in the context of Franklin's overall philosophy, in which defense is part of Penn State's "DNA."
"I think we've done a really good job of continuing to kind of build on that. Feel great about that," Franklin said. "... Again, we wanted to find somebody that philosophically aligned with what we've done, understood our personnel, understood the conference, understood where we've been and where we need to go."
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