[autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] has zeroed in on another former head coach to run his defense just as he did when he hired Manny Diaz from Miami. This time, it is a familiar Big Ten foe.
Early Sunday afternoon, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Franklin and Penn State are finalizing a deal with former Indiana head coach [autotag]Tom Allen[/autotag]. Allen and Indiana parted ways after the 2023 season after the Hoosiers went 3-9. Allen concluded his tenure in Bloomington with a 33-49 record.
Sources: Penn State is targeting former Indiana coach Tom Allen to be the school’s next defensive coordinator. Deal is being finalized and is expected to come together in the upcoming days.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 17, 2023
The 2020 Big Ten coach of the year always seemed like a name that fits what Penn State was trying to achieve with its defense. With Diaz leaving for the head coaching position at Duke, another defensive head coach with a lot of experience always seemed like a likely option for Franklin and Penn State.
Allen runs a 4-2-5 defensive, which places a heavy emphasis on the defensive line, which should be a strength of next year’s team. His Indiana team played Penn State tough this year, with the Nittany Lions eventually pulling away for a 33-24 win.
The Penn State defense coordinator position is becoming a great sport for former head coaches looking to revitalize their careers before receiving another head coaching gig. Allen will take over arguably college football’s best defense, and one was third nationally in scoring defense (11.4 points per game) and first in yards per game (223.3 yards per game).