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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Former Indiana coach Tom Allen is expected to become the next defensive coordinator at Penn State, sources told ESPN on Sunday.
The deal is in the process of being finalized and should be official in the upcoming days, sources said. Allen will replace Manny Diaz, who left to become the head coach at Duke.
Indiana fired Allen in late November and agreed to pay him a negotiated $15.5 million buyout. He coached seven full seasons for the Hoosiers, going 33-49 during his tenure. He brings extensive Big Ten experience, having coached in the league since 2016, and led Indiana to both the Gator Bowl and Outback Bowl.
Penn State coach James Franklin has long been complimentary of Allen, who will take over a unit that had unbelievable success in 2023, as the Nittany Lions led the nation in yards per game allowed (223.2). It was the lowest total a defensive unit allowed since 2011.
Prior to becoming Indiana coach, Allen established himself as a high-end and high-energy defensive coordinator, as he held the role at both South Florida and Indiana and played a big role in some high-end defenses at Ole Miss.
He arrived at Indiana in 2016 and resurrected the defense right away, as the Hoosiers allowed 120 fewer yards per game and 10 fewer points per game than the prior season.
After Allen became head coach, he called the defense in 2017 and 2018. In 2017, Indiana finished top 10 nationally in third-down defense and top 30 in total defense.
He helped South Florida’s program take a U-turn in his sole season as defensive coordinator there in 2015. They went 8-5 that season, improving from 4-8 the prior year, and Allen’s defense finished in the top 15 in tackles for loss and interceptions and top 25 nationally in takeaways.
Allen was on a defensive staff at Ole Miss, working as linebackers coach, that led the nation in scoring defense in 2014. The Rebels allowed just 18 touchdowns that season. He also served as special teams coordinator.
He brings strong recruiting ties in both the Midwest and Florida, as he was a high school coach and assistant coach in Indiana and Florida early in his career.
