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Big Ten Football: 3 most overrated head coaches heading into 2022

By Connor Muldowney

Oct 23, 2021; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin prior to the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2021; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin prior to the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 28, 2019; East Lansing, MI, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Tom Allen stands on the field during the first half of a game against the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 28, 2019; East Lansing, MI, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Tom Allen stands on the field during the first half of a game against the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Tom Allen, Indiana

Tom Allen has done what very few coaches in the history of Indiana football have done: win games.

In five full seasons, Allen has compiled a record of 26-32 and 15-28 in Big Ten play and while that may not seem impressive, he has led the Hoosiers to a couple of bowl games and if you know anything about Indiana football, you’d know that’s not a common thing. Indiana has made just 13 bowl games ever and Allen has coached in three of them (one he was an interim back in 2016).

But Allen gets a lot of credit for being “one of the best” coaches in the Big Ten despite never winning more than eight games and finishing with a winning record in just two of his five seasons.

Expectations at Indiana aren’t the same as, let’s say, Ohio State, but winning more games than you lose in just 40 percent of your time is disappointing. And that’s not even mentioning that Allen followed up his best season (6-2 in 2020) with his worst season (2-10 in 2021).

Indiana may be trending in the wrong direction and 2022 will be a big one for Allen if he wants to keep his job. Yet he’s still praised by just about everyone.

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