Tom Allen discusses challenges of extra eligibility, recruiting, and portal in setting IU's roster
It’s been a tough season for Indiana in 2021 as it hasn’t been able to recapture the magic it had in 2020.
The Hoosiers are just 2-8 this year after being bowl eligible last year and that’s led to head coach Tom Allen already discussing recruiting for next season, plus the transfer portal.
He first spoke to the media on Thursday about who could return to the team next season and knows that a lot of players cannot if they’re granted a COVID year. That would mean the program wouldn’t be able to bring in any high school prospects.
Allen on the guys who could return: "If you grant everyone their COVID year, we couldn't bring in any high school players, and that's just not realistic."
— Dustin Dopirak (@DustinDopirak) November 18, 2021
Allen then confirmed that the program has already started to have these kinds of conversations and that they’ll continue till the end of the season.
Allen says they've started having those conversations and will continue them after the season ends. Talking to guys about entering the draft, going in the portal, and simply moving on into post-college life and the working world.
— Dustin Dopirak (@DustinDopirak) November 18, 2021
He ended his session with saying this is roster management that none of us have ever seen before when it comes to the portal, recruiting, and the extra COVID year.
Allen on balancing recruiting, portal and extra COVID year: "It's roster management at a level we've never seen before. … Sometimes you're working on information you don't have the complete picture of yet." #iufb
— Zach Osterman (@ZachOsterman) November 18, 2021
It remains to be seen how different the roster will look next season but the team will first look to improve to 3-8 this Saturday against Minnesota.
Kickoff will be at 3:30 p.m. ET.
