Tom Allen and Indiana are coming out of spring practices in search of a rebound season after back-to-back disappointing records. Coming out of the spring, Allen believes the program achieved at least one of his goals.

The head coach of the Hoosiers believes it was a very positive spring while focusing on improved toughness for the team:

“We had a very good spring,” said Allen per IU’s official website. “I’m excited about the work we got in, the individual things, technique, things we’ve got to get better.

“We made progress. I really wanted to develop our toughness as a team. That was a huge priority.”

One of Allen’s other goals moving forward is maximizing the running back room for the Hoosiers in the fall. Jaylin Lucas provides a player with a special skill set and explosiveness to go with Josh Henderson and incoming transfer Christian Turner.

“We want to maximize that running back room,” Allen said. “Jaylin has a unique skill set we’ll have at our disposal. He’ll be a critical part. I’m encouraged by what we can do with our guys…

“We know what Jaylin can do. Josh is a special back. Christian didn’t get to practice much, we wanted to keep him healthy, but he’s a very talented player. I like that room a lot.

“We have to run the ball. We have to run effectively for our defense, for our offense, for late in the game, for our team. It’s a huge emphasis.”

We’ll see how that plays out when Indiana hits the field in the fall. The Hoosiers are looking for their first winning season since 2020.