Three straight final game losses to Purdue sealed the inevitable firing of Indiana football Coach Tom Allen. I will miss his spirit on the sidelines and find the decision futile. I.U. will not only lose nearly 20 million dollars (nearly 400k for every loss) in the buyout but also flood the portal with transfer prospects. Will it do any good? No! Indiana is now nothing more than a soccer school (8 national titles and perhaps another in the works). Trophies for Swimming (6 straight), Basketball (5), Cross Country (3), Track & Field (1), and Wrestling (1) are now gathering cobwebs in the display case. Women’s Basketball has probably the greatest potential and football the least. A new coach is not going to make the slightest difference, especially considering that the program has had 29 different leaders since it began play in the 1887 season. Only six have led the Hoosiers to postseason bowl games, including Tom Allen who is now yesterday’s news.

1967 was the last Big Ten Conference football title under John Pont that led to the sole Rose Bowl appearance. They lost 14-3 to U.S.C. and O.J. Simpson. Starting next year, the Hoosiers and Trojans will become conference foes. If it weren’t for visiting Ohio State, Memorial Stadium would never be packed, and most of the regular I.U. fans would never leave the parking lot tailgates. When I was a season ticket holder back in the 80s, we defined today’s meaning of social distancing. One coach, Terry Hoeppner, sadly died before he was fired, while offensive coordinator Bill Lynch took over to lead the 2007 team to a 7-6 record and a trip to the Insight Bowl. 

Back in 1957, Coach Bob Hicks went 1-8 in his only season for the lowest winning percentage of all time. At the other extreme, Coach Madison G. Gonterman lead the Hoosiers to 12-3 over two seasons (1896-7). Coach Bo McMillin had the longest tenure, lasting for 14-years, but Coach Bill Mallory led I.U. for the most games (149) that included six different bowl games. I traveled to two of those in these glory years (Liberty and Independence).

Coach Kevin Wilson resigned amidst “philosophical differences” in 2016 after a Pinstripe Bowl appearance in 2015. Allen replaced him, starting with the Foster Farms Bowl, his first loss of 49 total to Utah 26-24. His last loss was this past weekend’s Purdue game, a battle between two eight loss teams, where I.U. was flushed down the toilet, in what should have been coined the Tidy Bowl, and the losing coach removed from the job. 

Arthur B. Woodford was the first I.U. football coach (1887-1888), followed by single season campaigns by Evans Woolen and Billy Herod. The team then went two seasons without a coach, compiling a 3-6-1 record. In 1894-5, with multiple coaches, they went 4-7-2, so show me where I.U. coaching matters! Some of the more recognizable coaching names for the Hoosiers, thanks to modern day broadcasting exposure, included Lee Corso (10 years), Sam Wyche (1), Cam Cameron (5), and Gerry DiNardo (3). This group combined for a pathetic record of 70-140-2. Other Hoosier losers included Coach Phil Dickens (1958-64: 20-41-2), Coach Bernie Crimmins (1952-1956: 13-32), Coach Clyde Smith (1948-1951: 8-27-1), Coach Earl C. Hayes (1931-33: 8-14-4), Coach Harlan Page (1926-30: 14-23-3), Coach Bill Ingrim (1923-25: 10-12-1), Coach James P. Herron (1922: 1-4-2), and Coach Clarence Childs (1914-15: 6-7-1).

Through the years there were a few winning coaches that should be recognized for achieving the nearly impossible at I.U. 1895 through 1913, four coaches totaled 80 wins, only 52 losses and 10 ties. The combo of Coaches Winchester Osgood and Robert Wrenn (1895) went 4-3-1, just before the afore mentioned winner, Madison G. Gonterman, took the helm. He was followed by Coach James H. Horn (1898-1904) who led the team to a 33-21-5 record over 7 seasons. Coach James M. Sheldon then won 35 games against 26 losses and three ties. It was truly the good old days. From 1916-1921, Coach Ewald O. Stiehm added 20 victories and one tie while losing only 18. That takes us full circle to Coach Bo McMillin’s 63-48-11 success from 1934-1947. If my math is correct, since that time, and just beyond my lifetime, fourteen coaches, all with losing records, have managed just 290 victories and 9 ties while losing 507 times. Who’s next?