BREAKING: Penn State football officially hires Tom Allen as DC

It’s official, the deal is done that makes Tom Allen the next defensive coordinator for the Penn State football team. The announcement comes after rumors were first confirmed by ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Sunday. Thamel believed that the Nittany Lions were close to finalizing a deal to make Allen the next defensive coordinator, and it came to fruition today. It will be interesting to see how well he fits into the Nittany Lion culture. But one thing is certain, Allen has the energy and the passion that will match James Franklin.

Penn State football officially hires Tom Allen as DC

Tom Allen will take over the open role left by Manny Diaz after he left the Penn State football team for the Duke head coaching position. Allen, much like Diaz, is looking to rebuild his brand. The former Indiana head coach was on the rise in 2019 and 2020. But that was short-lived after suffering three brutal seasons in a row.

Now, Penn State has made the official announcement of Allen becoming a Nittany Lion on Tuesday afternoon.

Penn State's subcommittee on compensation is meeting now in public session to approve the contract for defensive coordinator Tom Allen.

It's officially a done deal.

— Audrey Snyder (@audsnyder4) December 19, 2023

While Allen was the head coach of Indiana, he only defeated the Nittany Lions once. We all remember that 2020 game to start the season, And yes, Penix was short. But his defense always kept them in each game. Even during the 2023 season, the Hoosiers gave Penn State a dogfight into the 4th quarter.

James Franklin is big on relationships

Penn State football head coach James Franklin uses trust and relationships to make these hires. It’s clear Franklin and Allen know a lot of the same people who respect each other.

But the other component is that Tom Allen started his coaching career in Florida and has connections there. That should help push Penn State’s recruiting efforts forward in the future

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