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Then-IU Coach Kevin Wilson watches during a Nov. 8, 2014, game as IU loses 13-7 to Penn State. Wilson resigned Thursday after six seasons as IU football’s head coach.
WILSON RESIGNS IU Coach Kevin Wilson is out after 6 seasons, players report abuse ByJordan Guskey and Brody Miller sports@idsnews.com | @ids_sports
IU Coach Kevin Wilson is out as IU football coach after six seasons, the program confirmed Thursday. Defensive Coordinator Tom Allen has been named his permanent replacement. IU Athletics Director Fred Glass said at a press conference the decision was not due to onfield performance or NCAA compliance issues. Glass accepted Wilson’s resignation after a meeting at 8:30 a.m. Thursday where philosophical differences about the leadership of the program led to an agreement to part ways. “There is no smoking gun or single precipitating event that led to where we are today,” Glass said. “I think it’s really a realization by
myself and Kevin that we’re just not on the same page about some of what I view as key ways of how the program needs to be led.” As news broke of Wilson’s departure, former IU players spoke to the Indiana Daily Student claiming Wilson was abusive. Several players said Wilson forced athletes to play through injuries and created a culture of fear in trainers and players to report injuries. Laray Smith, who played at IU from 2013-15, said Wilson pressured players to play through injuries. He said he had an injury to his back during his freshman year. The team told him it was just a bruise, but doctors told Smith he had a blood clot. Wilson still pressured Smith to play. “Once you were hurt, he didn’t
IU’s record with Wilson 2011 Record: 1-11 In Wilson’s first year as IU football’s head coach, the Hoosiers win one game. 2012 4-8 2013 5-7 2014 4-8 2015 6-7 IU goes to a bowl game for the first time under Wilson. They lose in the Pinstripe Bowl in New York to Duke, 44-41. 2016 6-6 Wilson resigns as the head coach of IU football, after earning IU its second straight bowl game.
care about you,” Smith said. He went on to say Wilson was mentally abusive to players by putting them down more than just to motivate them. Former IU walk-on Kyle Loechel defended Wilson and said Wilson left it up to the medical staff if a player could play or not. “I mean they wouldn’t let you sit out for a petty injury, but I never saw anyone truly get pressured to play injured,” Loechel said. “It’s true that if you couldn’t physically play then all the coaches kind of forget about you, not just Wilson.” Plenty more current and former players took to Twitter to defend Wilson, too. Former IU kicker Mitch Ewald posted a note saying Wilson never forced anyone to play injured and went out of his way to make sure
Ewald got rest at times. He said Wilson didn’t allow drugs and enforced going to class. “He built a winning program,” Ewald wrote. “He’s the best coach I ever had.” Senior receiver Isaac Griffith wrote a note on Twitter thanking Wilson for helping him become a better man. Still, one former IU player went as far as to say every player injured during his time under Wilson was forced to play earlier than they would have liked. He said when a player was injured in practice, trainers would be scared to tell Wilson because Wilson would cuss the trainers out in his office and then storm to the trainer’s room to cuss out the player. SEE WILSON, PAGE 6
Tom Allen replaces Wilson as head coach By Taylor Lehman trlehman@indiana.edu | @TaylorRLehman
Tom Allen believes IU football can win championships. That’s what the former IU defensive coordinator said after he shook Athletic Director Fred Glass’ hand in inauguration into the permanent — not interim — head coaching position. But the coordinator that oversaw the most-improved defense in the nation said his first reaction to Glass’ request was heartbreak for former IU Coach Kevin Wilson. “Transitions in the profession are hard,” Allen said. “Let alone this. My heart breaks for him. I never expected this to happen.” After signing a six-year extension in January, Wilson submitted his resignation from IU due to what Glass cited as “philosophical differences” regarding the leadership within the program.
LEFT GREG GOTTFRIED | RIGHT IDS FILE PHOTO
Left IU Coach Tom Allen speaks to the media for the first time Thursday since being named the new IU head football coach. He was hired shortly after Kevin Wilson resigned Thursday. Right IU Coach Kevin Wilson answers questions from the media during his introductory press conference Dec. 7, 2010, at Memorial Stadium. After six seasons as IU football coach, Wilson resigned Thursday.
Glass said there was no smoking gun or single precipitating event that led to Wilson’s resignation but that their ideas in leadership had changed since his extension — issues he thought had been ironed out but had di-
vulged themselves again. The untold issues that needed to be addressed immediately remain a question, as Wilson will not be coaching the bowl game IU is destined to be assigned to in the coming weeks.
“Once I concluded that I thought a parting of ways made sense, then I don’t think you wait,” Glass said. “I think you move out, and that’s what I did.”
Fred Glass leaves questions unanswered , page 6 Columnist Andrew Hussey dissects Glass’s decision to part ways with Wilson.
SEE ALLEN, PAGE 6
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