Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen has made a name for himself in his first year on the job. On Tuesday, Allen was named one of 15 semifinalists for the Broyles Award, which annually recognizes the nation’s top assistant coach.
Allen is one of four Big Ten assistants up for the award, a list that includes Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi.
It was unclear how efficiently Allen would translate to coordinating after seven years as a head coach at Indiana, but the stats haven’t lied. He’s been exceptional. Allen’s Nittany Lion defense currently ranks No. 4 in total defense, allowing just 266.8 yards per game.
While almost all aspects of Allen’s unit have impressed this season, run defense is the area that stands out the most, especially in a conference loaded with nationally renowned running backs. Entering the postseason, Penn State currently ranks tied for No. 7 nationally with 97 rushing yards allowed per game.
The Nittany Lions have only allowed five rushing touchdowns in 2024, a statistic that ranks second in all of college football.
Allen has also helped oversee Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Abdul Carter’s transition from linebacker to defensive end. That’s been a massive success for the Nittany Lions and Carter, who leads the Big Ten with 19.5 tackles for loss and the team with 10 sacks.
