Indiana Hoosiers football

Early history (1887–1933)

In the fall of 1884 the Indiana student newspaper made its first reference to football by reporting that a team was being organized. The following year, in 1885, a Yale graduate, professor Arthur B. Woodford, came to Indiana to teach political and social science and during the next year he introduced football to the school. Woodford coached the Hoosiers from 1887 to 1888. In the only documented game of the 1889 season, Indiana lost to Wabash College, 40-2. Evan Wollen led the Hoosiers to an 0-1 record.

By 1891 Billy Herod was head coach. He had never played football but had seen it played in the East. The Hoosiers continued to struggle to find wins, even forfeiting a game to in-state rival Purdue in the 1894 season. The first winning season came in 1895 under coach Dana Osgood, who led the team to a 4–3–1 record. This was followed by two winning seasons in 1896 and 1897 under coach Madison G. Gonterman, who was hired away from Harvard.

After coaching the Hoosiers to winning records in 1898 and 1899, coach James H. Horne and the football team joined the Western Conference (later the Big Ten Conference). Horne led Indiana to six .500-or-better records in his seven years. In 1905 coach James M. Sheldon took over and would have the longest tenure of a football coach at Indiana until Bo McMillin coached for 14 years (1934-1947). Sheldon proved to be one of the most successful coaches in Indiana football's early years, leading the Hoosiers to four winning seasons and as high as third in the Big Ten Conference rankings. In 1914 Indiana hired its first full-time coach, Clarence Childs, but continued to struggle to find success.

In 1922 construction began on the original Memorial Stadium. It would seat 22,000 fans and $250,000 was raised to erect the new facility. The new stadium was built on the grounds of the golf course and replaced Jordan Field, which had been the home of Indiana football since 1887.

Bo McMillin era (1934–1947)

Bo McMillin is the only person to coach Indiana to an outright Big Ten Championship. In 1945, the Hoosiers achieved their only unbeaten season (9-0-1). The achievement earned Coach McMillan the title of Man of the Year (by the Football Writers Association) and Coach of the Year (by the Football Coaches Association). Part of the team's success in this period is attributable to George Taliaferro, an African-American who helped break down color barriers in sports and played for the Hoosiers two years before Jackie Robinson suited up for the Brooklyn Dodgers. A three-time All-American, Taliaferro led the Hoosiers in rushing twice, punting in 1945 and passing in 1948. He helped lead the 1945 undefeated team.

Under Coach McMillin, IU had 10 winning seasons, including a stretch of six consecutive years. His Big Ten record of 34–34–6 is the best of any Indiana coach, as is his overall winning percentage (.562). His overall record at IU is 63–48–11. On September 23, 1946 McMillin was named Indiana's athletic director.

Clyde Smith era (1948–1951)

Clyde Smith left Wisconsin La-Crosse and came to the Hoosiers as head football coach following McMillin's retirement. The Hoosiers struggled mightily under Smith, as they failed to win more than three games in a single season with Smith at the helm. Smith's final record at IU is 8–27–1.

Bernie Crimmins era (1952–1956)

Bernie Crimmins came to Indiana from his post as an assistant under legendary coach Frank Leahy at Notre Dame and brought along high hopes that IU football prominence would be restored. However, it didn't happen. Like his predecessor, Crimmins failed to win more than three games in a single season, with yearly records of 2–7, 2–7, 3–6, 3–6 and 3–6 for a final record of 13–32 in five seasons. Crimmins was fired as head coach and returned to Notre Dame as an assistant.

Bob Hicks era (1957)

Bob Hicks came to Indiana from his post as an assistant at Wyoming. He took over the Hoosiers football program for one season while Phil Dickens was being investigated for alleged NCAA violations. He went 1–8 in his only season as head coach, failing to win a single Big Ten game. He returned to his post as assistant coach for the Hoosiers after Dickens was reinstated.

Phil Dickens era (1958–1964)

Coach Phil Dickens, formerly head football coach at Wyoming, guided Indiana to a fifth-place finish in the Big Ten and a 3–2–1 overall record in 1958, his first season at the helm (he sat out the 1957 season while under investigation by the NCAA). That same year construction began on the new Memorial Stadium, which is still the home of the football team today.

In the fall of 1960 the Indiana football program was hit with devastating NCAA sanctions. The sanctions resulted from violations that included the offering of free plane tickets to several athletes along with financial stipends, according to an NCAA report, while other recruits were delivered envelopes filled with cash.

Indiana denied the charges, arguing that possible recruiting violations were just the work of overzealous alumni. The NCAA, however, didn't buy the claims and saddled Indiana with four years of probation. During this time all Hoosier varsity sports were barred from postseason play. The NCAA also disallowed any Indiana win during the 1960 Big Ten season because of Indiana's improper recruiting practices.

The sanctions were a stain on Indiana’s notoriously clean record and undermined the ability to convince talented athletes to come to Bloomington. However, Dickens was not held responsible for the sanctions and remained on the Hoosier sidelines for another five years until 1964. Dickens' contract was not renewed after seven seasons.

John Pont era (1965–1972)

John Pont, who came to IU from Yale, took over just as the IU sanctions expired. In 1966 the team achieved only a 1–8–1 record. But the following season, in 1967, Indiana surprisingly had a 9–2 record and shared the Big Ten title with Minnesota and Purdue. The team was invited to and accepted the invitation play in the 1968 Rose Bowl (Indiana's only appearance), but lost to Southern California, the team which would be named national champions. Pont was named unanimous national coach of the year and head coach of the East team in the 1968 Coaches All-America game. With sophomore stars Harry Gonzo, John Isenbarger and Jade Butcher returning for two more years, the Hoosiers were ranked in the preseason top 10 nationally in 1968. Unfortunately, due to injuries and to the return to prominence of programs at Ohio State, Michigan and Purdue, the Hoosiers finished 6–4 in 1968 and 4–6 in 1969 (also partially due to a 14-player African American team boycott). Pont, after only winning five or more games in a single season twice after the Rose Bowl season (never more than six wins), was asked to resign after eight seasons.

Lee Corso era (1973–1982)

Lee Corso left Louisville and took over as IU head football coach in 1973, leading the Hoosiers to two winning seasons in 1979 and 1980. The 1979 regular season ended with 7–4 record and earned a trip to the 1979 Holiday Bowl; there the Hoosiers would beat the previously unbeaten BYU. Indiana's victory over the Cougars propelled the team to 16th in the UPI poll, the Hoosiers' first top-20 ranking since 1967. During one game in the 1976 season, Corso called a time out after his team scored a touchdown early in the 2nd quarter. The entire team huddled together for a photograph with the scoreboard filling the background. It read: Indiana 7, Ohio State 6. It was the first time in 25 years that the Hoosiers had led the Buckeyes in a football game. Corso's record was 41–68–2 over his ten years at Indiana. Corso was fired after ten seasons in which, other than the Holiday Bowl season, the Hoosiers only had one winning season, a 6–5 1980 season.

Sam Wyche era (1983)

For one season, Sam Wyche, formerly an assistant with the NFL's San Francisco 49ers, led the Indiana Hoosiers football program. Wyche's Hoosiers struggled to a 3–8 record in his only season at the helm of the Hoosiers. He left IU to accept an offer to become head coach of the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals.

Bill Mallory era (1984–1996)

Bill Mallory, who came to IU from Northern Illinois, took over as head football coach following Wyche's departure. Although he finished with a winless 0–11 record during his first campaign at Indiana in 1984, it would take Mallory just three seasons to lead the Hoosiers to their first bowl appearance under his direction. Indiana finished with a 6–5 regular-season record in 1986 and capped its season by playing a talented Florida State team in the 1986 All-American Bowl on New Year's Eve. Despite losing 27-13, the Hoosiers put up a good fight. Indiana running back Anthony Thompson, who was playing in his first bowl game, finished with 127 rushing yards on 28 carries.

In 1987, Mallory became the first Big Ten coach to be awarded back-to-back coach of the year honors after the Hoosiers earned an 8–4 record (with wins over Ohio State and Michigan), a second-place finish in the Big Ten, and a Peach Bowl appearance against Tennessee. In what was the first ever meeting between the schools, Tennessee was victorious by a final score of 27–22. In 1988, Indiana finished the regular season with a 7–3–1 record, a 5–3 mark in the Big Ten, and a top-20 ranking. It earned the team a postseason berth for the third consecutive year with a game against South Carolina in the 1988 Liberty Bowl. The Hoosiers dominated the game and cruised to a 34-10 victory before 39,210 fans. Indiana set a Liberty Bowl record with 575 yards of total offense.

Indiana finished with a 6–4–1 regular-season record in 1990, a mark good enough to earn the Hoosiers a berth in the Peach Bowl for a game against the Auburn Tigers, which Indiana would lose 27-23. Part of Indiana's success can be attributed to star running back Vaughn Dunbar.

In 1991 Indiana played in the Copper Bowl and dominated a highly regarded Baylor team 24-0. Led by future NFL quarterback Trent Green, it was one of the most impressive performances by any team during the 1991 bowl season. Indiana finished the 1993 season with an 8–4 record, with two of its three regular season losses by seven points or less. The team went on to play in the 1993 Independence Bowl.

Coach Mallory, despite his successes, was fired after thirteen seasons, ending his career at Indiana with six bowl games overall in 13 seasons. He is Indiana's all-time winningest head football coach with 69 wins.

Cam Cameron era (1997–2001)

Washington Redskins quarterbacks coach and Indiana alumnus Cam Cameron began coaching the Hoosiers in 1997 and in five seasons compiled a record of 18–37. Cameron brought a new system and logo to the school, both in style and in substance. Cameron began by introducing a new oval logo for the football helmets (which has since been discarded). Cameron brought an explosive offense to school with highly effective offensive players such as Antwaan Randle El. Indiana averaged 23.6 points per game under Cameron's guidance. In fact, Randle El became the first player in NCAA Division I history to pass for 40 career touchdowns and score 40 career rushing touchdowns. He finished his college career as fifth on the all-time NCAA total yardage list, and became the first player in college football history to record 2,500 total yards for each of four consecutive years.

Although Cameron's Indiana teams won less than one-third of their games, Indiana was recognized by the American Football Coaches Association for its exemplary football graduation rates in each of Cameron's final four seasons. Nevertheless, Cameron was fired after the 2001 season.

Gerry DiNardo era (2002–2004)

In 2002, former Vanderbilt and LSU head football coach Gerry DiNardo took over as Indiana head football coach, but finished with just an 8–27 overall record. He never won more than three games in a season, and was fired after the 2004 season.

Terry Hoeppner era (2005–2006)

In 2005 Terry Hoeppner ("Coach Hep") left Miami (OH) and was named head coach of the Hoosiers. He quickly made an impact by nearly leading the team to a bowl appearance in 2006. With 49 true or redshirt freshmen and 72 underclassmen overall, that team was the youngest team in the Big Ten. Despite such youth, the team garnered five victories, the most since the 2001 season. The 2006 Hoosiers picked up three Big Ten wins for the first time since 2001. Coach Hep rejuvenated the Indiana fan base; attendance increased 39 percent, season ticket sales increased 46 percent, and student season ticket sales increased 110 percent. In 2006, Hoeppner announced he was taking a medical leave of absence but died shortly afterward following a lengthy battle with brain cancer. Hoeppner's final record at IU is 9–14.

Bill Lynch era (2007–2010)

In 2007, Hoeppner's offensive coordinator Bill Lynch, a native Hoosier, took over the reigns of the program. In his first season Lynch led Indiana to a 7-6 record (the most wins since 1993) and its first Old Oaken Bucket victory since 2001. The success earned the team a trip to the Insight Bowl. The season marked the first time that an Indiana coach guided a team to a bowl game in his first season.

The 2008 Indiana team was hampered by a number of injuries. Against Wisconsin, the Hoosiers were forced to play three quarterbacks and four centers. 13 starters in total were injured during the year. Still, Lynch was able to pull in the one of the strongest recruiting classes in recent history.

2009 showed marked improvement on the field, although the record ledger failed to show it as the team took 4th quarter leads into three Big Ten road games before falling short.

During Lynch's tenure, the players established a Player's Leadership Council, which elect weekly game captains and select the community service organizations the team volunteers with. The Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington and Riley Children's Hospital of Indianapolis are two favorite causes of the team.

Lynch's tenure has been noted for his strong recruiting and identifying and developing high character young men who want to be part of a family atmosphere.

However, after four seasons, Lynch compiled just a 19–30 overall record and was fired by athletic director Fred Glass.

Kevin Wilson era (2011–2016)

Kevin Wilson, formerly offensive coordinator at Oklahoma, was named head coach on December 7, 2011.

In Wilson's first year the Hoosiers had a 1–11 record. In his second year, Indiana improved to 4–8 on the year (4 losses were by seven points or fewer), but surpassed Northwestern's record for most losses in Football Bowl Subdivision history. Nevertheless, Wilson's team exhibited an explosive offense, going from 80th nationally in pass offense to 19th and leading the Big Ten with 311.2 yards per game, in spite of losing the starting quarterback Tre Roberson in the season's second game. Additionally, Wilson was successful in luring five 4-star Rivals.com recruits from the 2013 class to Indiana, the most in school history.

Wilson's 2013 team improved to 5–7, and while the Hoosiers featured one of the Big Ten's more potent offenses (ranked 2nd in the Big Ten for 2013), the team's defense was among the conference's worst (12th in the Big Ten). The Hoosiers set school and Big Ten records for most yards and points allowed per game, and the Hoosiers lost three games in which they scored at least 35 points. Wilson fired defensive coordinator Doug Mallory following the 2013 season and replaced him with Brian Knorr, the former defensive coordinator of Wake Forest and former head coach at Ohio. On January 16, 2016, Wilson hired Tom Allen, the former defensive coordinator of USF, to replace Knorr beginning the 2016 season.

Following the end of the 2016 regular season, the Hoosiers became bowl eligible for the second year in a row. This was the first time since 1990-1991 that the Hoosiers have gone to back-to-back bowl games. However, Wilson resigned on December 1, 2016, amidst "philosophical differences" with Athletic Director Fred Glass and allegations of player mistreatment.

Tom Allen era (2016–present)

On December 1, 2016, Tom Allen was named head coach. He previously served as Indiana's defensive coordinator. On December 7, the football team was invited to play in the Foster Farms Bowl on December 28, 2016 at Levi's Stadium against the Utah Utes. The bowl game served as Tom Allen's head coaching debut. On January 4, 2017, former Tennessee offensive coordinator Mike DeBord was hired to the same position for the Hoosiers.

Big Ten championships

Bowl games

Indiana has featured in only eleven bowl games in 120 seasons, so consistently reaching the postseason is considered a primary goal of the program. An oft-spoken mantra, coined after Terry Hoeppner's death in 2007, is to "play 13," meaning to play an extra game (a bowl game) after the 12-game regular season.

Home stadiums

Indiana's two Memorial Stadiums are entirely distinct venues and share only the same name, though never at the same time. The current Memorial Stadium was called Seventeenth Street Football Stadium until 1971, when it was renamed Memorial Stadium and the original stadium was renamed Tenth Street Stadium. Tenth Street Stadium hosted the Little 500 bicycle race until Bill Armstrong Stadium was built in 1981. It was demolished in the same year and its former place on campus is currently occupied by the arboretum. Shortly before its demolition, the old stadium was featured in the 1979 cult movie classic Breaking Away - filmed primarily on the Indiana campus and the surrounding Bloomington, Indiana area.

Current coaching staff

Indiana athletic director Fred Glass announced the dismissal of the entire coaching staff on November 28, 2010, following a third straight season with only one conference victory. Glass announced the hiring of Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson on December 7 as the new head coach. Starting in 2014, Wilson's offensive coordinator is Kevin Johns (who had been Indiana's Co-OC for the previous three seasons) and as of January 2016, the defensive coordinator is Tom Allen. Wilson resigned as head coach on December 1, 2016, with Glass promoting Allen to head coach the same day.

Purdue

Indiana's most intense rivalry is with in-state school Purdue; the two compete annually for the Old Oaken Bucket, one of the oldest collegiate football trophies in the nation. Purdue leads both the overall (72–41–6) and trophy (56–31–3) series. Indiana currently holds the bucket after defeating the Boilermakers during the 2016 season. Indiana will play at Purdue on Saturday, November 26, 2017.

Illinois

The Hoosiers also have a border rivalry with Illinois. Illinois holds the advantage over the Hoosiers in the series 45-23-2.

Michigan State

Indiana has a second trophy game (for the Old Brass Spittoon) against Michigan State. The Spartans were Indiana's dedicated cross-divisional rival in the Big Ten during the era of the Legends and Leaders divisions (2011-2013). Both teams now play in the Big Ten East division. Michigan State leads the all-time series 45-15-2. Indiana currently holds the spittoon after beating Michigan State in overtime in 2016.

Kentucky

The Hoosiers also have an out-of-conference rivalry with Kentucky. The Hoosiers played the Wildcats annually from 1987 until 2005 in what was known as the "Bourbon Barrel" game. The two teams played for a trophy called the "Bourbon Barrel" from 1987 until both schools mutually agreed to retire the trophy in 1999 following the alcohol-related death of a Kentucky football player. Indiana leads the series (18-17-1).

Legacy

The Hoosier football program has the dubious distinction of having the most all-time losses (658 as of the end of the 2015 season) in the history of NCAA Division I (now FBS) football, in addition to the ninth worst all-time winning percentage (.419) out of 128 FBS schools. The football Hoosiers' all-time record ranks 15th in the history of the Big Ten Conference (with the inclusion in 2014 of Rutgers and Maryland, and former conference member University of Chicago). The Hoosiers have seen some recent success, however, making it to their first bowl game since 2007, the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, in 2015 and the Foster Farms Bowl in 2016.

Big Ten Conference

Players

Coach

Career

Season

Game

Hoosiers currently in the NFL

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of September 11, 2015