After another disappointing season for the Indiana Hoosiers, the decision has been made to move on from Tom Allen as head coach. Allen finishes his Indiana career with a 33-49 record overall but only went 9-27 as head coach in the last three seasons. With the search now on for the next head coach for Indiana, here are some candidates that could fill in the role for him.
Top Five Candidates for Indiana
Ken Wommack (Current Job: Head Coach South Alabama)
Since leaving Indiana in 2020, Ken Wommack has made a name for himself as the head coach for South Alabama.
Wommack took over the Jaguars program back in 2021 and has made a nice turnover for the team, as they have gone 21-16 in three seasons under him. Last season was one of their best going 10-3 and making an appearance in the Sun Belt Conference title game. In 2023, the Jaguars are sitting at 6-6, becoming bowl eligible.
He was previously the defensive coordinator for Indiana under Allen for two seasons. Wommack helped the defense move up from ninth in the Big Ten in total defense in 2019 to fifth in the conference in total defense.
Indiana can already see that Wommack has proven to be able to turn a football program around and build good defenses in the process. The Hoosiers are in need of a makeover on defense, especially with the conference inheriting top offenses in Washington and Oregon. Bringing in a defensive-minded coach can help with that.
Kevin Johns (Current Job: Offensive Coordinator Duke)
Another former Indiana coordinator for the Hoosiers to consider is Duke offensive coordinator Kevin Johns who is completing his second season with the Blue Devils.
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Johns’ offense was ranked fourth in the ACC in total offense in 2022, averaging 415.7 yards per game. This season has been tougher for the Blue Devils’ offense, but Johns was able to ride the ship with injuries at quarterback and help lead them to a 7-5 regular season.
From 2011 until 2016, Johns was the offensive coordinator for the Hoosiers, helping transform their offense into one of the best in the Big Ten. From 2012 through 2016, the Hoosiers were ranked in the top five in the Big Ten in total offense, including two-second place finishes, and ranked first in the conference in 2015.
Johns’ offenses have been explosive and Indiana is in need of some help on the offensive side of the ball after only averaging 333.7 yards per game this season. The Hoosiers need some reinforcement on offense and Johns has already proven during his time with Indiana that he can do it. Bringing back some of that Hoosier magic could be what they need.
Brian Knorr (Current Job: Defensive Coordinator Air Force)
Brian Knorr, a former assistant coach for Indiana, has shown his ability to build great defenses and that has shown at Air Force.
Currently defensive coordinator at Air Force, Knorr has coached one of the best defenses in the country as Air Force is ranked fifth nationally in total defense, allowing just 277.3 yards per game. This stems from his first season running the defense in 2022, ending with them being the best defense statistically in the country, allowing 256.4 yards per game.
Indiana had the worst defense in the Big Ten in 2023, allowing 393.3 yards per game this season, which has been part of the reason for the downfall. Knorr was, in the past, a head coach at Ohio, only going 11-35 in four seasons, but after nearly two decades of success as an assistant coach, this could be his chance to write the wrongs of the past.
Indiana needs fresh blood, and knowing the Hoosier culture from being a defensive coordinator in 2014 and 2015, Knorr could turn the tide for Indiana in 2024 and beyond.
Sherrone Moore (Current Job: Offensive Coordinator Michigan)
After the run Sherrone Moore has been on with Michigan this season, some eyes should be pointing in his direction for leading a football program as head coach.
Moore has been on the Michigan Wolverines coaching staff since 2018, where he moved up into an offensive coordinator role starting in 2021. Michigan’s offense is ranked second in the Big Ten in total offense, averaging 394.5 yards per game.
For the last three games, he has been the interim head coach for the Wolverines after head coach Jim Harbaugh was suspended due to the sign-stealing scandal at Michigan. The Wolverines have gone 3-0 during that span, including an impressive 30-24 win over Ohio State on Saturday.
Having been in the Big Ten for six years now and seeing success, Moore has proven to be a great leader in the locker room, and his team has responded to him well. If Indiana wanted to look outside for someone with no ties to the program, Moore appears to fit the role as one of the hottest names for head coaching jobs in college football.
JaMarcus Shephard (Current Job: Associate Head Coach Washington)
Being from Fort Wayne, Indiana, Washington Huskies associate head coach JaMarcus Shephard has ties to the Indiana area from his time there.
His most well-known stop prior to Washington was at Purdue under former head coach Jeff Brohm, where he coached for the Boilermakers for five seasons. He was their co-offensive coordinator from 2018 until 2021, when he left for the Huskies’ job. Shepard is currently the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach for Washington.
With Shephard knowing the Indiana area, that will be a major advantage in recruiting where he can help find sleeper prospects. While he doesn’t have head coaching experience, being a part of a Washington team that is currently 12-0 gives him insight into what a winning program is. Looking outside the box is what can help Indiana turn things around.