Indiana reserve linebacker Thomas Allen, son of head coach Tom Allen, will undergo season-ending hip surgery after being injured in Saturday's 24-0 win against Michigan State.
Tom Allen on Monday confirmed the injury, which he said is similar to the one Tua Tagovailoa had while playing quarterback for Alabama in 2019. Tagovailoa suffered a dislocated hip and a posterior wall fracture during a game against Mississippi State. He returned this season in the NFL and now starts for the Miami Dolphins.
Thomas Allen sustained the injury early in the third quarter of Saturday's game and had to be carted off. Tom Allen hugged and kissed his son, and many of Thomas' teammates came over to him before the cart left the field. Thomas Allen will undergo the surgery on Tuesday.
A redshirt junior, Thomas Allen recorded a forced fumble and two tackles in the win over Michigan State. He has eight tackles for the season and 53 in his IU career.
Tom Allen was emotional talking about his son Monday, referencing the family's journey in coaching from high schools in Indiana to various college spots.
"It's been a long journey, but it's been awesome. My kids have sacrificed, my wife,'' Allen said, pausing. "That's why I hurt so much for Thomas because I know what he's been through to get here. He's a tough sucker.''
It's not the first time the Allen family has embarked on this journey.
Last season during a win at Nebraska, Thomas Allen suffered a left shoulder injury.
"Unfortunately, I'd seen that movie before,'' Indiana athletic director Fred Glass said. "When we were at Nebraska last year, we beat them for the first time there in 60 years in front of 90,000 people, many of whom were unfortunately booing Thomas because they thought he was faking the injury and trying to slow down the game.''
A couple of weeks later, Thomas Allen had season-ending surgery, and the COVID-19 pandemic cost him the use of Indiana's team facilities to rehab. Yet he still he made it back for the start of the season, which excited Tom Allen every bit as much as any of Indiana's first four wins.
Allen feels the same way about every player on the Hoosiers' roster, and it's something he wants them to see and feel.
"I love this place and I love these kids and we're going to fight, man, I don't care what anybody says about this stinking game," Allen said. "We're going to compete and we're going to fight and good Lord willing, we're going to find a way to keep proving everybody wrong, and that's all I've got to say.``
The Associated Press contributed to this report.