Could Saturday be Tom Allen’s swan song at Indiana Football?

Can Indiana Football afford to buy out Tom Allen?

Allen makes 4.51 million dollars, and his buyout is 20 million dollars if the university decides to part ways with him.  His contract was restructured after the 2020 season, where he went 6-2 and was Big Ten Coach of the Year.

Firing Allen, however, costs more than 20 million. Currently, his coaching staff makes about 4.7 million dollars combined. Firing Allen means you buy out his staff as well. Buying out the coaching staff likely costs half of their combined salary. Dismissing the entire coaching staff could cost nearly 24 million dollars.

That number does not include what the university is paying for buyouts of other coaches from different sports. Fortunately, Archie Miller’s buyout was privately funded and off-set after taking the Rhode Island job.

Not only do you have to pay the outgoing staff a buyout, but you also have to pay an entirely new staff. Even if you decide to go “cheap” and hire either a Group of Five coach or coordinator with no head coaching experience, you will pay as much- if not more- than you currently pay Allen.

His buyout decreases to 8 million dollars after the 2024 season and 3 million after 2025. Do you wait to save money and run the risk of the program bottoming out, or rip the bandage off and hope a donor gives you an out as they did with Archie Miller?

Can the university handle the money to fire and hire this season?