'Imposing' Bob Knight left lasting impression on IU football coach Tom Allen

BLOOMINGTON — The gym at New Castle High School was always full when Steve Alford took the court.

Indiana football coach Tom Allen was 13 years old during Alford’s senior year and was in the stands for all his games.

There were plenty of memorable moments during that season — Alford was named Mr. Basketball — but the one that stands out for Allen above the rest is the time Bob Knight came to visit.

“I didn't realize how big a man he was until then, just such an imposing presence,” Allen said, on Thursday.

More: How Bob Knight influences Indiana athletic department's championship vision

Knight died on Wednesday at the age of 83 and Allen opened his press conference by sending his condolences to the coach's family.

The Hoosiers are planning a moment of silence when they host Wisconsin at Memorial Stadium this weekend and will also wear “RMK” decals on their helmets during the game. The men’s and women’s basketball teams are planning to wear ‘RMK’ patches on their uniforms this season.

“I was born and raised in this state and was an Indiana basketball fan when I was kid,” Allen said. "Just everything he meant to our university, one of the greatest in the history of our country in any sport."

While Allen spent more than a decade coaching high school football in the state before landing in Bloomington, the two never met.

“I wish I had,” Allen said.

More: 'One of the reasons I'm sitting here': IU coach Teri Moren celebrates Bob Knight's legacy

Allen said the “intensity and passion” Knight coached with left a lasting impression on him as a fan and when he got into coaching he grew to greatly admire how the coach “got the most out of his players, got them to play to their highest potential.”

“The motivation, the toughness, the defensive emphasis,” Allen said. “Just the consistent performance of his teams, just being tough, gritty. That's the part I loved."

Those ideals are the basis for IU’s “SWARM” mantra on defense, and something Allen preaches on a daily basis.

It's why the memory of Knight visiting his high school gym still makes Allen smile.

"No question he was highly regarded in New Castle, and still is to this day," Allen said.

Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on Twitter @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: IU football coach Tom Allen remembers Bob Knight's imposing presence