3 strong Tom Allen replacements who can get Indiana back to playing in bowl games

1. Antwaan Randle El needs to come home to make a statement in Big Ten

Although Dan Campbell was briefly tied to his alma mater's opening down in College Station, the Detroit Lions could be losing someone off his staff to a similar gig. Now might be the time to see if Indiana football legend Antwaan Randle El wants to take over the reins of his alma mater's program. The former Hoosiers superstar quarterback is now in year three as the Lions' wide receivers coach.

Randle El is the ideal candidate for IU for so many reasons. One, he is a distinguished alum of Indiana University. Two, he is a former superstar on the gridiron for the Hoosiers. Three, he would provide the cool factor IU desperately needs from a recruiting perspective. Four, he successfully transitioned from quarterback to receiver in the NFL. And five, he played in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

So with Randle El, you have an on-the-rise coaching candidate with considerable player development experience. Recruiting may not be something he is all that well-versed in, but he could be a strong CEO-type of head coach IU needs. Given his NFL connections, he might be able to bring with him to Bloomington an up-and-coming hotshot play-caller. That would certainly move the needle at Indiana.

It is a shot in the dark, but I think Randle El could be the cure to what has ailed Indiana football of late.