Jared Allen (2009) - Athletics Hall of Fame - Florida Atlantic University Athletics

Jared Allen

Induction:
2009

Football 2001-2004
Jared Allen came to Florida Atlantic as a member of football's inaugural signing class. The Oklahoma native was the only non-Florida resident to commit to FAU's fledgling program with the idea of building a football program. By game two's end, a 31-28 victory over the nation's No. 22 team, Allen had solidified himself as not only the starter but the team's leader. He would lead FAU to a 6-4 record in the program's first season and continue to build a 26-20 starting record. In 2001 he was named the team's MVP and repeated with a similar honor in 2003 and 2004. In 2002, he earned the team's Offensive MVP honor. As a junior in 2003, Allen guided the team to an 11-3 mark and a national semi-final finish, earning Division I-AA Independent All-America first team honors. He was also named an All-South second team member by Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette, and he earned I-AA All-Independent National Player of the Week honors. The 2004 season opened in Hawaii, where FAU became the only team to defeat the Warriors, a perennial bowl participant, at home. The Owls would tally four more victories to begin their first provisional season as a Division I-A team with a 5-0 record. FAU would end the season 9-3 and set the foundation for years to come. Allen graduated and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent. He then traveled to Europe, where he played for the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe. Allen was the 2005 Rookie Camp MVP for Tampa Bay, and he started in the 2006 NFL Europe World Bowl.