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Putting Faith in Jared Allen
11/29/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sep. 22, 2001
Jared Allen was one of the last players to commit to Florida Atlantic University's first football signing class. He wasn't one of the initial recruits. He's not from the "Florida Atlantic Territory," where the program concentrates its recruiting efforts. He's not a transfer who brought collegiate experience.
Allen is a collegiate sophomore, freshman athletically who exudes confidence, a calm demeanor and leadership well beyond his years.
The 6-3, 185-pound quarterback from Edmond, Oklahoma, has the playful eyes, bright smile and youthful beard of someone who enjoys life and allows troubles to slip away. He attributes his character and success to his faith, his family and to taking advantage of opportunities as they arise.
While the country is still in shock by recent developments, Allen lived just 15 minutes from the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. He was 14 years old. Six years later, he joined teammates and fellow Americans and watched in disbelief as the September 11 attacks on America unfolded.
"This will pull the country together," says Allen. "The biggest thing people can do right now, I think, is pray."
He also believes the tragedy can help us in our daily lives. "The ordeal makes you think and not to take things for granted," he says. "You never know when your time is up. I try to remember that it is a privilege to play college football. Not everybody can play college ball. I'm pretty lucky to be where I am today in a first-class program training in first-class facilities."
Allen comes from a family of three boys all of whom followed in their father's footsteps as collegiate football players, Jason played at Arkansas, Josh at Murray State, Butler Junior College and Southwest Oklahoma State. Their father, Lyndon, played at the University of Central Oklahoma. Allen was not familiar with FAU, but discovered it through the recruitment process.
"I was overwhelmed with how much experience this coaching staff had," says Allen. "God opened this door to me. It totally caught me by surprise. I thought I might end up at Southwest Oklahoma State, where my brother was, but when this door opened I jumped at it because it was a great opportunity."
While he makes things seem simple - as if doors are just opening for him - his credentials speak for themselves. Allen came to FAU as a highly honored player. He was named 1998 All-State and threw for 3,475 yards and completed 316 of 514 passes over the course of his junior and senior high school seasons. He also either threw or ran for 27 touchdowns and was named the Oklahoma Coaches Association All-State quarterback.
Allen arrived at FAU as one of three quarterbacks, each wanting to get the starting nod for the program's inaugural game. He entered the summer of 2001 with roommate Garrett Jahn holding the advantage as the spring game starter. Allen used the summer to even the contest and saw the inaugural game starter selected by a coin toss. (He called heads, it landed tails.) As agreed, he started the second quarter, and due to an injury to Jahn and Allen's performance, he finished the game.
At halftime of the first game, Head Coach Howard Schnellenberger addressed the team as a group that had lost the first half, but as a team that could win the second. The Owls responded by holding the Rock to seven points and scoring the program second-half touchdown.
Against Bethune-Cookman College, the ball was given to Allen. He took advantage of the opportunity, going 11-of-24 for 210 yards and two touchdowns, which included a 71-yard connection with Larry Taylor. He also rushed for a seven-yard score. For guiding the Owls to a 31-28 upset victory over the 22nd ranked Wildcats, Allen was awarded the game ball.
"The first game, I can't explain. It happened so fast," says Allen. "In the second game, all the team talked about was leaving it on the field. Everyone was tired at the end, but it was a great feeling knowing we gave it our all to pull out the victory. We were united. We believed in the coaches, and played with heart."
Allen wishes his brother, Jason, had been at his second game instead of the first. However, he knows he can always look into the stands to see a familiar family face. Either his mother, Sharon, or father, Lyndon, who both saw FAU's first game(His father has seen both). His father is expected to be at the remaining eight games. They had planned to attend the James Madison games before it was canceled.
"My parents have been involved in my football career since little league," says Allen. "They have always given my brothers and me support. In high school, my dad always wrote letters to encourage us before our games."
Should Howard Schnellenberger, the father of FAU football, want to leave a note for the Owls' fans, it might read something like this: "There are three strong quarterbacks on this team. Give them the opportunity to mature with the program. Success will be imminent."
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