University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols' Jason Allen Welcomes Opponents' Attention
December 18, 2003 | Football
Dec. 18, 2003
Tennessee's Jason Allen might as well hold up a sign when he trots onto the field.
Word that the inexperienced sophomore was the new face in an otherwise battle-tested Tennessee defensive backfield received nearly the same level of attention among Southeastern Conference quarterbacks that Sadaam Hussein's capture attracted from American media.
Allen knows he's a target when opponents plot their pass attacks, and he doesn't fault their logic. With veteran Vols seniors Gibril Wilson, Rashad Baker and Jabari Greer providing consistently sticky coverage, the seemingly smart play is to look elsewhere on the field for an open receiver.
The notion made sense to gritty Alabama quarterback Brody Croyle. Trailing Tennessee 51-43 and needing a touchdown to prolong the five-overtime slugfest Oct. 25, Croyle looked Allen's way in taking a fourth-down shot at the end zone. But anticipating the fade route of Tide receiver Dre Fulgham, Allen darted in front and swatted the ball to the Tuscaloosa turf in a game-ending pass breakup.
Allen finished with a game-high 12 tackles. And despite not starting until the season's sixth contest, he's second on the team with nine pass breakups.
Plugging the holes
Croyle isn't the only quarterback to challenge Allen and come up empty. After becoming a starter for the final five regular-season games, business has been brisk for Allen.
But frustrated foes are discovering the Muscle Shoals, Ala., native is leaving precious few holes in the Tennessee defensive backfield.
Allen welcomes the attention, figuring that every pass attempt will leave him even better prepared for the next one.
" You look at the Alabama game, they really came at me a lot," he said. "I was the rookie in the secondary and the other three guys were veterans. Not only that game but the rest of the season, they threw at me a lot more than they did at a guy like Jabari Greer. But that made me a better player. The more they throw to me, the more it helps mold me into the player I need to be."
"He has handled it real well," defensive backfield coach Larry Slade said. "Jabari (Greer) and I were just talking about that. Jabari didn't get a lot of balls thrown at him. Jason got a lot thrown at him and he acquitted himself quite well."
Last year, Tennessee's complex coverage schemes were as puzzling to Allen as the BCS ratings formula. But it all started making sense on that warm night in Alabama.
"I felt more comfortable out there (at Alabama)," Allen said. "I felt more relaxed and confident. Georgia was my first start the week before and it wasn't one of my best games because I was really tense and nervous. After that, I got in the groove a little more."
"He understands what to do," Slade said. "In the past I think he sort of thought too much. He spent too much time trying to figure things out and that slowed him down.
A challenge from Clemson
Allen is still facing a daunting final season exam, against Clemson at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Jan. 2 in Atlanta. Initial studies of the Tigers' explosive receivers left Tennessee defensive coaches wondering if someone had accidentally slipped a St. Louis Rams tape in the VCR.
"They have some big, tall and fast receivers," Allen said. "That's another challenge that we need to step forward and take up. It's not every day you go against receivers like that."
But Slade is confident that Allen's progress will continue.
"I think we're getting to see what he's all about as an athlete," Slade said. "He knows what to do. He's just going out, playing and having fun."
Allen shrugs when he hears the compliments now heading at him nearly as much as opponent passes.
"I feel like I've come a long way, but I feel at the same time, I've got a long way to go to reach my potential," he said. "I just need to keep working hard and take what the coaches give me every day in practice. Then I'll get where I need to be."
--Larry Happel
