The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1456098
MARCH/APRIL 2022 ■ 35 Word can sometimes travel fast in a local community, and such was the case for On3 Consensus four-star running back Michael Allen. The NC State signee from J.H. Rose High in Greenville, N.C., first started gar- nering the attention of the Rose coaches before he was even playing football. Head coach Will Bland was an assistant at that time, and Allen's athletic exploits were making waves. "We heard about him when he was in Pop Warner, during baseball, how good an athlete he was," Bland recalled. "Then he started playing football when he was in seventh grade. He just acquired all his skill after that." Allen's athleticism can be formally verified. At the Stack Sports Regional Showcase in Virginia Beach a year ago, Allen checked in at 5-9, 203 pounds and posted a laser time of 4.48 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He also had an impressive 39.8 vertical leap. Combined, all of his measurables gave Allen a rating of 111.30. Anything above 100 is considered elite. That athleticism quickly paid dividends for Rose football. "When he was just a freshman and I was an assistant, it was clear how special he was," Bland stated. "We were pretty good back then, but when he got into the game, he changed the dynamics of the whole game. "He's a very special kid." Allen is also a winner. He helped lead the Rose baseball team to a state title in the summer of 2021, which he admits was a bittersweet moment. There was a time where Allen — who can often be seen sporting a MLB hat, like when he showed up at NC State's Alpha Wolf Showcase in July wearing the old-school Cleveland Indians cap just after the organization changed its nickname to the Guard- ians — wanted to play both sports in college. "With that probably being my last year playing baseball, that was big," Allen reflected. In football, Allen helped Rose make a surprising run to the 4-A state title game his senior year after it started 0-3 and was 6-4 at the end of the regular season. What impressed Bland is how unselfish his star player was will- ing to be. Allen shared playmaking duties throughout the fall, carrying 158 times for 1,169 yards and 18 touchdowns while also hauling in 43 catches for 643 yards and eight scores. Bland is convinced that Allen will prove to be an all-purpose back at the collegiate level for NC State. "His hands are unbelievable," Bland noted. "Not only can he run between the tackles, but he has great hands out of the backfield. He doesn't drop many balls. You can turn him out wide and use him at wide receiver, kind of like USC used to use [former Heisman Trophy winner] Reggie Bush. "Line him up out wide and get him on linebackers. We try to find the mis- match out on the field and exploit that to the best of our benefit." What may surprise people is how physical Allen can be. "He's a big boy," Bland said. "We had to get him to be aware of that, 'Hey buddy, you are bigger than most people.' Not only is he faster, he can run over people, too." Bland added that if Allen can stay healthy, he anticipates the newcomer will develop into a big-time playmaker for the Wolfpack. "He's a phenomenal athlete," Allen said. "He's going to be a hell of a player at NC State. He's just an all-around guy, unselfish." — Matt Carter Michael Allen Is An Athletic, Dynamic Running Back Allen is listed by the On3 Consensus, an industry-generated average that equally weighs all four major recruiting services, as the nation's No. 25 running back and No. 330 overall prospect. PHOTO COURTESY ON3.COM S I G N E E S P O T L I G H T