Reliability Has Its Rewards For Senior Strong Safety
9/3/2008 8:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 3, 2008
By Rose DiPaula, Athletics Media Relations Staff
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - There are certain traits in an athlete that are important for success. Two of those are patience and dependability. After three years of waiting for his chance to prove himself in the spotlight, University of Maryland football player Jeff Allen has developed into a model of reliability.
With three seasons of modest playing time in the Terps defensive backfield under his belt, Allen has demonstrated that he is more than ready for his spot at the top of the defensive depth chart. "It feels great. It's been a long, long journey, but it feels great right now," Allen said. "I'm so happy that I'm at the top right now."
Allen's opportunity to start at strong safety in this, his senior season, has not come without hard work behind the scenes and out of the spotlight.
"The last three years I've worked on special teams and put in a lot of hard work. I've just been trying to move up the depth chart and show the coaches that I know the position," Allen said. "Now they trust me and I'm really glad about that. I knew this was coming. I was like, `my senior year I have to work harder. It's my turn now.'"
He is a three-year recipient of the Iron Terp award, which is bestowed upon Maryland football players who train incredibly well and consistently for their respective weight classes. Allen credits his rise up the depth chart to his hard, consistent work in the weight room.
"They do it by how much you weigh and how much you lift," Allen said. "Since I started here I've been lifting well for my weight. I'm really proud of [Iron Terp awards] because it shows the coaches that you're a hard worker."
Allen came to Maryland three years ago from Woodbridge, Va., after graduating from Damascus High School. He immediately saw playing time as a true freshman on special teams and recorded eight tackles, four of them solo. After playing safety and tailback in high school, he came to College Park to concentrate on the former.
Allen began to see playing time at defensive back during his sophomore season, but continued to play mostly on special teams. He nabbed 12 total tackles on the year, with eight of them coming unassisted.
Last season, Allen's junior year, he saw time as a safety reserve and posted 28 tackles, more than tripling his total from the previous season. He also saw increased playing time on special teams, as he played on all four special teams units.
"He played some last year and made some nice plays," Maryland secondary coach Kevin Lempa said. "Now it's his opportunity and he's taken over since January as the starting strong safety. He's worked extremely hard and he's had a really good preseason camp. I expect great things out of him."
But even though he now starts in the Terps secondary, Allen has not forgotten what got him there.
"I still love special teams," he said. "I'm still on special teams and that's what got me here now."
During his first three years at Maryland, Allen was not surrounded by the same consistency that he, himself, brought into the locker room. Two secondary coaches came and went in his first two seasons, until Lempa took over last year. Since then, the two have developed mutual respect for one another.
"With Coach Lempa, it's stable. You know he's going to be here," Allen said. "I'm glad to have him two years in a row. He's a good coach and I like being with him. He's really laid back and he tells you what you need to know. He doesn't yell at you; he keeps you up."
But Lempa insists that Allen is the one who brings the consistency to the program. The coach described an off-season mock draft within the team, stating that Allen was the first defensive back selected.
"That stuck out in my mind that this is a kid you can depend on," Lempa said. "Everything I've seen since then, he is the most consistent, most dependable young man I've ever been around. You can count on this kid. If I had a business, he'd be my first hire."
With his reliability over his Maryland career, Allen has proven that hard work and persistence can eventually get you to the top, even to No. 1 on the depth chart.
