2015 in review: For most of his life in sports, Allen thought he’d be a college basketball player. He was always the tallest kid in class and the best post player on his team. But in his sophomore year of football at Aurora, he began the shift from offensive line to tight end, and by his junior year, he was tough to stop, with 41 catches for 507 yards. He received a slew of offers — including from Nebraska, UCLA, Iowa State, Iowa and Central Florida — and picked the home-state Huskers. Allen proved to be a tough cover, coach Kyle Peterson said, because of his athleticism. Allen is also “charismatic,” Peterson said, and a natural leader and encourager at Aurora.
2016 outlook: If Allen plays football at all this season for Aurora, it’d be a surprise, as he tore knee cartilage during a June basketball game. Recovery time for the injury is four to six months, which means, at best, Allen is back for the Class B playoffs. If he is good to go, he will, but Peterson and Allen agreed: He has to be healthy, or it’s not worth the risk. Allen will play basketball for the Huskies if he’s healthy; he’ll have a chance at being All-Nebraska if he does. Allen may be a candidate to play early for Mike Riley’s Huskers.
