Jared Cohen
Wide Receiver Devon Allen was a hot commodity already after he finished up his career at Brophy. If it’s at all possible, it grew last weekend after his 6 catches, 65 yards and a touchdown and being named one of the top five performers through the week of practices at the Semper Fidelis All-American game last week in California.
“I had a lot of fun and it was cool to compete with the other guys from around the country especially in practice,” said Allen. “Some of the west guys that I will probably be playing with depending on what school I go too…It was cool meeting all of the coaches and some of the Marines. So I had a lot of fun with that.”
Football wasn’t all that Allen experienced with the bowl game. All the players involved were put through Marine warm-ups and exercises during practices everyday which was one of the harder things Allen admitted that he’s done.
“We had to do a marine warmup,” explained Allen. “We had to do two laps, had to so some calisthenics like high knees, butt kickers and stuff. And we did what they call eight count body builders like push ups and jumping jacks for a while. It was pretty tiring, we were pretty sore afterwards.”
Allen remains one of the top players in Arizona for the 2013 class that is undecided on his college decision. His play on the field at the Semper Fi Bowl only made the coaches and fan bases of the schools still in the picture more eager to hear his decision. His recruitment was a big focus while in California last weekend. From fellow players, like Arizona friend from Mountain Pointe Kenny Lacy trying to push for UCLA or coaches in attendance to watch the game .
“I met the new coach for Arkansas, George McDonald,” mentioned Allen. “So I think I am going to take a visit there or ASU on the 18th (of January). I am taking a visit to Stanford the 11th, this weekend.”
As it stands now, UCLA is the leader followed by Florida State and Stanford. He has already visited UCLA, Oregon and Florida State and will be heading to Palo Alto for a visit to Stanford this weekend. His fifth and final visit will be the weekend of the 18th and that will be either Arkansas or Arizona State. He expects his decision to come before signing day.
One of the biggest requirements for Allen though is that he is offered in both football and also track. Allen is coming off a junior campaign where he was the state champion in the 110 meter and 300 meter hurdles and was a combined two hundreds of a second from winning state in the 100 and 200 meter dash. He also represented the country in national events as well.
So far Allen has received offers in both from UCLA and Stanford but only track and not football from Florida State and Oregon. Offers in both sports plus academics will be crucial in his final decision.
In the mean time, his senior year track season is ahead of him with Brophy. While it is very difficult to top what he has already done, he has major goals to exceed his junior year.
“My goals are to win state and compete well on a national level,” Allen mentioned. “I am trying to go for the 110 hurdle and 200 meter dash national records which is 20.14 I think for the 200 and 13.08 in the 110 hurdles. I think it can be done and I just have to get strong.”
With all this training for track and football to play compete at some of the best athletic programs in the country, Allen still finds time to get away from it all. But it still of course involves sports. Madden tournaments get pretty heated when he and his friends get together.
“We have about six guys over there competing and just playing Madden for five or six hours.”
Allen admitted that he used to create himself and make himself a seven-foot tall wide receiver with 99 level speed and though that not exactly the case in real life, there are coaches and fan bases out there that look at him as that special of a talent and want him suited up in their uniform next fall.
