Pierre Allen article

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

OWH

 

Published Friday October 31, 2008

Allen faced heavy load, heavy heart

BY RICH KAIPUST

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

 

LINCOLN — Pierre Allen started the Nebraska football season with a good grasp on what looked to be an uncomplicated situation.

 

Allen would be spelling Barry Turner at defensive end, and sometimes Zach Potter, and playing significantly more than his redshirt freshman season. The work would help set up Allen to start and thrive next season as a junior.

 

That was two months ago, though.

 

Before Turner was lost for the season on Sept. 6. Before Allen took that Oct. 8 phone call telling him his sister had died.

 

"I think you've seen that Pierre's grown through all that's happened," Potter said. "He's handled it all great."

 

Allen has started the Huskers' past six games and been one of the team's leading tacklers. The sophomore played at Texas Tech three days after the death of Tanisha Jenkins, and at Iowa State two days after returning from Denver for her funeral.

 

"That was a difficult, difficult week for Pierre," NU defensive coordinator Carl Pelini said. "We just said, 'Do what you've got to do.' We just care about him. I think he knew that, and I know he appreciated it."

 

In a season already seemingly at warp speed, those two games were kind of a blur to Allen. He was very close to Jenkins, 23, who had suffered from epilepsy and seizures much of her life.

 

"Everybody loved her," Allen said. "She had problems all her life, but she was a fighter. She fought hard all her life. The 23 years she was here, she fought. God called her home for a reason."

 

Allen said the NU staff told him he could skip practice the day he found out about his sister, but he chose to participate. He traveled with the Huskers to Texas Tech — admittedly struggling with what had happened — and returned home the following Tuesday.

 

"She was so proud of me," Allen said. "She was so proud of my academic achievements, my athletic achievements. She was always talking about football. This is something she always wanted me to do."

 

Potter said Pelini had told the Huskers what had happened, a punch in the gut and some perspective for a team that had spent the previous days thinking bad news was the lopsided loss to Missouri. Allen mostly kept his emotions to himself, per his usual demeanor.

 

"You could tell he was hurting, but he came in and was just businesslike," Potter said. "You lose somebody as close as she was to him, anybody's going to be down. But I think the guys rallied around him really well."

 

Allen forced a fumble and made two tackles at Iowa State. The 6-foot-5, 265-pounder then came back strong last Saturday against Baylor with three tackles and a crushing blindside sack of Bears quarterback Robert Griffin.

 

Allen is at 34 tackles for the season, tied for third among Big 12 defensive linemen. A good chunk have been the result of Allen taking over for Turner after the senior broke a bone in his leg against San Jose State.

 

NU assistant coach John Papuchis said Allen understood the change in his importance, but said the staff already considered him a "third starter" at defensive end before Turner was injured.

 

"In the locker room after the game, he (Papuchis) just said, 'You know what time it is now,' " Allen said. "By him saying that, I already knew what he meant. I had big shoes to fill, time to step up and let's go."

 

The increased workload likely has hastened the development of the former high school football and basketball star. Allen had gotten enough time as a redshirt freshman that he felt ready for it.

 

"The more he plays and the more experience he gets, the more productive he's becoming," Papuchis said. "He does a great job in his fundamentals, and he's able to carry those over to the game. That's why he's having the success he's having."

 

Allen said Papuchis and Carl Pelini are huge on fundamentals. Stepping with the right foot. Using the hands a certain way.

 

"When the new staff came in I learned so much in the spring," Allen said. "It was almost like I didn't know anything when they got here. Now I consider myself to be one of the smarter football players as far as noticing things."

 

What Allen is just now noticing is that this season is getting away from him. So much has happened. Another Top 10 team is waiting Saturday night at Oklahoma.

 

"You don't even realize it's going fast until you look at the schedule and just see, 'Oh, wow, we got four games left,' " Allen said. "But I'm enjoying it while it's lasting."

[admo]

Great stuff. I feel bad for him. However, he is doing a solid job so far. Two more years with Big Daddy holding down the end spot. Should only get better with each game.

 

Tear 'em up, PA #95!