University of Maryland football head coach Ralph Friedgen said running back Josh Allen is the type of person who doesn?t say a lot. But when he does, people listen.
Allen prefers to lead by example, and that trait is something that made last year unbearable at times for the senior, who missed all season with a knee injury. It came after he played in all 24 games the Terps had in 2003 and 2004. He has 1,860 career rushing yards and has averaged 4.8 yards per carry in 32 career games.
“I just feel great to be in camp and be like everyone else,” Allen said. “Last year was very frustrating when all I could do is sit back and only help the team vocally. It was tough not being to help on the field, especially for guys like [linebacker] D?Qwell Jackson who left school with a losing record. I?m just glad to have another year.”
Allen?s absence last year opened the door for a number of running backs to claim the starting spot. Among those was junior Lance Ball, who played in all 11 games while starting four. He finished the year third in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a team-high 903 yards on 189 carries (a 4.8 yards-per-carry average).
Junior Keon Lattimore and senior J.P Humber will compete with Allen for carries. Lattimore, who Friedgen said is running well but is fumbling too much, had 14 yards and two touchdowns on three carries in Saturday?s scrimmage. Humber finished the scrimmage with 15 yards on five carries, while Allen had five yards on four carries and one catch for 14 yards.
“I would never underestimate Josh Allen,” Friedgen said. “I don?t know if he?ll be as fast [again] because of the limitations; if you just measure things like that, then probably not. But you can?t measure what?s in a kid?s heart. The fact that he has come back as far as he did, he?s just one heck of a kid.”
Quarterback Sam Hollenbach said Allen?s presence will only improve the Terps? offense, giving them a more balanced attack as they work in a young receiving corps.
“Having Josh back is great not only for his performance on the field, but also for the leadership he provides,” Hollenbach said.
THE ALLEN FILE
Age: 23
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 215
Position: Tailback
Major: Kinesiology
Did you know? Allen rushed for 533 yards and had six touchdowns overall in 2004 … His best season came in 2003, when he totaled 922 rushing yards, 220 receiving yards and nine touchdowns … Maryland finished eighth in the 12-team ACC in 2005 by averaging 134.8 rushing yards a game.
