PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) - Marcus Allen met with the media on Wednesday after the Steelers’ practice to touch upon the state of the team and talk about his transition to linebacker.
Allen spent his four years at Penn State playing safety, and that’s the role he was originally selected for when the Steelers nabbed him in the fifth round of the 2018 Draft, at least on paper.
It appears that Allen’s role will be evolving in his third year in the NFL.
It’s not uncharted territory for him, though.
“I played the position in college at Penn State. Penn State used me mostly in the box. I’m kind of familiar to the position.”
Now at 215 pounds, Allen emphasized his weight training as his assignments will differ for the 2020 season, but he’s not allowing his defensive back experience to fall to the wayside.
“This offseason I was working out regularly, always in the weight room. Then I’d hit the field and do my DB drills to be honest, doing 1-on-1s and stuff like that. As far as my weight, I’m like 215.”
Allen also isn’t nervous about it not being a seamless transition.
Allen was asked on his comfort level with regard to his backfield shift: “I feel comfortable wherever they want me to play, to be honest. That linebacker role is nothing different to playing the dime role when I was at Penn State. Coming down, reading the blocks, reading pullers, setting edges, all those things. Safeties have to do that in general. In today’s football, they come down into the box and add on. So as far as that being new or anything, I wouldn’t say that it is foreign to me or anything. Just regular football.”
While Allen has college experience in the box, there’s an immediate thought that comes to mind when talking about the trade-offs.
Taking on offensive linemen is a different beast than keeping tabs on receivers and tight ends.
Allen doesn't seem concerned about any potential stumblings, though.
All it takes is a little “speed.”
Allen was quick to respond to the possibility of facing opposing trench players and his physical shortcomings against them.
How do you face that foible? “Speed.”
Those are Allen’s words, too, not mine.
Well, it was one word, but you get it.
Not only that, Allen draws inspiration from elite safeties, such as Troy Polamalu and Sean Taylor, and the Steelers of the ‘70s to channel all their hard-hitting playing styles into his own.
“All the safeties I have looked up to—Troy [Polamalu], Sean Taylor—guys like that that just give it their all. I always try to implement that into my game. When I was a kid, I always wanted to be like Troy.”
“I got Steeler history in my blood. I have been a Steeler fan my whole life. On my father’s side, I have family out here in Homewood, so I have been watching Steelers and being taught about legends since I was a kid. My father always kept me updated.”
It’s more than the history of the game.
By his own confession, Allen just enjoys hitting, too.
“That’s my game. I love hitting. I’ve been hitting since little league to be honest. As far as the physical part of it, I’m not too worried about that. I’m very excited about just being in the box to play and showcase my talents.”
All these ingredients will feed into a burgeoning role for Allen as the season unfurls, but to recap, speed and hitting hard are in Allen’s recipe for 2020 — two things he prides himself on and two things that can enhance any defense.