RICHMOND, Ky. (FOX 56) – Lessons can be learned in unique ways sometimes, especially in sports.
“Everybody wants to be what they want to be but sometimes in life, you don’t get to do that my mom taught me that a long time ago,” Eastern Kentucky University head football coach Walt Wells said.
In football, the quarterback is “the guy” who gets the spotlight, but not everybody can be the quarterback.
“Really if you would have asked me three years ago I would have told you I’m not switching I’m a quarterback,” Eastern Kentucky University senior captain Dakota Allen said.
Allen was “the guy” in high school, a star quarterback in Ohio, and was recruited to EKU to play quarterback until he lost that opportunity the following year.
“Once I got injured it was pretty tough on me I’m not gonna lie, I mean I’ve never not been the guy so when I got injured and I wasn’t the guy I had to take three steps back and mature and grow up and realize that everything happens for a reason,” Allen said.
Allen lost the starting quarterback job and had to find another way to get on the field. After years of throwing passes, he decided to start catching them at tight end.
“I want the ball in my hands so going from quarterback where you have the ball every play, I had to adjust to that a little bit now I got to spring a block or do this or that without having the ball in my hand every play that was a little different but having a ton of fun,” Allen said.
The sixth-year senior did what was best for the team by becoming a difference-maker at tight end, and by sticking with the program and with the school. That is a move that means a little bit more nowadays in the era of the transfer portal.
“I think a lot of kids are lost in the portal when they don’t get to play so they just jump right in the portal and run away from competition a little bit but I’ve never been the type to do that once I start something I stick with it and go from there,” Allen said.
The 6’4″, 225-pound tight end led the Colonels with five receiving touchdowns last year, reeling in 34 catches (third most) and 440 yards (second most). He received first-team all-ASUN honors as the conference’s top tight end choice.
