Sometimes, all one can do is marvel at the talent Nick Saban signed to Alabama in 2017.
The playmakers on offense, which includes Tua Tagovailoa, Najee Harris, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III and DeVonta Smith, have all been thoroughly documented. Mac Jones also came in the 2017 recruiting class and he has been exceptional through two games.
In terms of the defensive talents, the conversation tends to hover around Dylan Moses, LaBryan Ray and now Daniel Wright.
When he first arrived from Baton Rouge, La., Christopher Allen was someone on a mission to be great. After leading the defense of Southern Lab High School to two state championship games in 2015 and 2016 — including a Louisiana Division IV State Championship in 2016 — the former four-star chose Alabama over LSU.
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Listed at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, Allen had the size, toughness, leverage and pass rush ability to be an outside linebacker.
However, he always played defensive end in high school and was never taught how to be a stand up edge rusher. He had some success at Alabama in 2017, collecting six tackles, one tackle for loss, two quarterback hurries and one forced fumble through seven games. Allen did not see the field during the College Football Playoff, but he did watch Tagovailoa come off the bench against Georgia and lead the Crimson Tide to a 26-23 comeback win at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for a national championship.
Alabama’s coaching staff, players and the local media all had Allen penciled in for a monster sophomore year. He dominated spring practice in 2018, unfortunately he would suffer a setback before August camp.
Allen sustained a serious knee injury in the summer and ended up missing the entire season.
Despite totaling 11 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries last year, it seemed as though Allen lost a step in his initial quickness from the injury.
His burst returned this year in fall camp, but his veteran leadership took center stage prior to it.
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Pete Golding, Alabama’s defensive coordinator, spoke on how Allen has become a coach on the field and how his knowledge inspires the young players to want to learn. He locked in throughout preseason camp and earned the starting job at strong-side “SAM” linebacker, opposite William Anderson. Through two games, Allen has been stuffing running backs, pressuring quarterbacks and playing with a lot of confidence.
He has five total tackles, one tackle for loss and one quarterback pressure.
According to Saban, it is the knowledge and experience that has improved the most for Allen.
*Coach Saban speaks on Chris Allen at 12:05 mark
“I think a lot of guys that we recruit to play outside linebacker didn’t really stand up and play in high school,” Saban said. “So, they played with their hand in the dirt because they were bigger than everybody else. It is kind of work in progress when you make them stand up players, and Chris (Allen) is now much more confident in what he is supposed to do. I think he is more confident seeing the game from a different perspective. He has always played hard, he’s very physical, he plays with toughness and he does have some pass rush ability. So, to be able to apply those things in games with confidence, I think that is probably the No. 1 thing that has helped him play well.”
Should the Tide faces the Rebels on Saturday, depending on the situation with Hurricane Delta, Allen is ready to generate major pressure on Matt Corral at quarterback.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
