Eric Allen (wide receiver) facts for kids
| Date of birth: | May 18, 1949 |
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| Place of birth: | Georgetown, South Carolina |
| Date of death: | October 27, 2015 (aged 66) |
| Place of death: | Georgetown, South Carolina |
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Career information
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| CFL status: | Import |
| Position(s): | HB/SE |
| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight: | 162 lb (73 kg) |
| College: | Michigan State |
| High school: | Howard High School |
| NFL Draft: | 1972 / Round: 4 / Pick: 104 |
| Drafted by: | Baltimore Colts |
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Organizations
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Career highlights and awards
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Career stats
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| Receptions | 130 |
| Receiving yards | 2,401 |
| Touchdowns | 16 |
Eric Benjamin Allen was an American football player. He was born on May 18, 1949, and passed away on October 27, 2015. Eric played college football for the Michigan State Spartans team. Later, he became a professional player for the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League (CFL).
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Eric Allen's College Football Days
Eric Allen graduated from Howard High School in Georgetown, South Carolina in 1968. He then went on to play college football for Michigan State University. During his time there, from 1969 to 1971, he was an amazing player. He gained over 3,000 yards by both running and passing the ball.
Setting a New Record
On October 30, 1971, Eric Allen made history. He set a new record for the NCAA in a single game. He ran for 350 yards with the ball in just 29 tries! This happened during a game where Michigan State beat Purdue 43-10. He broke the old record of 347 yards set by another great player, Ron Johnson.
Leading the Big Ten Conference
In the 1971 season, Eric Allen was a top player in the Big Ten Conference. He led the conference in several important areas. He had 1,410 rushing yards, which means he ran with the ball for that many yards. He also gained 1,769 yards from scrimmage, which includes both running and receiving.
He averaged 5.8 yards every time he ran with the ball. Eric also scored 18 touchdowns, which are points for his team. He was the first player in the Big Ten to score more than 100 points in one season. Because of his amazing performance, Eric Allen finished 10th in the voting for the Heisman Trophy in 1971. This award goes to the most outstanding player in college football.
Professional Career in the CFL
After college, Eric Allen was chosen by the Baltimore Colts in the fourth round of the 1972 NFL Draft. However, he decided to play in the Canadian Football League (CFL) instead. He joined the Toronto Argonauts.
Rookie Year Success
Eric had a fantastic first year with the Argonauts in 1972. He caught 53 passes, gaining 1,067 yards. He also scored eight touchdowns. Besides catching passes, he also ran with the ball 50 times, gaining 220 rushing yards. Eric Allen was recognized for his great play by being named to the Eastern All-Star team in both 1972 and 1973.
Later Life
Eric Allen passed away in his hometown of Georgetown, South Carolina, on October 27, 2015. He was 66 years old.
Career Statistics
Here are Eric Allen's professional football statistics:
| Receiving | Rushing | Punt returns | Kick returns | Misc | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Year | Team | GP | Rec | Yds | Avg | Long | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Long | TD | PR | Yds | Avg | Long | TD | KR | Yds | Avg | Long | TD | FUM | FR | |
| 1972 | TOR | 14 | 50 | 1,067 | 20.1 | 62 | 8 | 50 | 220 | 4.4 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 5.0 | 8 | 0 | 18 | 405 | 22.5 | 46 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1973 | TOR | 14 | 40 | 797 | 19.9 | 100 | 4 | 19 | 52 | 2.7 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 56 | 9.3 | 18 | 0 | 16 | 442 | 27.6 | 78 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |
| 1974 | TOR | 7 | 18 | 281 | 15.6 | 48 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 39 | 19.5 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1975 | TOR | 9 | 19 | 256 | 13.5 | 46 | 1 | 14 | 51 | 3.6 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 24.0 | 24 | 0 | 24 | 565 | 23.5 | 44 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 44 | 130 | 2,401 | 18.5 | 100 | 16 | 83 | 323 | 3.9 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 95 | 9.5 | 24 | 0 | 60 | 1,451 | 24.2 | 78 | 0 | 7 | 2 | ||
