A little more from tight end Ferbia Allen here.
He’s thrilled to get the chance to play in a bowl game, as you might expect. While everyone enjoys the bowl game, it’s different for a guy whose career ended abruptly … or so he thought.
Allen, a senior from Pine Bluff, was the Rebels’ leader in games played (46) and starts (31) when he went down with a knee injury against Vanderbilt.
As it turned out, Allen had a slight tear of the minor knee ligament, not the major one.
“They took me in and told me it was my MCL, and they said, ‘You can come back from that if we get bowl eligible.’ I had a little bit of a shot,” he said.
That ray of hope was enough to push Allen to work even harder in his rehab.
“It helps a lot, gives you something to work for. Instead of like, ‘You’re done,’ and you’re just slowly getting through it, in the back of your mind you’re like, ‘I can actually play one more game my senior year in college.’ It helps you be dedicated and really want to work harder.”
With the loss of Jamal Mosley to grades, the tight end position becomes a little tricky against Pitt. Allen won’t be asked to do anything beyond what he’s ready to do, but his role may be a little bigger than just getting the senior a handful of plays. If he can handle more that’s a bonus for Ole Miss.
If he can’t, look for an expanded role for H.R. Greer.
Denham Springs, La., native, Mississippian since 1989 with a stop in Meridian before arriving in Tupelo. Daily Journal beat writer since 1996, covering Ole Miss since 2002. Proud Northeast Louisiana alum. Follow me on Twitter @parrishalford and listen to Kory Keys and myself daily with The Ole Miss Beat on Rebel Sports Radio.
