BTN.com staff, October 31, 2015
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Former Michigan State All-American and Big Ten MVP Eric Allen, who set then-NCAA single-game records for rushing yards (350) and all-purpose yards (397) against Purdue in 1971, died Tuesday, Oct. 27 at Tidelands Hospice in Georgetown, South Carolina. He was 66.
A three-year letterman (1969-71) and two-time team MVP (1970-71) for legendary head coach Duffy Daugherty, Allen accounted for 4,446 career all-purpose yards and 30 touchdowns. He led the Spartans in rushing and all-purpose yards as both a junior and senior.
The 5-foot-9, 161-pound Allen made significant contributions as a sophomore in 1969, finishing second on the team in rushing with 349 yards (76 attempts) and two touchdowns. He recorded the first 100-yard rushing game of his career in the season opener against Washington, gaining 113 yards on 28 carries. Allen also returned 29 kickoffs for 598 yards (20.6 avg.).
As a junior in 1970, Allen earned second-team All-Big Ten honors from the league?s head coaches after leading the team in scoring (10 TDs/60 points) and all-purpose yards (1,511). He rushed 186 times for 811 yards (4.3 avg.) and eight TDs. Allen produced five 100-yard rushing games, including a season-high 156 yards (23 carries) at Michigan. He eclipsed the 100-yard mark in each of the last four games: vs. Indiana (24-102), Purdue (28-121), Minnesota (31-142) and Northwestern (32-108). Allen also caught 10 passes for 125 yards (12.5 avg.) and two scores and returned 24 kickoffs for 549 yards (22.9 avg.).
As a senior co-captain in 1971, the 5-foot-9, 161-pound Allen broke two NCAA, four conference and nine school records en route to being presented the Chicago Tribune Silver Football award as the Big Ten?s most valuable player and selected first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). He finished 10th in balloting for the Heisman Trophy. Overall, he led the Big Ten in rushing (1,494 yards), rushing TDs (18) and scoring (110 points), becoming the first player in league history to crack the 100-point milestone. His 1,283 rushing yards against Big Ten opponents also set a league single-season record. Allen ranked among the NCAA Top 10 in rushing TDs (tied for fifth with 18), yards from scrimmage (fifth with 1,769) and rushing yards (sixth with 1,494). He ranked second on the team with 18 receptions for 275 yards (15.3 avg.) and returned nine kickoffs for 193 yards (21.4 avg.). Allen accounted for a then-MSU record 1,962 all-purpose yards as a senior.
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