Sophomore Quinndon Allen is a member of the Los Angeles Romans football team’s young core. Allen has the ability to gain yards through catches and rushes as well as stop the run on defense.
In the Romans 20-26 loss to the Hawkins Hawks, Allen displayed a noteworthy effort on both sides of the ball. He made six catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns on offense; on defense, he made nine combined tackles and one interception. His efforts would earn him the Semper Fidelis Player of the Game award.
“I’m kinda like the secret weapon,” Allen said. “When they think we’re running it, we’re passing it to me.”
So far, Allen has won five Player of the Game honors this season. In the Romans 14-18 loss against Morningside, Allen made 13 carries for 121 yards and one touchdown. He also made a season-high of seven solo tackles against Arleta.
A key lesson he learned from a coach is to commit to his own personal assignment on the field.
“Worry about what I got to do, my job on the field and then other players will do their job,” Allen said. “By focusing on my job, I’m helping the team.”
Several teammates are also in classes with Allen, they rely on each other in the classroom and on the field. Allen finds this bond to be helpful.
“If you need homework, they’ll help you because sometimes you won’t understand everything,” he said. “It’s kind of like home, like you can be a family, you got trust between them because you got each other’s back.”
For Allen, being a Student Athlete means taking on more challenges and responsibilities than the average student. Football holds Allen accountable to his schoolwork, keeping him motivated to earn a high GPA. His favorite class is Algebra and Geometry because he enjoys counting money.
“You do school and then you go to football practice,” Allen said. “Then you have to do school again.”
Allen wants to become a pro football player, but his mother urged him to have a backup plan. This led him to consider studying business in college. His mother feels he would make a good lawyer.
“I always have fair judgment,” Allen said. “I always know how to state my case and make it seem like I’m right.”
Football was a sport his father instilled in Allen and his brothers; Allen’s father also played for the Los Angeles Romans.
“My older siblings, even though they give me advice, I don’t want to listen to it,” Allen said. “But at the end of the day, I’ll keep it in my mind, I am listening to it.”
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