Eric Allen (wide receiver)

{{Short description|American gridiron football player (1949–2015)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox CFL player

|name=Eric Allen

|image=

|caption=

|status=

|import=yes

|position1=halfback

|position2=split end

|birth_date={{birth date|1949|5|18}}

|birth_place=Georgetown, South Carolina, U.S.

|death_date={{death date and age|2015|10|27|1949|5|18}}

|death_place=Georgetown, South Carolina, U.S.

|Height_ft=5

|Height_in=10

|Weight_lbs=162

|high_school=Howard High School

|College=Michigan State

|playing_years1={{CFL Year|1972}}–{{CFL Year|1975}}

|playing_team1=Toronto Argonauts

|NFLDraftedYear = 1972

|NFLDraftedRound = 4

|NFLDraftedPick = 104

|NFLDraftedTeam = Baltimore Colts

|statseason=

|statlabel1=Receptions

|statvalue1=130

|statlabel2=Receiving yards

|statvalue2=2,401

|statlabel3=Touchdowns

|statvalue3=16

|CFL=

|career_highlights=

• Eastern All-Star team (1972, 1973)
• First-team All-American (1971)
• Chicago Tribune Silver Football (1971)
• First-team All-Big Ten (1971)
• Second-team All-Big Ten (1970)

}}

Eric Benjamin Allen (May 18, 1949 – October 27, 2015) was an American gridiron football player. He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans football team from 1969 to 1971 and professional football for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 1972 to 1975.{{cite web|title=Eric Allen|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|access-date=October 31, 2015|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/eric-allen-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120213240/http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/eric-allen-1.html|archive-date=November 20, 2015}}{{cite web|title=Eric Allen|publisher=cflapeda|access-date=October 31, 2015|url=http://www.cflapedia.com/Players/a/allen_eric.htm}}

A 1968 graduate of Howard High School in Georgetown, South Carolina,{{cite web|url=http://www.southstrandnews.com/article/20151030/GTT11/151039998/0/crews-begin-pickup-of-flood-debris|title=Georgetown sports legend Eric Allen dead at 66|access-date=2015-10-31|archive-date=2016-06-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625071329/http://www.southstrandnews.com/article/20151030/GTT11/151039998/0/crews-begin-pickup-of-flood-debris|url-status=dead}} Allen gained over 3,000 combined rushing and passing yards for Michigan State. On October 30, 1971, Allen set an NCAA single-game record with 350 rushing yards on 29 carries in a 43-10 win over Purdue. He broke the prior record of 347 yards set by Ron Johnson of Michigan in 1968.{{cite news|title=Boilers Lose 43-10; Eric Allen Sets Record|newspaper=Pharos Tribune & Press|date=October 31, 1971|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/3893308/?terms=%22eric%2BAllen%22%2Bmichigan%2Bpurdue%2B350}} During the 1971 season, Allen led the Big Ten Conference in both rushing yardage (1,410), yards from scrimmage (1,769), rushing yards per carry (5.8), and touchdowns (18). He was the first Big Ten player to score more than 100 points in a season. Allen finished 10th in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1971.{{cite news|title=Former Michigan State RB Eric Allen, Heisman candidate, dies at 66|work=ESPN.com|date=October 2015|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/14014246/former-michigan-state-star-eric-allen-dies-66}}

Allen was drafted by the Baltimore Colts in the fourth round of the 1972 NFL draft, but did not sign and played in the CFL for the Toronto Argonauts.{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2205&dat=19711030&id=8ecmAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_QIGAAAAIBAJ&pg=655,3658191|title=Baltimore Afro-American - Google News Archive Search}} During his rookie year with the Argonauts, he caught 53 passes for 1,067 yards and eight touchdowns. He also gained 220 rushing yards on 50 carries during the 1972 season.

Allen died in hospice care at his hometown on October 27, 2015.{{cite web|url=http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2015/10/30/former-michigan-state-football-star-eric-allen-dies-at-66/|title=Former Michigan State Football Star Eric Allen Dies At 66}}