Tom Allen discusses significance of No. 11 jersey for Penn State linebackers

The No. 11 jersey is a special one at Penn State, especially for the linebackers. That’s something that new defensive coordinator Tom Allen already knows well.

Allen explained that the jersey goes back to LaVar Arrington and the standard that he set at the linebacker position. That has since been upheld through players like Micah Parsons.

“Well, you think about LaVar Arrington and the way he played and that’s kind of become the standard. Guys want to become that,” Tom Allen said. “And, obviously, Micah Parsons has been the guy that wore that number well recently. I got to see him up close and personal and was glad to see him move to the next level because he was almost unblockable.”

As Allen explained that tradition has created a standard for current players to live up to. It’s also something that you can’t force. It’s something that needs to come naturally to a program.

“And, so, I just feel like that any time you have a number like that, that has so much history and so much legacy and expectation, it’s pretty cool. It’s pretty special, and especially because when you put that number on, you better play to that standard because all those guys that wore it before you, they’re watching. There’s an expectation for them,” Allen said.

“So, I think it’s neat to have. Those are the kind of things that you can’t just, you can’t fabricate that. I can’t go, ‘Hey, we’re gonna make this number whatever.’ No, it has to be the person that initially wore it, it has to mean something. It has to be so special. There’s pride in that. I don’t even know the process that we’ve gone through here as far as that, but I know who’s worn it, and so I just think that it’s pretty awesome to be a part of a place that has that, especially at a position that has so much value.”

Right now, it’s Abdul Carter who is wearing No. 11 on the Penn State defense. He’s currently wrapping up his sophomore season. Despite being so young, he’s already put up massive numbers, with 11 career sacks, 16 tackles for loss, and 101 total tackles.

“So, the current guy wearing it, matter of fact I had a chance today to meet him in the weight room, hadn’t had a chance to talk to him, and so met him today, talked to him for a few minutes there to introduce myself to him and just comment about we had a tough time blocking him, man, so now we get to try to find creative ways to help you become unblockable,” Allen said of Carter.

“He’s a big athlete that can run and move, and I think he’s still, I think his best football is ahead of him. I really do. I believe that, and so I think he’s got a great opportunity to keep growing and developing and I’m really looking forward to doing what I mentioned to you about that time together, that one-on-one time because I think he’s the guy that has been really special, but can take his game to a higher level. I hope and expect to lead him to that place.”

Tom Allen explains why he jumped straight back into coaching after Indiana departure

There are some coaches who take time off when they lose a head coaching job. However, Tom Allen wasn’t one of them and quickly jumped into being the next defensive coordinator at Penn State.

“Well, you don’t control the clock, the timing of things. You respond as most things you do in life. I think, for me? I’m a football coach. Just love what I do. This opportunity that presented itself in this timeframe was one that I immediately had interest in. Obviously, a chance to go further into that, coach, and go through the process. For me? I really expected to get back into it once things happened as they did. Probably a little quicker than expected but, once again, that’s the part you don’t control,” Allen said.

“I just really have so much respect for this program playing them for eight straight years in our division. And, obviously, getting to know Coach [James] Franklin, what he has built here, the way he does things. I’m just super excited about that. That’s why, when it came, the opportunity presented itself? We went after it.”