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 Making the switch K-State's kick return specialist to line up at running back
Posted: Wednesday April 14, 1999 10:17 PM
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) -- The best kick returner in the NCAA is doing a very sensible thing. He's switching to full-time running back, where he'll get his hands on the ball 15-20 times a game instead of five or six. Kansas State's David Allen isn't even worried about the quarterback rivalry between Adam Helm and Jonathan Beasley. "I really don't care as long as they hand me the ball," he said. The Wildcats, 11-2 last year, will be recuperating from the loss of eight offensive starters, including quarterback Michael Bishop and Eric Hickson, their all-time leading rusher. "A lot of veterans are gone and somebody has to step up," Allen said this week during a break in spring drills. "Hopefully, I can be the man to continue a great tradition of running backs. I just want to establish myself as a running back at the college level and continue my success at punt returns." Allen led the nation in punt returns with a 22.1-yard average and tied an NCAA record with four touchdown returns. He also set the Kansas State career punt return record with 1,133 yards and became the only player in NCAA history to return punts for touchdowns in three consecutive games. He also tied an NCAA record with four punt returns for touchdowns and holds the Big 12 and Kansas State records with five career punt returns for touchdowns. "As far as punt returns, that comes natural," Allen said. "When I'm out there, I just let it happen. You don't know what your going to do out there. What happens, happens." Allen could get plenty of competition for the No. 1 running back spot from Frank Murphy, unless Murphy is moved to wide receiver. "It will be very competitive between he and Frank. Extremely competitive" said coach Bill Snyder. "Each one of them will see their opportunities as the No. 1 guy. I'm not overly concerned about running back." Last year, with Hickson taking more of the load, Allen carried just 31 times for 177 yards in the regular season. "I'm really excited about this year, because now, at tailback, I get more of an opportunity to play and see what I can do there," he said. "So I will work on that. Last year was tough, and this year is going to be good for us. I'm really excited to see what happens." In the 37-34 loss to Purdue in the Alamo Bowl, Allen sparked the Wildcat offense with 83 yards on 13 carries and picked up his only rushing TD of the year. "I had to get it done in some way," he said. "I had to keep us in it. That game kind of got me started this year. It helped me to accomplish some of my goals at running back." Allen will start at a position that's been a strength for the Wildcats in recent years, and one that's kept them rewriting the record book. In the past four years, Kansas State has had three all-time leading rushers. The record was broken first by J.J. Smith in 1994, then by Mike Lawrence in 1997, and then by Hickson in 1998. "It seems like every year for the past four or five years we have lost the leading rusher in the history of Kansas State football," said Snyder. "We are going to run out of leading rushers. I understand that, but I have faith with the two young guys that we have now."
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