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Welcome to the family, "Uncle Mark!" Honored guests Shola and Addy Franklin announced Mark Allen's signing. pic.twitter.com/Hsd7u0bd5B
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) February 5, 2014
Signing day lawn mowers 😂😂 https://t.co/Qu3tz1izX2
— MARK ALLEN (@theALLENshow) February 5, 2014
Mark Allen verbally pledged to Bill O'Brien and his staff on October 16, 2012. So he's been with us for a little while now. Mark was one of the guys I was able to stay most in touch with during the time from O'Brien's departure to Franklin's arrival. One would assume that most players would start to get a little discouraged, or even frustrated at such developments. However, Mark's attitude during the entire process was remarkably positive. He was constantly reaching out to the other commits, keeping track of their status and trying to persuade them to stay on board. Despite the uncertainty, Mark continued to show some of the attributes that make him such an ideal Nittany Lion: loyalty and perseverance.
Mark may not be the biggest guy on the field, but don't let that make you think he won't make you pay. He has a quick first step, and explodes out of the backfield if there is a hole to exploit. He has the speed to outrun defenders, and the ability to make them miss in space. For his own sake, he will need to continue bulking up so he doesn't get snapped in half by some of the massive big ten linemen, but there's no reason to think he can't do that. His height should allow him to hide behind his blockers, and keep opposing defenses from realizing he has the ball for a few extra seconds. Luckily for Penn State fans, a few extra seconds could be all Mark needs to break one for a big gain.
Starzz:
247Sports: 3 stars (#93 running back)
Rivals: 2 stars
Scout: 3 stars (#103 running back)
ESPN: 3 stars (#149 running back)
Other Links of Interest:
Mark Allen Commits to Penn State
Mark Allen on MaxPreps (high school stats)
Mark Allen's Official Penn State Football Profile
Follow Mark on Twitter at @theALLENshow.
Welcome to Penn State, Mark!
