Allen prefers pros to Dogs
When Asher Allen announced he was skipping his senior season at Georgia with thoughts of becoming a top pick at defensive back in the April NFL draft, folks rolled their eyes. He spent much of last season playing with a broken hand. His junior season was inferior to his previous one, including zero interceptions.
Then along came Allen’s time on Tuesday in Indianapolis during the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine.
Not good. “I ran a 4.47. That’s the time the NFL Network gave me, and, wow. That’s the slowest I’ve ever run in my life” said Allen, a former Tucker High School star, who nevertheless is on the verge of something good. He also knows as much, which is why he added, “After seeing myself [at the combine] with these other guys, I feel a tad bit better, actually, with my decision to make this jump.”
In other words, this strikingly bright owner of charisma and politeness isn’t exactly agonizing over missing another crack at Florida next season. Trust me. Better yet, trust the smile on your face after you study the whole package that is Allen. Simply put, he is an astute decision away by some NFL team of becoming a 5-foot-9, 194-pound steal for so many reasons.
Allen did the right thing by bolting Georgia early. That other stuff doesn’t matter, beginning with this: He is considered the other guy not named Matthew Stafford or Knowshon Moreno among the latest Bulldogs leaving before the end of their eligibility in search of barking their way into NFL fame.
“I’ve read stuff on the Internet where people have said I’d go in the third round, fourth round, 10th round,” Allen said. “I find it really funny. You mean to tell me that if I go in the fourth round, there are [96] players better than me, and probably 20 corners better? Nah, I don’t really see it.”
Neither should you or anybody else with a draft pick or a brain. For one, Allen is swifter than what he showed this week. “All the corners weren’t running what they were capable of running,” said Deion Sanders during the NFL Network telecast of Tuesday’s session, with Ohio State’s celebrated Malcolm Jenkins even clocking a miserable 4.55.
For another, Allen has splendid skills as a kick returner to complement his physical play at corner.
Here’s the big thing, though: During an era when a slew of NFL players are taking more mug shots than publicity shots, Allen is the perfect son — literally. “My wife and I were just talking about this, that Asher has never given us a bit of trouble his entire life, and I’m serious,” said Greg Allen, the proud father, whose son replaced the baggy pants and mumbled voices of many during interview sessions at the combine with a business suit and eye contact.
Said the younger Allen, laughing, “I probably broke every hand I shook. Once they got to see me and know me and respond to their questions in an intelligent way, they liked me.”
They had no choice.
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63 comments Add your comment
dylan
February 25th, 2009
3:05 pm
you are a clown
Forrest
February 25th, 2009
3:07 pm
Stupid is as stupid does.
Forrest
February 25th, 2009
3:09 pm
I can run faster then him. I can run like the wind blows.
Maddog
February 25th, 2009
3:14 pm
I’m sure Asher has his reasons, and until circumstances prove him otherwise, I support his decision.
Just think back a couple of years ago with Danny Ware. Fewer and fewer touches each season and Brown and Moreno projected to dominate the touches the following season. Ware bolted for the NFL. I, like most, scoffed at his decision. That is, of course, until he was being measured for a Super Bowl ring after the Giants upset the Patriots.
I know, I know, he may not ever turn out to be a great running back, however, would he have truly helped himself for the pros had he stayed another year at UGA? Even the most cynical person would answer “no”?
Asher, best of luck to you.
Bow Wow
February 25th, 2009
3:45 pm
Allen, polite and soft spoken? I don’t think so. The Allen I remember was a hot dog who led the world in penalties and did a victory dance after giving up big chunks of yardage. Terrence must be writing about someone else.
MikeJ
February 25th, 2009
3:54 pm
Fix your font. Its so easy a 3rd grader could do it.
Jackson
February 25th, 2009
3:58 pm
I wish the AJC would cut expenses by dumping Terrance Moore. He is always taking negative shots at UGA and any coach or GM that isn’t black.
spotts
February 25th, 2009
4:16 pm
Isn’t this headline about 2 months old?
dylan
February 25th, 2009
4:36 pm
Asher was good. Not great. I don’t remember him being that much of “splendid” kick returner, Prince Miller was much better, providing only highlight in the Bama game. And if he is so “splendid” as a kick returner why was Logan Gray the primary punt returner?
Not a Dawg fan
February 25th, 2009
4:41 pm
Hmm, he measured in at 5′9, 194 and only has 3 INTs in 24 starts. 4.47 was his unofficial time. He was slower than that in his official. He’ll be a second day choice in April’s draft. Good for him. Gotta bail on a sinking ship. 8-4 next year for the folks in Athens. And the whining begins…
Hillbilly Deluxe
February 25th, 2009
5:31 pm
Could you possibly make the font on your article a tad larger?
mojoman
February 25th, 2009
6:40 pm
Damn Good Dawg. Thanks Asher and Good Luck.
tz
February 25th, 2009
7:31 pm
Is definitely not a GREAT kick returner…Average at best…Probably going fifth or sixth round…Supremely stupid for coming out early…Another dumb #@$# column by the hack Terence Moore…
Lake Country
February 25th, 2009
7:51 pm
I would feel like the biggest idiot in the world if I continued to read a column only to put down the guy who writes it. If you don’t like it don’t read it!
Ken Stallings
February 25th, 2009
7:57 pm
It really is tedious to read the same people posting racist and insulting responses to every Terence Moore column.
Brandon
February 25th, 2009
8:21 pm
Mr. Moore, how is it a good choice when a college student drops out of college?
Cheaters
February 25th, 2009
8:51 pm
I think Allen cheated. How can he leave early for the NFL when every other player can’t? Some players will actually have to return for their senior season. It just isn’t fair. I wonder if Allen took any performance enhancers to get that 40 time. Oh and there is a reason that he ran his slowest time at the combine. It’s the only accurate measure he has ever had.
gp295
February 25th, 2009
8:51 pm
Should make a good pro player coming from the sec going against the best wide out in college.
President of Matt Diaz Fan Club
February 25th, 2009
8:53 pm
Terrence – I know my observation is redundant, but man, people really do release their passive aggressive racist feeling on this blog. How sad; for them!
President of Matt Diaz Fan Club
February 25th, 2009
8:54 pm
feeling(s) – my bad. The (s) is important.
Cheaters
February 25th, 2009
8:58 pm
The entire uga team cheats having an indoor pracitce facility. Not all schools can afford that for their players. If Allen benefitted from it, then he should not be allowed to profit from football. He, Stafford, and Moreno should have to return because of this cheating.
heeldawg
February 25th, 2009
9:01 pm
Asher is indeed a polite, intelligent, well-spoken young man who would do well in any arena he elects to compete in. My only regrets are that he could have been an even higher draft pick next season (after what would likely have been an All-SEC year) and that he really should have completed his college education to prepare himself for life after football.
And for all of you Georgia detractors predicting a horrible (i.e. 8-4) record for the Dawgs next season, consider this: Tech went 9-3 and it was considered an amazing season. For Georgia, 8-4 is considered a disaster.
Only one such “disaster” on Coach Richt’s watch, and that was a long, long time ago. This Georgia team will be better than last year’s. They may not win the MNC or the SEC, but they will be a better team than the star-studded collection of players whose minds were already on the NFL last season. This bunch will be hungry. They’ll be ready. They’ll hit you in the mouth.
Enjoy your hour in the sun, Jacket fans. It ends next November.
Cuz
February 25th, 2009
9:05 pm
Did Mark Richt sneak in that indoor practice facility when no one was looking?
Cheaters
February 25th, 2009
9:07 pm
Umm, this year would be a “disaster” for uga. From preseason national champs to second in the state. Then Corky, Slowshon and allen left to not repeat high expectations with terrible results.
Johnny DangerDawg
February 25th, 2009
9:36 pm
Terence, you said some nice things about Asher, but you gave no explanation as to why he was better off leaving now instead of next year.
bairet
February 25th, 2009
10:34 pm
Over the past three years I’ve gotten to know Asher well. There are many things about him that the public doesn’t know like that he’s a devoted Jehovah’s Witness. His actions off the field are admirable and he will serve an NFL team well.
ThaDawgdude
February 25th, 2009
10:37 pm
I don’t think its necessary to read every article by Mr. Moore then take shots at him. However, after reading a lot of these articles without personal comment I will say this- out of the established writers here at the AJC Mr. Moore is the least professional in his approach to covering these schools, athletes, and coaches.
He does seem to take a more negative stance towards UGA in particular, especially football. He gives negative connotation to his titles to grab peoples attention. The thing I wonder is whether it is sort of an understanding with the AJC that he takes this stance to sort of counter the general favoritism of the other writers, or if it’s to generate more of a following to compensate for his less than professional writing skills. Personally I believe that UGA followers are going to read this stuff no matter who writes it. I know I do.
Now I’m not saying that Mr. Moore is some horrible writer by any means. I am by no means a titled professional and he by all means is. Some of his material is nice and gets the point across well. I just don’t think that most of his material is very well written. For instance, “Allen did the right thing by bolting Georgia early. That other stuff doesn’t matter, beginning with this: He is considered the other guy not named Matthew Stafford or Knowshon Moreno among the latest Bulldogs leaving before the end of their eligibility in search of barking their way into NFL fame.”, this is very awkward writing and leaves me wondering what it is exactly that he is getting at. This statement is just kind of something that started as a point but faded into a run on sentence that never went anywhere. I find it hard to believe that someone with a literary educational background would write something like this. I mean honestly, I can easily write better than this and my degree is science related.
Just my thoughts. I hope Mr. Moore will improve the quality of his work so that the purpose of his material doesn’t get lost in the criticism.
meansonny
February 25th, 2009
10:45 pm
Terrence… good topic. I don’t agree with your assessment.
Your quote, “He is considered the other guy not named Matthew Stafford or Knowshon Moreno among the latest Bulldogs leaving before the end of their eligibility in search of barking their way into NFL fame.”
The problem with that comment is that Asher isn’t even being considered right now. No media is noticing him.
I knew his freshman year talent that he’d be in the NFL. But I don’t think he has “earned it”, yet. He’s got more to prove before he cracks an NFL squad. I’m afraid that he might be a practice squad guy before he’s going to figure out what he needs to do to maximize his natural gifts for the NFL.
I wish him the best. I doubt that it was the right decision in terms of a 1st contract signing bonus (for some players, that’s their only signing bonus). But maybe in his heart and for his family, he feels this is the time.
Cleatus
February 25th, 2009
11:24 pm
Allen will be ok. Look at how he only missed tackles of Roddy Jones. I mean Jones is ok but not great enough for Allen to need to tackle him.
Billy Ellison
February 26th, 2009
1:22 am
Sure, if an NFL team needs a minium of two interference calls against them per game, then Allen’s their man!
Billy Ellison
February 26th, 2009
1:24 am
Sure, if an NFL team needs at least two interferen calls against them per game, then Allen’s their man!
Mac
February 26th, 2009
8:27 am
It doesn’t matter if the “media notices him.” If teams do, and they like what they see, he’ll be OK. At worst he’ll end up with a few hundred thousand dollars and three years of a college for free. That’s not bad and the upside is much better. Allen made a sound choice.
UnderDog
February 26th, 2009
8:28 am
Go hang yourself.
Mac
February 26th, 2009
8:29 am
And, I don’t know about the others here, but a few hundred thousand dollars would be a godsend for me and my family.
hop
February 26th, 2009
8:35 am
it is without question that ashley would have improved his draft status if he had stayed another year,but he elected to pursue a career with the nfl now.
we wish him well and appreciate his efforts while at uga.
as far as why, this buffoon writer wrote this type article is beyond.
me.
how can anyone explain the reasoning for what this guy writes. other than, this guy is goofy!
Too Easy
February 26th, 2009
8:40 am
Stupid headline. I thought we had a deal that you would quit writing about UGA, and I would quit reading your articles. You broke the deal first, and I was sucked in.
Knuckle Sandwich
February 26th, 2009
8:56 am
Yeah Terrence, it was a truly enlightened decision to leave early after a poor year with no picks. He will go undrafted. By the way, thanks for losing us Ken Griffey Jr., you clown.
MikeJ
February 26th, 2009
9:01 am
Why would you promote dropping out of college to young athletes?? You and your editor should be ashamed of yourself.
cursive
February 26th, 2009
9:26 am
Good for him, and I’m glad that he is a respectable, polite young man. I wish him luck, and I am glad that he left to open up room for what should be a very talented secondary.
Terence Moore
February 26th, 2009
10:31 am
MikeJ,
I once was a hardliner on this subject, but now I’m of the mindset that, if a young athlete wants to leave college, he should leave. If you force him to stay, he’s not going to be motivated to study anyway.
Asher is a smart guy. So, he’ll return someday to get his degree.
dylan
February 26th, 2009
11:04 am
yea right
dylan
February 26th, 2009
11:05 am
maybe you should return to school and learn how to be a journalist. you friggin clown
Kyle
February 26th, 2009
11:36 am
What shoes was Allen wearing Terence? If he had nice Nikes or UnderArmours then perhaps you should see how he paid for them and accuse him of cheating for using a shoe that allows him to distort his 40 time. Right, Terence?
study?
February 26th, 2009
11:37 am
You really think he has to study at uga to pass as a football player?
GERALD S
February 26th, 2009
12:07 pm
you just wrote a nice positive story about a good young man with a very negative headline! please do better if you can!!
reservoirDAWG
February 26th, 2009
2:09 pm
That’s the problem Gerald, Terry can’t do better.
William
February 26th, 2009
3:26 pm
Terence,
The times of Malcolm Jenkins and Asher Allen, along with those of pretty much every athlete in the draft, are slower than their previous times because of the way 40 times are done at the combine.
In college and in high school, they are usually hand clocked, which means that there is roughly a one-tenth to .15 second delay on starting and stopping. At the NFL combine, the clock automatically starts and stops as soon as the player starts in movement from the line.
Jim Love
February 26th, 2009
4:26 pm
To Not a Dawg Fan,
8-4 for the dawgs the next few years? UGA hasn’t won less than 10 games in a season for 6 or 7 years in a row. The talent pool isn’t drying up.
JP
February 26th, 2009
5:24 pm
God help us. Just when I thought Terrance Moore couldn’t get any worse, he posts this drivel.
I wish Allen the best, but this was a stupid decision by an arrogant child. He’ll be a mediocre DB in the NFL at best….
Williams
February 26th, 2009
6:16 pm
I bleed Red & Black. With that being said I think it was a mistake for Allen to leave. He clearly was our best corner last season, but I never saw him as a player that should leave early. One thing I’d like to comment on is the idea that he was a “splendid kick returner”. I strongly disagree with that idea. He had some good returns here and there, but I wouldn’t say he was “splendid”. Keep in mind, this is coming from somebody that absolutely LOVES the Bulldogs and supports every single player and part of the program as much as possible. I just simply disagree with the idea that he was “splendid”. IMO, to leave early, you should have a VERY pressing financial need or you need to clearly be ready to go to the next level and made an impact. I don’t think one should leave early just to be in the league. Take Javaris Crittenton for example, he left GT after one year and he’s already played for THREE different teams in his young career. I HOPE that Allen makes it big, heck I hope he’s a first rounder, but if you ask for my honest opinion I don’t think he made the right choice. He’s a heck of a corner that would have benefited from a senior campaign.
Williams
February 26th, 2009
6:24 pm
Another thing I forgot to post in my original comment. I wish that you people would PLEASE STOP talking about these 40 times like they make or break the player. This guy ran a 4.55 so he’s not good while this guy ran a 4.4 so he’s better, give me a break. That’s a joke. At the end of the day you have to strap em up and play ball. NO football player comes out of a sprinter stance and runs in a straight line. The 40 yard dash is just as much about technique as it is about speed. The 3-cone drill is a better gauge in my opinion. I’d rather know how much quickness and agility a player has before I know how fast he runs in a STRAIGHT LINE, in plain clothes, and coming out of a sprinter stance.
Dan Dawg
February 26th, 2009
8:52 pm
There may be 20 high school corner backs in Georgia that are better than Allen. And I read a hell of a lot of sports articles written by better writers than Moore.
dawg fan dave
February 26th, 2009
10:01 pm
Very strange column with even stranger headline. I am not really sure that the point was, but I guess that could be said about many of your columns.
matt
February 27th, 2009
9:02 am
Let’s be honest. Asher never lived up to his expectations. If you aren’t a first round pick why would you leave early??? I don’t wish bad things on him but it seems like a pretty dumb move. I can’t imagine that too many NFL teams are busy looking for 5′9 corners who don’t have blazing speed.
dawgfan76
February 27th, 2009
9:29 am
AJC please get rid of Terrence the rascist Moore. Everyone hates him.
GMan
February 27th, 2009
10:07 am
Georgia’s defensive line last year was terrible making interceptions rare. The pro scouts will be the judge and will like what they see in Allen, a good, tough cornerback. low 1st or high 2nd round pick
Rondo
February 27th, 2009
10:19 am
How is Asher Allen’s case the same as Danny Ware’s? Asher Allen would be a returning starter and special teams specialist next season. Danny Ware was going to be on the bench for the entire season. There was Brown, Moreno, and Lumpkin. Danny Ware left because his services were no longer needed. He could not have played himself into a better draft pick. Allen had the chance to do exactly that. Mr. Moore, you can’t believe that he would not have benefited from playing another year of football at Georgia. I understand supporting Asher after he made his decision. But you know he should have stayed.
Georgia Fan
February 27th, 2009
10:34 am
Asher is a great guy and I hope he makes 10 pro bowls, but he had a very unimpressive 2008 season and could have used another year. My biggest memory of Asher’s 2008 season was when Gary Danielson called him out for “lazy defense” during the LSU game. He got caught napping on a play and had to hold the guy to prevent him from making a reception. That one play pretty much sums up our defense’s entire season. Hand injury or not, he could have done better. I was shocked when he announced he was leaving early and do not think he is ready for the NFL. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
Also a Dawg Fan
February 27th, 2009
10:51 am
Asher will be ok… At the time he made that decision I was like what the HELL… Good luck man… I remember your last high school game when u guys lost to my SWD PANTHERS and how u had broke your leg and how u came back to play your final game… Much respect for ya DAWG!! GOOD LUCK
Jared
February 27th, 2009
12:46 pm
Do we only support our players if they decide to stay four years? Asher Allen is a fine young man, and an example of class. He will represent UGA well in the pro’s. I wish him the best, and while I would have loved to have seen him on our defense next year, am not going to whine about him moving to the next level, if that is what he feels is best. I do believe that he has the class to come back and finish his degree, because that is the type of person he is. Good Luck Mr. Allen!
AWJ
February 27th, 2009
3:15 pm
Not sure I remember Asher returning a whole lot of punts, at least last year. The only reason Logan Grey was the return guy was when we needed someone with good hands to catch the ball when we would be backed up deep in our territory. Almost all of his returns were for fair catches. Richt even said so…
As far as Asher turning pro…
I don’t think he will get drafted as high as he hopes, but I think he will be a great find in the 3rd or 4th round a couple of years from now when he develops a bit.
Good luck Asher!!!
SlimG
February 28th, 2009
9:48 am
When are you fools going to understand. Money talks and you know what walks. Kids that play at UGA are groomed for the pros. Why else would someone go over to Athens? This kid will go in the late first to second and make plenty of money. More than a tech grad sees in a lifetime. Can’t blame the kid because school will always be an option. Good luck Allen.
Stop hating techies, dawg fans wish tech the best except when playing the bees, where tech just hates georgia in all aspects of life. What a shame.
GT_engineer
February 28th, 2009
2:14 pm
Roddy Jones think he’s ready for the NFL