If you have watched UH play during the last 2 seasons, you have seen Carlos Allen all over the field. Allen is a playmaker from the nose tackle position. In the past, the NT has been asked to take on multiple blockers and make a mess up front, but Carlos goes much further. He continually makes plays behind the line of scrimmage and uses his speed to make plays out wide as well.
Watch him fend off the center and the guard to make a tackle behind the line of scrimmage out past the numbers. Nose tackles aren’t supposed to be this good sideline-to-sideline. Allen is relentless:
His real impact didn’t sink in for me until the Colorado game. In the first quarter, the UH defense held Colorado to 3 yards rushing on 5 carries and 45 total yards. The second quarter started off with a three-and-out for Colorado, and their next drive started with one yard in their first 5 plays (the drive was extended due to a pass interference penalty).
Carlos was injured on the fifth play of the drive and had to come out. Immediately, Colorado’s offense found some life. They marched 85 more yards for their first TD of the night. The next drive, just before halftime, Carlos played two snaps at the start, then went to the sideline. With Allen out of the game, the Buffs went for 80 yards in four plays to cut the lead to 16-14.
All told, Colorado gained 165 of their 168 second-quarter yards with Carlos Allen off the field. He came back for the second half, and the defense held the Buffs to 0 yards in the 3rd quarter. The Allen-led defense held Colorado to 0 yards on their first drive of the 4th quarter before Houston scored again and made it a three-score game at 33-14.
To that point in the 4th quarter, when Carlos Allen was in the game, Colorado had 56 yards on 32 plays. His presence forces the offense to focus on stopping him, and he consistently draws double teams. When he is not beating those double teams, he holds them up to keep his linebackers clean, allowing them to fly around and make plays.
To that point in the 4th quarter, when Carlos Allen was in the game, Colorado had 56 yards on 32 plays.
Allen’s true strength lies in making everyone around him better, and he creates 1-on-1 matchups for Khalil Laufau and Eddie Walls. Both of those guys have feasted, combining for 5.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.
It is still early, but the defense is picking up where it left off last year, largely thanks to Carlos Allen.
