Allen accepted a football scholarship from the University of Hawaii, where he was initially recruited to play wide receiver.
During a bye-week scrimmage between backups and redshirts in his freshman season, the team was short at running back and he was temporarily used at the position for depth purposes.
After showing his running skills and dominating the practice, he was permanently switched and was named the starter against the University of the Pacific, where he ran for 92 yards.
Though there were concerns about his size, his open-field elusiveness and strength made him one of the top players in the Western Athletic Conference.
Allen finished his college career as the school's all-time rushing leader (3,451 yards) and is considered to be one of its greatest football players.
Allen was selected by the Houston Oilers in the sixth round (148th overall) of the 1982 NFL draft, after dropping due to concerns about his short stature.
He also fumbled a punt that was the turning point in the wild card playoff loss against the Los Angeles Rams.
In 1986, he signed with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League and was named the starter at running back, after being originally listed fifth on the depth chart.
[9] Allen later coached freshman football at his former Alma Mater Baldwin Park High School.