University of Houston Athletics
Allen Finds Family at Houston Football
11/16/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
The University of Houston Department of Intercollegiate Athletics inspires excellence today while preparing CHAMPIONS FOR LIFE by fostering a culture, which challenges student-athletes to achieve their highest academic, athletic and personal aspirations. Throughout the 2015-16 athletic season, UHCougars.com will highlight Houston student-athletes, coaches and alumni who are committed to building CHAMPIONS FOR LIFE on the field, in the classroom and throughout the community. Today's CHAMPIONS FOR LIFE feature, written by Communications Assistant Sarah Hoffman, takes an inside look at Houston Football wide receiver Chance Allen and the family he's found inside of the Cougar locker room.
HOUSTON - Transferring to a new school halfway through your college career can be a shell-shocking experience for anyone. Throw in joining a new football team on the verge of a breakthrough era with a new head coach and a core group of players who have already been through so much, and that feeling increases tenfold.
Junior wide receiver Chance Allen experienced that feeling this January when he transferred to UH from Oregon, but the Cougars welcomed him with open arms.
"It was different meeting new guys. I didn't know if they were going to welcome me with open arms, but the team and I jelled well. It's been awesome," Allen said. "Demarcus Ayers, Greg Ward and [Kenneth] Farrow [have] been helping me out with plays I need and showing me where to go around campus. They've been good big brothers to me."
His offensive teammates made sure to make the new guy feel right at home. In fact, Allen grew up just 30 minutes away in Missouri City, Texas, so transferring to Houston was almost like coming home. His huge supporting cast can be seen in the stands at the games sporting No. 21 shirts and screaming his name.
"[I was] at Oregon for two, three years and didn't have too many fans in the stands, so coming back home and seeing your family just makes you go out there and go hard for them," Allen said. "All of the stuff they gave to me, I want to give it all back when I go on the field."
Even though Allen already has a big family, he has now added a few football brothers to his supporting cast. He and fellow wide receiver Demarcus Ayers have been especially close since day one.
"We're roommates and when he first got here, I reached out and told him it's going to be a big year for the receivers because we have got a lot of pressure on us," Ayers said.
"We pretty much do everything together. We put in a lot of hard work together [over the summer], whether it was catching, running or doing extra things, and trying to get everyone else in the receiver room to tag along with us so we can have a chance at having success this year," Ayers said. "He knows I want the best for him and I love that he wants the best for me. It's almost like having another brother that you grew up with."
On the field, Allen has also worked hard to catch up and create that important partnership with starting quarterback Greg Ward, Jr.
"Being a quarterback and a receiver, you have to have that good chemistry. It's peanut butter and jelly, so you can't be peanut butter and ketchup." Allen said.
Wide receivers coach Drew Mehringer is in his first year with the Cougars and likes how well they have meshed together.
"[Ward] is now able to grab a guy like Chance and say 'hey this is what I see, this is what we need to get done,' and Chance, being an easy to get along with, humble, charismatic guy, says 'yeah, let's work through that.' So Greg has spent a lot of time with him specifically working through those things they see on the field and developing their game so that they are on the same page more frequently," Mehringer said.
The 6-foot-3-inches, 215 pound wide receiver has caught three touchdown passes from Ward on the year, and his contribution to the team has been integral to the success of the undefeated Cougars.
"Chance is the biggest wide receiver we have. He's not going to blow anybody away with down-the-field speed, but he does a good job of utilizing his body and he understands the game," Mehringer said. "He understands coverage and leverage and things like that. So in terms of a guy I have who uses his body, whether on his feet or in the air, he is as good as I've got."
Along with those qualities comes great responsibility. Mehringer, who has also become a big brother and mentor to Allen, mentioned wanting to see Allen in a leadership role next year, absorbing what he's learned from Ayers and the coaching staff to take the next new guy under his wing in January.
"The culture around here is that it's a hard program. We don't shy away from that fact, so when you bring new guys in, you need guys like Chance Allen to put their arm around them and say 'this is the way that we do things'," Mehringer said.
Allen is still in the process of learning and maturing himself, but with his newfound brothers and mentors behind him, he has a strong foundation to achieve the many goals he has set for himself while taking on that leadership role.
"I've always wanted to win the Biletnikoff Award. I want to win a national championship, of course," Allen said. "I just want to have a fun time here, being a Cougar, wearing red and white and having fun with the student body, coaches and my teammates."
Help support Chance Allen and more than 400 Houston student-athletes in their pursuit to be Champions for Life by joining Cougar Pride. Click here to join now.
2015 HOUSTON FOOTBALL SINGLE-GAME TICKETS
Single-game tickets for the 2015 Houston Football season are on sale via the Houston Athletics Fan Experience Headquarters. Single-game tickets to Houston's remaining home game start at just $25 and are available by calling the Fan Experience Headquarters at 713-462-6647 or by clicking here.
2015 HOUSTON FOOTBALL GROUP TICKETS
Single-game group ticket sales for the 2015 Houston Football season are on sale via Houston Athletics Fan Experience Headquarters. Groups of at least 10 or more can purchase tickets starting at just $17 per person to any of Houston's remaining home game by calling or texting Fan Experience Headquarters at 713-GO-COOGS or by clicking here.
--UHCougars.com--
