Marcus Allen: USC Heisman Trophy profile
Marcus Allen won Rose Bowls. He won a college national championship at USC. He won the Super Bowl. He made a very difficult and unforgiving position — running back — look very easy, with his smooth and graceful running style. Allen was a fluid and resourceful athlete, but no one plays running back as long or as well as he did without being a very tough human being an a first-rate competitor. Marcus Allen made USC better. He made the Raiders better. He made his teams better.
USC prepares for another Heisman Trophy victory on Saturday, with Caleb Williams being fully expected to lift the stiff-arm trophy at the Downtown Athletic Club in New York. There is no better week to profile each of USC’s seven Heisman winners.
We continue our series with Marcus Allen, the 1981 winner who followed Charles White (1979) by two years. Reggie Bush, in 2005, became USC’s most recent running back to win the award, but Allen won the Heisman at a time when Student Body Right was firmly entrenched as a part of the Trojans’ football identity. He was the last great running back John Robinson had. In several ways, he marked the end of an era at USC.
Let’s look at some of his carer highlights:
RUNNING BACK LEGACY
Jan 1, 1980; Pasadena, CA, USA: FILE PHOTO; Southern California Trojans running back Marcus Allen (33) in action against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the 1980 Rose Bowl game where USC defeated OSU 17-16 at the Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Long Photography-USA TODAY Sports
Marcus Allen became the fourth USC running back to win the Heisman Trophy in 1981.
INSANE
Oct 17, 1981; Los Angeles, CA, USA: FILE PHOTO; Southern California Trojans running back Marcus Allen (33) in action against the Stanford Cardinal during the 1981 season at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Long Photography-USA TODAY Sports
Allen rushed for over 2,400 yards in the 1981 season.
ONE OF A KIND
Jan 22, 1984; Tampa, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Los Angeles Raiders running back Marcus Allen (32) in action against the Washington Redskins during Super Bowl XVIII at Tampa Stadium. Allen rushed for a Super Bowl record 191 yards on 20 carries and was named the games most valuable player as the Raiders defeated the Redskins 38-9. Mandatory Credit: Tony Tomsic-USA TODAY
Marcus Allen is the only player to win a national title, a Heisman, a Super Bowl, a Super Bowl MVP award, and an NFL regular-season MVP award.
HOW IT STARTED
Allen signed with USC in the spring of 1978 as a safety before moving to tailback in the fall.
HE DID IT ALL
USC Trojans Marcus Allen (33) loses football but later regained possession to score against the UCLA Bruins in the fourth quarter of game, Saturday, Nov. 22, 1980, Los Angeles, Calif. Bruins came back to win in the late fourth quarter, 20-17. (AP Photo/Scott Harms)
In his first three seasons at USC, Allen played really well. Here are his stats:
Allen had 31 carries for 171 yards as the backup to Charles White as USC won the national title in 1978.
Moved to fullback in 1979 and had 649 yards and eight touchdowns.
As a junior, Allen moved back to tailback and had 1,563 yards and 14 scores while leading the nation in all-purpose yardage.
1981 MAGIC
University of Southern California star running back Marcus Allen (33) and coach John Robinson, right, join the rest of the USC Trojans in giving the victory sign following their come from behind victory over the UCLA Bruins in Los Angeles, Calif., Nov. 21, 1981. Allen, a prime candidate for this year’s Heisman Trophy, rushed 219 yards and made two touchdowns to pace the Trojans’ 22-21 win. (AP Photo/Lennox McLendon)
In 1981, Marcus Allen topped the 200-yard rushing mark in eight of 11 games and had over 2,400 rushing yards while scoring 23 touchdowns (and he also caught 29 passes).
ELITE
Marcus Allen of the USC Trojans, poses with the coveted Heisman Trophy awarded to him at the Downtown Athletic Club in New York, Dec. 6, 1981. Allen, 21, who traversed more football turf than any other player in college football history, was the 47th winner of the Heisman Memorial Trophy. (AP Photo/Ron Frehm)
Marcus Allen won the Heisman, Maxwell and Walter Camp player of the year awards.
TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN
Oct 21, 1978; Los Angeles, CA, USA: FILE PHOTO; Southern California Trojans running back Marcus Allen (33) in the power-I with quarterback Paul McDonald (16) against the Oregon State Beavers during the 1978 season at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Long Photography-USA TODAY Sports
Allen finished his college career with 4,669 rushing yards, 5,232 total yards, and 46 touchdowns while averaging 5.2 yards per carry.
RAIDER LEGEND
Sep 20, 1992; Los Angeles, CA, USA: FILE PHOTO; Los Angeles Raiders running back Marcus Allen (32) in action against the Cleveland Browns at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Long Photography-USA TODAY Sports
Allen was the 10th pick of the 1982 first round by the Oakland Raiders and played in the NFL until 1997.
BIG-GAME PLAYER
Jan 22, 1984; Tampa, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Los Angeles Raiders running back Marcus Allen (32) in action against the Washington Redskins during Super Bowl XVIII at Tampa Stadium. Allen rushed for a Super Bowl record 191 yards on 20 carries and was named the games most valuable player as the Raiders defeated the Redskins 38-9. Mandatory Credit: Tony Tomsic-USA TODAY Sports
Allen was the MVP of the 1984 Super Bowl and the NFL’s MVP in 1985.
GREATNESS
Unknown Date; Los Angeles, CA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Los Angeles Raiders running back Marcus Allen (32) in action against Kansas City Chiefs safety Kevin Porter (27) at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Peter Brouillet-USA TODAY Sports
Marcus Allen was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1999.
