Countdown To Kickoff: 98 Days (Allen Stallings)

Written By Lydia Knoll

#98 

There are now 98 days remaining until the Indiana Hoosiers kick-off the 2016 season in Miami against the Florida International Golden Panthers. Join us each day for each part of our 100-day countdown to the opener! No current IU player is wearing #98 so we’ll check out incoming Hoosier freshman,  Allen Stallings.

Allen Stallings (freshman)

-Height: 6’2”
-Weight: 235 pounds
-Hometown: Oak Park. IL
-Position: Defensive End

Although previously verbally committed to Central Michigan, Allen Stallings flipped his commitment after IU officially offered him. Stallings will join the Hoosier ranks this coming season as a defensive end. Although relatively small for this position in college ball (mainly due to the weight he wrestled at), he is decently sized as a freshman. He’ll have the opportunity to bulk up and put on more weight through the training at IU in order to fit the defensive end position. If he doesn’t, he possesses the ability to be moved to a linebacker position later on down the road. Stallings is explosive and fast off the ball which will only help him as he gets stronger and works towards receiving playing time. Fortunately for Stallings, his position is not incredibly deep this upcoming season and full of young talent. Jacob Robinson (sophomore) started as a DE as a freshman last year and is expected to start again this year. Redshirted freshmen Brandon Wilson and Joe Belden will be fighting for this position as well. Due to the change in defensive schemes, from a 3-4 to a 4-2-5, players are being moved around and there will be a need  for more defensive line positions. However, this also opens up more opportunities for linebacker positions which may be where Stallings ends up. 

Stallings may not be equipped to beat out the current players, talent-wise just yet, but he could potentially see some playing time in the circumstance that a couple of them become injured. Another possibility is that Stallings will be redshirted this season in order to put on the needed muscle so that his second year he can be a much stronger, more experienced player. Stallings natural athletic ability will help him excel in fall camp and make a positive impression early on in his career at IU. 

Be sure to come back to Hoosier Huddle each day during our countdown!