by Rusty Ellis
Cookeville senior Mason Allen knows where he’ll be playing football next year, as he signed his NLI on Friday to fulfill his commitment to Tusculum University this fall.
For Allen, there’s a good bit of excitement for what’s to come at the next level, even if he is admittedly a tad nervous.
“Nervous for the future, but it’s a big accomplishment,” Allen said. “I’ve worked pretty much all my life for this, and I just want to prove myself.”
As far as the decision to pick Tusculum, Allen says he feels like he really connected with the school and the people in it.
“I talked to the coaches and they seemed really nice,” Allen said. “I really like the environment that they had and the culture, and the head coach was very inviting. It felt like he wanted me there, so it really made the decision easier.”
CHS head coach Taylor Hennigan knows that Allen will be a tough player to replace, as he says they’ll miss his toughness and upbeat attitude.
“He’s somebody you could rely on to play hard and practice hard, so that’s the first thing that we’ll miss is his toughness,” Hennigan said. “Off the field, he’s a funny and likable kid, and he just likes being around people. So we’ll miss his personality as much as anything else.”
And though he expects there to be some kind of an adjustment period, Hennigan believes Allen will fit in just fine in his new home.
“Anytime you make that transition, there’s a learning curve,” Hennigan said. “From experience as a college coach, you’re always looking for tough, disciplined kids, and that’s exactly what they’re getting…I think on and off the field, he’s going to fit in nicely there.”
Allen says he’ll miss the group of guys he’s come up with through his high school years, but he’s looking forward to proving himself at the collegiate level.
“My teammates, I’ve played with these upcoming seniors for these past three years,” Allen said. “It’ll be sad not playing with them…I’m just excited for the new challenge, and being able to show that I’m capable of playing at the next level.”
