Earnest T. Bass
Sophomore
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2016
- Messages
- 2,073
Courtesy: Ghosts of the Orange Bowl
Who is the greatest assistant coach in University of Miami history? Names like Walt Kichefski, Joe Brodsky, Don Soldinger, Art Kehoe, Gary Stevens, and Sonny Lubick were among some of the most respected at their craft. But none of them developed more All Americans or future NFL players than Harold Allen. Long before Miami was Quarterback U, Harold Allen made it D-Line U. From 1964 to 1983, he coached defensive linemen for the Canes. His consistency, longevity, and level of excellence during the good times and bad were unmatched.
A native of Florence, South Carolina, Allen first made his mark as a player at UM from 1949 to 1951. Due to injuries, he never played in the NFL. Instead, he found his true calling as a coach. Allen's coaching journey started at Key West High School, where he was the school's head coach from 1957 to 1963. Among his former players were brothers George and Joe Mira and Bill Trout, who all went on to play for the Canes. Another player, John "Boog" Powell, went on to a long baseball career as a first baseman with the Baltimore Orioles. In his final season, Allen led Key West to an upset victory over state champion Coral Gables, handing the Cavaliers their only loss.
When Andy Gustafson retired as UM head coach after the 1963 season, new head coach Charlie Tate immediately brought Allen to his staff. For the next two decades, 7 different head coaches would come and go. But the one constant was Harold Allen. Even during the program's darkest years of the 1970s, Allen was the program's shining light. Among his pupils included Ted Hendricks, Rubin Carter, Tony Cristiani, Don Latimer, Eddie Edwards, Gary Dunn, Don Smith, Jim Burt, and Lester Williams. All of them were either All Americans or NFL 1st round draft picks. Allen would finish his coaching career with a national championship ring in 1983, coaching a young freshman from Brooksville, FL named Jerome Brown. He retired shortly after Howard Schnellenberger decided to leave UM for a USFL job that never materialized. When new head coach Jimmy Johnson was hired in 1984, he was forced to retain all of Schnellenberger's assistants. However, there was one vacancy. The man Johnson chose as Harold Allen's replacement would be Butch Davis. D-Line U was in good hands.
Who is the greatest assistant coach in University of Miami history? Names like Walt Kichefski, Joe Brodsky, Don Soldinger, Art Kehoe, Gary Stevens, and Sonny Lubick were among some of the most respected at their craft. But none of them developed more All Americans or future NFL players than Harold Allen. Long before Miami was Quarterback U, Harold Allen made it D-Line U. From 1964 to 1983, he coached defensive linemen for the Canes. His consistency, longevity, and level of excellence during the good times and bad were unmatched.
A native of Florence, South Carolina, Allen first made his mark as a player at UM from 1949 to 1951. Due to injuries, he never played in the NFL. Instead, he found his true calling as a coach. Allen's coaching journey started at Key West High School, where he was the school's head coach from 1957 to 1963. Among his former players were brothers George and Joe Mira and Bill Trout, who all went on to play for the Canes. Another player, John "Boog" Powell, went on to a long baseball career as a first baseman with the Baltimore Orioles. In his final season, Allen led Key West to an upset victory over state champion Coral Gables, handing the Cavaliers their only loss.
When Andy Gustafson retired as UM head coach after the 1963 season, new head coach Charlie Tate immediately brought Allen to his staff. For the next two decades, 7 different head coaches would come and go. But the one constant was Harold Allen. Even during the program's darkest years of the 1970s, Allen was the program's shining light. Among his pupils included Ted Hendricks, Rubin Carter, Tony Cristiani, Don Latimer, Eddie Edwards, Gary Dunn, Don Smith, Jim Burt, and Lester Williams. All of them were either All Americans or NFL 1st round draft picks. Allen would finish his coaching career with a national championship ring in 1983, coaching a young freshman from Brooksville, FL named Jerome Brown. He retired shortly after Howard Schnellenberger decided to leave UM for a USFL job that never materialized. When new head coach Jimmy Johnson was hired in 1984, he was forced to retain all of Schnellenberger's assistants. However, there was one vacancy. The man Johnson chose as Harold Allen's replacement would be Butch Davis. D-Line U was in good hands.