EUGENE — Devon Allen has made a career off blazing-fast speed, pouring countless hours of preparation and effort into executing in increments of 7 and 13 seconds, depending on the distance, in an exercise of precision movement.
The former Oregon Ducks wide receiver and hurdler is coming full circle at the World Athletics Championships this weekend at Hayward Field, where Allen will vie for gold and a potential world record in the 110-meter hurdles.
He is among the favorites in the event, qualifying in 13.09 seconds in a third-place finish at last month’s USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships. That came two weeks after Allen won the New York Grand Prix in 12.84 seconds, the third-fastest time in history. His personal best in the indoor 60-meter hurdles is 7.49 seconds.
Nine days after Sunday night’s 110 hurdles final, Allen, 27, will report to training camp for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, who signed him to a three-year, $2.5 million contract — though just $40,000 is guaranteed if he doesn’t make the 53-man roster — after he ran the 40-yard dash in a hand-timed 4.35 seconds at Oregon’s pro day in April.
For Allen, who played for UO from 2014-16, this has all been part of the plan, albeit two years later than anticipated due to the pandemic.
That delay, the past few months of balancing his pursuits on the track and the football field, and the sudden and unexpected death of his father, Louis Allen Jr., on June 25 combine to make this weekend’s journey the longest 110 meters and 10 hurdles Allen has ever run.
“It’s hard to explain,” Allen said of his father’s passing. “It’s not something that you’ve felt before. I guess the biggest thing is the way my dad raised me is why I am where I’m at today. That’s the most important thing and I know if he was still here, he would want me to be focused and lock into training and enjoy what I’m doing and enjoy being here and enjoy the lifestyle that I have and get after it.”
Allen got a call from his aunt the morning of last month’s USATF semifinals and final of the 110 hurdles telling him that his father had died. He said the cause is still not entirely clear, though his stepmother, Bernadette, told The Arizona Republic Louis had not been well for a few weeks but chose to not tell Devon so as not to distract him as he competed at the USA championships for a spot in the world championships.
“It took me a few hours to gather myself,” Allen said. “My dad put me in the position I am and he made the type of person I am and he would’ve wanted me to be me and do exactly what I want to do. It’s been my goal since I’ve been a little kid to be a world champion, world record-holder, Olympic gold medalist, play in the NFL and all that stuff. Got to keep doing that.”
Jamie Cook, the track and field coach at the Naval Academy and Allen’s coach dating back to Cook’s days as an assistant coach at Oregon, also lost his father during his 20s. Normally able to provide insight and answers for Allen, Cook has added a different kind of supportive voice over the past three weeks.
“I don’t know if I have the right answer,” Cook said. “Just knowing that you love and support your fellow person. When bad things happen, you can’t change them; you’ve got to be able to respond and I think the best thing is support and love. I want to be there as a friend, that’s it.
“It has nothing to do with track and field. It has everything to do about being a friend and someone you want — it’s tough, there’s no way around it, it’s tough. He’s got a huge network of people that support him and will continue to do that. It’s difficult. … I think he’s stayed focused and he’s stayed on top of what we need to do, and each day is a step in that process of being prepared. I think he’s in a good spot.”
As most athletes do, Allen relies on routine. From the time he gets up, how much he sleeps, his diet, training regimen and recovery.
That allows him to stay focused on a constantly short horizon, even amid a span of nearly 120 days from Oregon’s pro day on April 1, to attending what he said was roughly half of the Eagles’ six OTAs in early June, to the USA championships, Sunday night’s final of the 110 hurdles and finally to training camp with the Eagles opening July 26.
“I try not to think too far ahead,” Allen said. “I think my goal, this weekend goes great, I win the gold medal, break the world record — great. I got a week off. During that week, I’ve got to study the playbook because I got camp coming up and then once we get into football, get back 5-6 days before camp starts, I get back into cleats. I’ve been doing a little bit of football stuff now, but I’ll get back into cleats and start running routes and feeling comfortable.
“I’ll see if I can make it work,” Allen said. “I believe in myself wholeheartedly in my athletic ability and that’s where I’m going to start. Then if everything else falls into place, it’s going to be a great career. Hopefully I have a good, long 5-, 6 -year NFL career and the rest of my track career.”r.”r.””If I’m not good enough, I shouldn’t play.”
Allen has spoken with Seattle Seahawks receiver Marquise Goodwin, a 2012 Olympian in the long jump and a former sprinter, and former San Francisco 49ers receiver and hurdler Renaldo Nehemiah about their experiences of balancing pro careers in track and football.
If all goes according to plan, he’ll will make the cut with the Eagles and hopes to play for several years in the NFL while his track career will be on pause.
“I’ll see if I can make it work,” Allen said. “I believe in myself wholeheartedly in my athletic ability and that’s where I’m going to start. Then if everything else falls into place it’s going to be a great career. Hopefully I have a good, long 5-6 yer NFL career and the rest of my track career.”
Regardless of the outcome on the track this weekend, Allen will go home to Phoenix for his father’s memorial service on Wednesday. Then a pro football career will be his next pursuit.
“I think it’s the next challenge,” Cook said. “We reflect; excited, appreciative about the opportunity, don’t focus on the result so much, focus on how you prepare. Enjoy the competition and move onto the next thing.”
