Leo Allen
Class of 1971
Leo Allen, a native of Meridian, Mississippi enrolled at Tuskegee Institute in 1968 to play football
under the late Leroy Smith and Haywood Scissum. Upon completion of his career, Leo was
acknowledged by the conference coaches as one of its most feared receivers.
Leo's career accomplishments include being named team captain in 1971 and 1972, making the All
Conference teams during this period, game MVP for the Tuskegee/Morehouse Classic, Johnson C.
Smith, South Carolina State, Miles College and Southern University games. Leo was twice honored
by the Atlanta Daily World 100% Wrong Club as an all-conference selection. Leo was also named
offensive linemen of the year 1972, all conference scholastic team 1972, listed in the 1973 edition of
Outstanding College Athletes of America, named as one of the top 100 all time football players at
Tuskegee and was a 1973 draftee of the Oakland Raiders. .
Leo's most memorable moments were meeting and getting the opportunity to talk with the great
Olympian Jesse Owens and General Chappie James. During a four year career, Allen never
dropped a pass during a game and averaged 18 yards per reception. In 1970, during the Miles
game, Coach Scissum acknowledged that Allen made the most spectacular catch for a touchdown
that he had ever seen. In 1972, Allen played an instrumental part in Tuskegee defeating Florida
A&M for the first time since 1943. .
In 1973, Leon was instrumental in the university changing the scholarship program from a "grant-
in-aid" to a full athletic scholarship to include text books. In 1972, Johnny Ford asked Coach
Scissum to allow the team as students to register to vote in his attempts to become Mayor of
Tuskegee. As a result of this action a lawsuit was filed to allow students to vote and Mr. Ford was
elected mayor with the votes of the student body. Leo graduated in 1973, earning a degree in
Political ocience and furthering his education by earning a Master's degree from Troy University in
1977 in Correctional Counseling. Allen retired in 2006 as a supervisor with the Alabama
Department of Corrections. .
Leo's community service includes support of Friendship Mission, Resurrection Catholic School and
assisting his community association and its elderly yard maintenance initiative. Leo holds
memberships in both the local and national alumni clubs, the Knights of Peter Claver, past
memberships in American Personnel and Guidance Association, National Council on Crime and
Delinquency and the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice. .
Leo is married to Dr. Tina Allen and is the father of two, Dr. Shauntice Allen and the Rev. Leon
(Jacqulin) Allen, the proud grandfather of two beautiful girls , Karys and Karidan Allen and a
member of Resurrection Catholic Church.
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