Hall of Fame
Class of 1973 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.
His 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.
Allen graduated in 1973, earning a degree in Political Science 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.
