Just a day after spotlighting one of the most successful JUCO players in Arizona State history, today's installment of our countdown to kickoff features one of the most outright legendary Sun Devils of all time, recently enshrined Hall of Famer Eric Allen.
It's fortuitous timing - or perhaps fate - that Allen was officially inducted to the NFL's Hall of Fame this weekend just days before grabbing the spotlight in this series. The ballhawking cornerback set the league on fire wearing 21, but his career started in maroon and gold with 25 emblazoned across his chest.
Born and raised in San Diego, Allen committed to the Sun Devils in what proved to be the final season under head coach Darryl Rogers. Allen saw the field right away as a true freshman, snaring two picks. Rogers was replaced by John Cooper, who would go 25-9-2 with a Rose bowl victory over the next three seasons.
Allen was a big part of that. He led a dominant Sun Devil defense that made life miserable for opposing quarterbacks, and he elevated his game to a new level as a senior, when he snagged eight interceptions, returning two of them for touchdowns. All in all, Allen had 15 picks in four years with Arizona State.
It led to him being drafted in the second round by the Philadelphia Eagles, where he quickly became a household name. He had five interceptions as a rookie, and was named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team. The next year, he hit eight interceptions again, his career best.
Allen established himself as one of the best playmaking defensive backs in the NFL, playing seven seasons with the Eagles, three with the New Orleans Saints, and finishing out his career with four years as an Oakland Raider. He never went a year without at least one interception, and had 10 seasons with 3+ picks.
By the time he retired in 2001, Allen had 54 career interceptions, having returned eight of them for touchdowns. Four of those pick sixes came all in one season, setting an NFL record that stood until 2023, when Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland bested Allen by just one.
Allen was one of the most fearsome cornerbacks to ever play the game, and his Hall of Fame induction was well overdue. Arizona State fans knew this well enough, and Allen made sure to shout out his Sun Devils during his induction speech:
"That incredible team at Arizona State, those teammates and coaches, [I] really appreciate you guys. I really leaned on you guys. It was an incredible team and we had some terrific times in Tempe."
Allen is now the sixth Sun Devil to reach the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and with Arizona State's football team debuting at No. 11 in the Preseason Coaches Poll for this new year, it seems unlikely he'll be the last.