University of North Carolina Athletics
Bosley Allen Glad To Be Back
September 5, 2000 | Football
Sept. 5, 2000
y: Joe Bray
TarHeelBlue.com
TarHeelBlue: How did it feel to finally come running out of the tunnel after a year of not playing?
Bosley Allen: "It felt really good, running out there and knowing I would get some snaps. The adrenaline was really flowing, so I wanted to make sure I stayed calm and kept my composure.
"Even though it was raining and we didn't have the smoke, it was exciting. It just felt good to be back."
TarHeelBlue: When you got hurt in the N.C. State game in '98, what kind of prognosis did the doctors give you? I had one tell me it was one of the worst knee injuries he'd ever seen.
Bosley Allen: "They told me there was a slight chance that I could come back and play. They told me that I had to be really patient and rehab hard.
"At first I was believing it when I heard I couldn't return, but then my mind started focusing in, telling me you can do it again, it doesn't stop here."
TarHeelBlue: Did you ever seriously doubt that you would be back?
Bosley Allen: "Yes, I had doubts early on, a couple of days after the surgery. Then I had a lot of people who care about me come and encourage me, telling me that I could do it, that I could come back on the field.
"I just listened to them and worked hard. Jason Peace had been through it before, and he really helped me out a lot. He made sure I worked hard, but didn't rush it."
TarHeelBlue: How do you like playing for Coach Brewer?
Bosley Allen: "I like him, he's teaching me a lot. Natural talent can get you by in high school most of the time, but he's trying to perfect our games. It's working."
TarHeelBlue: What's the strongest part of your game?
Bosley Allen: "I think I'm pretty quick off the ball, and I have good hands as long as I concentrate on the ball.
"Coach (Brewer) is helping me with my routes and how to read defenses."
TarHeelBlue: What do you need to work on the most?
Bosley Allen: "Probably just concentrating on the ball, because sometimes I get defenders in my peripheral vision, and I tend to concentrate on them instead of the ball."
TarHeelBlue: If you don't mind my asking, which defensive backs give you the most trouble in practice?
Bosley Allen: "All of them are pretty tough, they each have their own strengths. Rabbit has quick make-up speed, Kevin Knight is pretty stable and doesn't go for the quick fake.
"They've got a good mix of talent back there."
TarHeelBlue: You did a good job of returning punts last Saturday (3 returns for 50 yards.) Do you like doing that?
Bosley Allen: "I love returning punts. Also, when I started my comeback, I knew I'd be low on the depth chart, and returning punts might help me move up.
"It helped me get back in the groove. I worked hard to be a starter this year. It's just all coming together for me right now."
TarHeelBlue: What are you thinking about when you're back on a punt return, watching the ball come down out of a dark, rainy sky with eleven guys wanting to take your head off?
Bosley Allen: "I love the adrenaline of that situation. When the ball's coming down I'm thinking, catch the ball, then I always say that first man's never going to get me.
"Whoever he is, he's in for it."
TarHeelBlue: Tell me about Jamal Jones.
Bosley Allen: "I expect a lot out of him. When he first got here, they assigned him as my little brother, so I kind of had to look after him. We've been pretty tight, hanging out and talking about what we have to do on the field this year.
"We talk about working hard and continuing to try and improve."
TarHeelBlue: Who was your big brother?
Bosley Allen: "Na Brown. He was a good one."
TarHeelBlue: What's your major?
Bosley Allen: "Sociology. It's an interesting major, learning about people."
TarHeelBlue: What do you see yourself doing after college?
Bosley Allen: "Hopefully, after college I'll be in the NFL.
"If not, I want to work with kids. I would like to counsel kids who came up in the same kind of situation I did and try to help them out."
TarHeelBlue: I know you came out of a tough environment. Is that one reason you wanted to major in sociology?
Bosley Allen: "Yes, it is. I like to work with people and let them know there's a way out. It's not always what you see around the house or around the neighborhood."
TarHeelBlue: When you were say, 14 years old, did you ever envision yourself getting a college degree?
Bosley Allen: "I don't know why, but I always wanted to come to North Carolina, even at a young age. I wasn't really striving for a scholarship, but it just happened that way.
"Maybe God was telling me that this was the place for me. I don't know what it was, but it was just a gut feeling I had."
TarHeelBlue: Any regrets about coming north to Chapel Hill?
Bosley Allen: "None whatsoever. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Now I just want to win some more ball games."
Players Mentioned
