Former South Jersey football star LeQuint Allen sues Syracuse to try and play in 2023

LeQuint Allen, one of the best high school football players to come out of South Jersey over the last five years, has sued Syracuse University to overturn a two-semester suspension and save his sophomore season with the Orange.

Allen, a 2022 Millville graduate and the Courier-Post Offensive Player of the Year his senior year, filed the suit after he was disciplined for an on-campus fight last December in which he came to the aid of a teammate, former Syracuse cornerback and Camden alumnus Duce Chestnut.

“I just wanted to state I believe in my whole heart that LeQuint is being done unfair and an unfair trial,” Chestnut told the Courier-Post. “I always considered Syracuse my second home and always will be my second home, I’ll always have love for Syracuse.”

Chestnut added later, “LeQuint is a hero in a lot of people eyes and this bring pain to us seeing him be treated unfairly in a place where he wants to be legendary. He wants Cuse to win more than anybody and we know he is the heart and soul of the team.”

Here’s a closer look at why Allen’s football career is up in the air, per court records obtained by the Courier-Post and various reports.

On-campus fight

The following details are from an affidavit obtained by the Courier-Post as well as a report by Syracuse.com.

In the early hours of Dec. 11, Allen received a call from Chestnut asking for help after Chestnut was “jumped” at a party.

Chestnut declined to comment to the Courier-Post about the incident.

Allen arrived at the party to aid his friend and teammate, but soon after he got there, another student yelled at Allen “Why did you hit a girl?”

Allen told the student he didn’t know what he was talking about. Allen then alleged the student punched him twice, and Allen retaliated with a blow of his own. Allen then stated the student said he was about to get a gun.

Allen could not be immediately reached for comment, but Syracuse.com reported Allen wrote in a statement, “I immediately left the party because I was scared.”

Allen said in his lawsuit the student claimed Allen threw a punch while another player (Terry Lockett) allegedly held him against the wall, per Syracuse.com.

Allen and Lockett were charged with misdemeanor third-degree assault in March, and both cases were adjourned in contemplation of dismissal. They were sealed and the charges were to be dismissed in six months if there were no further incidents.

Chestnut entered the transfer portal two days after the incident, but he had planned on leaving anyway after defensive backs coach Tony White left. Chestnut is currently at Louisiana State University.

Syracuse investigates incident

The following details are from an affidavit obtained by the Courier-Post as well as a report by Syracuse.com.

Allen met with Syracuse officials after returning to campus following his father's unexpected death.

The player's father, LeQuint G. Allen, 42, of Millville, was fatally shot Feb. 14 at a home in Lawrence Township, Cumberland County.

Allen repeatedly asserted he acted in self-defense at the party, but was told the school could not consider the other's student's actions.

According to his lawsuit, Allen said he was told he should’ve called the police instead. He was offered a two-semester suspension, for the spring and summer, but Allen said that would make him ineligible for the football team and he would lose his grant-in-aid scholarship, without which he couldn’t attend the university.

Allen countered with other options including being on disciplinary probation throughout his career, volunteering with the Syracuse Police Association League to talk to youths about alternatives to violence, completing an anti-violence course or performing extra community service. He also offered to pay the complainant’s medical co-pay, but all of his offers were rejected.

“I am not denying responsibility for my actions. I made a foolish and juvenile mistake. I should have called (Syracuse’s Department of Public Safety) when my friend told me he was attacked. I should have removed myself from the situation,” Allen wrote in an email to administrators, Syracuse.com reported.

Allen had a formal hearing in April and his two-semester suspension, including the fall, was handed down on May 10.

The hearing board said Allen’s decision “escalated the situation rather than de-escalating it,” per the lawsuit.

New York State Supreme Court Judge Robert Antonacci put the suspension on hold until Allen’s court date on July 19, The Daily Orange reported.

Syracuse University declined to comment to the Courier-Post.

#letlequintplay

Allen has received immense support over social media since the news broke as the #letlequintplay hashtag has popped up on numerous tweets.

“I’m a @SyracuseU alumni & love my alma mater,” wrote @rjsauter44. “I’ve served on two separate alumni boards. BUT I will call out the school if I feel they are wrong and doing something unjust. This LeQuint Allen decision is such a case. #letlequintplay”.

Syracuse defensive back and Camden grad Alijah Clark also tweeted his support, “LetQuintplay (two orange emojis) #Free20”

Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick said on a video published on Twitter by Tommy Sladek of CNY Central, “Unless there’s something the judicial board knows that I don’t know, then hopefully (the suspension) will be challenged successfully.”

Allen was set to be Syracuse’s lead running back this season after rushing for 274 yards and a touchdown and catching 17 passes for 117 yards and another score last fall.

During Allen’s final year at Millville, he rushed for 1,905 yards and 22 TDs, had 22 receptions for 305 yards and four more scores, led the Thunderbolts to South and South/Central Group 4 championships and was named the Gatorade New Jersey Player of the Year.

“Everyone told me to trust the process and I did,” Allen wrote in an appeal, Syracuse.com reported. “But I still don’t think I was heard or that anyone in the process understands what really happened or what I did. I want you to know that I owned up to what I did right away. I was honest and I cooperated all the time with the process.”

Josh Friedman has produced award-winning South Jersey sports coverage for the Courier Post, The Daily Journal and the Burlington County Times for more than a decade. If you have or know of an interesting story to tell, reach out on Twitter at @JFriedman57 or via email at jfriedman2@gannettnj.com. You can also contact him at 856-486-2431. Help support local journalism with a subscription.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Millville grad LeQuint Allen sues Syracuse to play football in 2023