'Why would I leave?' Fifth-year senior Cam Allen's love for Purdue football runs deep
WEST LAFAYETTE − Cam Allen didn't want to go anywhere else.
When his entire coaching staff left, when many of his teammates transferred elsewhere, Allen stayed true to the school he committed to way back in 2018.
"I am not the type of guy, this is my last year, where I'm going to try to venture somewhere else," said Allen, who celebrated his 24th birthday this week. "I started here for basically five years. Why would I leave? Just staying here in West Lafayette, I love it."
Staying at Purdue, though, would mean a new scheme and another defensive coordinator, of which Allen has had too many to count.
It would mean adapting from zone coverage to man-to-man.
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But it also would mean Allen would get to go out a Boilermaker, where he always wanted to be, and help usher in a new era of Purdue football.
"He's attacked this season as showing up and doing his job, doing things the right way and kind of setting an example for the younger generation," Purdue defensive coordinator Kevin Kane said. "I appreciate the heck out of what he's done here."
How exactly has Allen led by example?
Ask those in the secondary and they'll tell you it's his relentless film study. Or his personality. His willingness to show up ready to go at each practice.
"There is never a day where he doesn't come out and he's not ready to play," cornerback Zion Steptoe said. "He is a great role model."
On Saturday, against rival Indiana, Allen will play in his 56th and final game as a Purdue Boilermaker.
He has 12 career interceptions.
That's more than Boilermaker great Rod Woodson, who by the way ranks third in NFL history in career interceptions.
The only names with more picks are Ricardo Allen, who Allen can match if he intercepts the Hoosiers just once at Ross-Ade Stadium on Saturday, and Stuart Schweigert, who frequently stays in touch with Allen just to talk football and pick his brain.
First-year football coach Ryan Walters didn't have to do much of a sales pitch to keep Allen in West Lafayette.
Allen sees a lot of himself in Walters, both former quarterbacks who made their names in the secondary at the college level.
One thing Walters said did intrigue the fifth-year senior.
The opportunity to cover receivers man-to-man.
It's been a season of mixed results for Allen.
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People remember Allen's interception at Virginia Tech, not far from where he grew up, that helped the Boilermakers win their first game under Walters. But Allen will also tell you he whiffed covering two slant routes that could've proved costly.
The win total this season haven't been what anyone within Purdue's football program had hoped. Allen has seen playing time diminish the past couple of weeks based simply on the offensive personnel Purdue matched up against.
He still showed up to practice every day with his charismatic personality ready to go to work.
Allen has NFL dreams, but his practices at Purdue are now complete. After Saturday, he'll be associated with Purdue football only as a past player.
"I definitely loved my time here. I've had a whole bunch of coaches throughout my career and just stuck with it," Allen said. "Whatever they brought in, I tried to buy in and do everything I can for this program as a whole."
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Cam Allen 'a great role model' for Purdue football's next generation
