By Will Vandervort.

By Will Vandervort

CLEMSON — When he pulled left on a counter trap run in last week’s playoff game at Baltimore, Dwayne Allen’s eyes opened up. He could not believe what he was seeing. There he was one-on-one with one of the best linebackers in the history of the NFL – Ray Lewis.

“I was like, ‘Okay, here is my opportunity. This is Ray Lewis I can make a name for myself,” Allen said.

And that he did. Allen met Lewis straight on as Lewis attempted to fill the gap in hopes of getting to running back Vick Ballard. But Allen was having none of it, has he drove the future Hall of Famer back and then pancaked him to the turf.

“I acted as if it was anyone else,” Allen said. “I got up and just walked back to our side like nothing happened. But inside I was like, ‘I just smashed Ray Lewis.’”

Allen smashed a lot of people and caught a lot of passes in his rookie year in the NFL. The former Clemson tight end caught 45 passes for 521 yards and three touchdowns on his way to being named to the NFL’s All-Rookie team.

Allen was the third-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts and the second tight end behind Stanford’s Coby Fleener, who played with quarterback Andrew Luck—the Colts first pick in the 2012 draft—in college. Allen said that inspired him to be the best he could be as a rookie.

“I did not leave (Clemson) early to be a backup tight end,” Allen said. “I didn’t want to be someone who spelled for someone. I left school to be the guy. The Colts organization blessed me with a great opportunity to go out and play every Sunday, and I have just been taking advantage of it.

“That (credit) goes to the coaching staff we have here at Clemson. Coach (Dabo) Swinney does a great job preparing guys for the next level. In my decision to leave last year, Coach Swinney came to me and said, ‘Dwayne, I think you are doing the right thing. I hate to see you go, but you are doing not only the right thing for you, but for your career.’ That’s the type of guy Coach Swinney is.”

It was a great first season for Allen who said it was an emotional year in Indianapolis with head coach Chuck Pagano battling leukemia, while the team was battling for a berth in the NFL playoffs.

“I could not have asked for anything more,” Allen said. “I went into this thing with no expectations at all and that is kind of the best way to play. There were no worries and we just went out every weekend and did the best we could and ended up winning eleven games when it was all said and done.”

The former John Mackey recipient said he had a great first year in the NFL and loved the opportunity he had to play in a playoff game as a rookie.

“There is nothing like the college atmosphere,” Allen said. “But playing in that game this past weekend that was the closest thing to a college atmosphere I played in all season. Having Ray announce it was going to be his last home game and he does his introduction and you see the 52 behind the smoke, it was so electrifying and exciting to be a part of history.

“I wanted to put my best foot forward. The first opportunity I was given to put my foot down in history, and I did it.”

And Ray Lewis is probably still feeling it.