By LARRY HILLIARD Ledger Sports Editor O

K, you won’t find Bernard Allen’s name in the Shrine Bowl program. It’s also unlikely the Blacksburg Wildcat will be spending mid-December at Myrtle Beach in the North-South All-Star Game.

Then again, you won’t find some of those all-star football players abusing a step-too-slow safety with an over-the-shoulder catch or outquicking a long-striding wide receiver to break up a sure touchdown pass.

Allen stands only 5-foot-11 and tips the scales at 180 pounds. But in reality, none of those glam all-stars play a bigger role in their team’s success than Allen.

Although he’s unassuming and relatively small, he had Blacksburg coach Robbie Blanton buzzing around in search of superlatives.

“He’s just a very vital part of our team,” Blanton said. “He’s a weapon on offense. He’s played every receiver position and running back. And on defense, he’s made some touchdown-saving plays.”

Allen does just about everything. He describes his role this way, “I’m the utility man. I get tired sometimes. But I try not to show it so the other team won’t take advantage.”

Getting the job done despite the position he plays has been a theme throughout Allen’s career.

As a seventh-grader, he played free safety on the Wildcats’ junior varsity team. He was a reserve on the varsity as a freshman.

A year later, he was starting at wide receiver for the region champions. He remained at wide receiver as a junior.

This season, you need a global positioning system to pinpoint his location on the field. At the beginning of the season, Allen played running back. Then, he was switched to wide receiver.

On defense, he added linebacker to his ever-expanding resume before he was moved to defensive back.

Allen admits the move from linebacker to DB was made, in part, for his own survival.

“Those big linemen are scary. It was hard at linebacker because I had to go against those big linemen,” he said.

Allen has been productive no matter where he’s playing. Against Landrum, he caught four passes for 85 yards and had two interceptions. He followed up that performance with six catches for 81 yards against Jonesville last week.

Soon, Fridays will be the hardest for Allen. That’s because the senior won’t be playing football for the Wildcats anymore.

“I just love playing football,” he said. “I’m not a show-off, but I like to perform in front of the people.”

So, how would Allen write the script for his final regular season game as a Wildcat tonight?

“I’d like to have a couple of touchdown catches, three or four interceptions and about 10 tackles,” he said.

Hollywood couldn’t write a better one.

“I’m the utility man.

I get tired sometimes. But I try not to show it so the other team won’t take advantage.”

– Bernard Allen