Football runs in the family for McAllister

“Football pretty much runs in the family,” McAllister said. “My dad played and all of my uncles played football and my cousin just recently committed to the Texas Longhorns.”

It was his dad that first got him involved in the game.

“My dad started me off young. I started playing when I was 5 years old for the Milton Community Center,” McAllister said.

His experience in football only grew from there, and he’ll get a chance to continue playing the sport for NAIA Avila University in Kansas City.

He admits he might not have the most speed or the most strength, but he has his football IQ working to his advantage.

“I’m not the strongest in football, or the fastest, but I can say I’m one of the wisest,” McAllister said. “When it comes to linemen, I’ll use my speed, and when it comes to the receivers, I’ll use my strength and pursuit angles.”

McAllister is looking forward to building on those skills and his knowledge of football as he gets ready to play in college for an Eagles team that is coming off a historic season.

The Eagles went 10-2, marking the first time it has ever won 10 games in a season, and it earned a share of the conference title while punching a ticket to the NAIA postseason.

“I’m looking forward to developing my craft as an outside linebacker on a great team,” McAllister said.

At Milton last season, McAllister racked up 55 tackles, the third-most on the team, and while the Panthers managed only three wins, he’s proud of the way he and his teammates battled from start to finish.

“It didn’t go as well as we expected it to, but I can say we started strong and finished strong,” McAllister said.

On a personal level, the work isn’t done for McAllister, who has high expectations for himself.

“I want to be the best I can be. I’ll work to balance myself and be a well-rounded player,” McAllister said. “I look forward to working on my weaknesses and improving my strengths. I got to the next level off one year of varsity football, so let’s see what the next four years hold for me.”

He believes the next four years have a lot of potential stored inside of them. He can’t wait to get started and play for head coach Derrick Alexander, who spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs.

“My goal for college football is to prove myself and move on to the next level using the resources at Avila,” McAllister said.