How son of former Memphis point guard helped Houston make first TSSAA football championship game

Andre Allen Jr. lined up in his safety position in the second half of Houston’s TSSAA football 6A semifinals game against Brentwood last Friday.

All night, Brentwood had a player line up in the slot position, running a seam route but never made the throw. From his film study, Allen knew Brentwood was going to look for the seam route eventually.

Brentwood attempted that pass on its final possession of the third quarter. Allen jumped the route, made the interception and set up Houston’s second touchdown in 25 seconds.

"They put their best player there in the second half,” Allen said. “I watched the quarterback’s eyes. … I knew the quarterback was throwing it where I was, so I made a play on it.”

The play showed just how knowledgeable Allen is on the field.

"I would describe Dre, in school terms, as AP football,” Houston coach James Thomas said. “He’s got it all.”

Allen is a junior and one of the leaders on the team. His awareness on the field has been critical during Houston’s 11-game win streak.

“He understands the game," Thompson said, "and it’s so impactful having a guy like that playing both sides of the football and get everybody galvanized and rallied around him."

That’s one of his best traits: Outthinking the other team.

Allen just needed a chance to showcase how good of a player he is. And now he’s helped Houston reach the TSSAA 6A title game for the first time.

The Mustangs (12-2) will play three-time defending champion Oakland (12-2) for the school’s first gold ball in football on Saturday at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.

Allen is the son of former Memphis point guard Andre Allen Sr., who was on the NCAA Tournament runner-up team in 2008. While they play different sports, Allen has picked up several tips from his dad through basketball to use on the football field.

"I look at (him) and I can see that he’s breaking down, telling people where to be at and I’m like I can do the same thing on defense,” Allen said of watching his dad during pickup games. “I’m a safety. I can see everything they don’t see.”

That’s what’s made his burst onto the scene in the second half of the season so important for Houston’s playoff run. He's able to lead from the secondary.

Allen leads the team in tackles with 61 and has two interceptions. He also has 384 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on offense.

"Dre’s probably one of the smartest football players on our team offensively and defensively,” Thompson said. “Even last year and up to this year, he’s probably had the least amount of reps at receiver but knew every play, what to do and what everybody’s supposed to do.”

Allen Sr. won a state championship at Booker T. Washington in 2001. His son has a chance to do the same this year at Houston.

"The vision he has with football is the same vision I had with basketball,” Allen Sr. said. “What he does on the football field is what I did in basketball.”

Allen Sr. didn’t want his son to feel the pressure of following his father's path. He wanted him to have an identity of his own.

"It’s a great feeling for me, for him to make his own name,” Allen Sr. said. “People not knowing just as ‘this Andre Allen son that played for University of Memphis’. For people to know him as ‘this Andre Allen that play for Houston.’”

The Allens want it to be known, the last name Allen, won’t carry weight just in basketball in Memphis.

"Get used to that name,” Allen Sr. said. “They used to it already but get used to it for another sport.”

Reach Wynston Wilcox at wwilcox@gannett.com and on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, @wynstonw__.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: TSSAA football playoffs: Memphis point guard's son leads Houston