Cortez Allen prepares for strong challenge

[hawaiiansteel]

Steelers’ Allen prepares for strong challenge

By Ralph N. Paulk
Published: Saturday, May 4, 2013



The Steelers' Cortez Allen pulls in an interception against the Bengals during the 2012 season.

Position: Cornerback

School: Citadel

Year: Third

2012 stats: 43 solo tackles, 12 assists, 2 INTs

2011 stats: 9 solo tackles, 1 assist

Cortez Allen marvels at the sometimes-immeasurable sweat equity veteran cornerback Ike Taylor invests into his offseason workouts. It's a punishing exercise of physical toughness designed to strengthen a player mentally.

Allen, entering his third season with the Steelers, is physically gifted. He has spent the past three months perfecting his coverage skills and understanding the complexities of Dick LeBeau's pass defense.

More important, he has prepared his body and mind for a grueling training camp and 16-game season. Even Taylor, who suffered a season-ending ankle fracture, couldn't make it through the 2012 season.

“Ike is one of the hardest workers I've met,” said Allen, who sustained a hip flexor and groin injury in Week 14 against San Diego. “Seeing the way he does things is something that I would one day like to model. I'm getting a close-up view of what it takes to play 10 years in this league.

“We know what's required in the scheme of what we do. We know how to push one another. We have to coach each other. We're making one another and the team better as a whole.”

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound cornerback already is expected to slide into the starting role at right corner — a slot left vacant by the departure of Keenan Lewis, who signed a free-agent contract with New Orleans.

Allen, though, is hesitant to pencil himself into the lineup on a defense that led the NFL in total defense (275.8 yards) and pass defense (185.2) the past two seasons. Besides, he'll have plenty of competition when training camp begins in mid-July at Saint Vincent College.

“If you don't want to take on this kind of challenge, then you're playing the wrong game, and you'll never be as good as you can be,” said Allen, a 2011 third-round pick from The Citadel. “When the opportunity presents itself, my preparation and mindset will be ready.”

The Steelers brought back William Gay, who was the 2011 starter at right cornerback, before spending the 2012 season with Arizona. Curtis Brown, DeMarcus van Dyke and Josh Victoria all had their chances to audition last season.

Perhaps Allen's biggest threat is fifth-round draft pick Terry Hawthorne. Defensive back coach Carnell Lake is impressed with the Illinois product's potential upside, speed, size and coverage ability.

Lake and LeBeau are excited about Hawthorne and Shamarko Thomas, a versatile defensive back drafted in the fourth round from Syracuse. Hawthorne and Thomas will be given a chance to see if they have a nose for the ball.

“(Hawthorne) doesn't mind tackling, and he can play press coverage well, kind of the same way as an Ike Taylor,” Lake said.

But Allen welcomes the challenge. After all, training camp might be a breeze compared to what Taylor has put him through at the Wild World of Sports training facility in Orlando, Fla.

“It's about what I expect from myself, and I try not to get into who will start,” Allen said. “I'm focusing on what I need to do to get better. I feel like everything will take care of itself if I can handle what I need to do personally.

“I believe I have the ability to make plays and help the team any way I can. I've shown the coaches I can be that guy they drafted.”

The Steelers relied heavily on Allen when Taylor and Lewis were sidelined with injuries. Brown, drafted ahead of Allen in 2011, hasn't been nearly as effective, partly because of injuries.

“We're hoping that Curtis can turn the corner right now,” Lake said.

[URL]http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/3925509-74/allen-season-taylor#ixzz2SQwqvJg2[/URL]

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Good read. With that kind of Tayloresque work ethic, this kid should be all that he can be.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

damn I respect the hell out of ivan taylor.

a pros pro.

[DukieBoy]

Look for Cortez to have a big season for us. He showed alot last year, I thought. Don't think we'll miss Lewis.

[phillyesq]

damn I respect the hell out of ivan taylor.

a pros pro.

Absolutely. Great to see his work ethic rubbing off on the younger guys.

[8467thekraken]

I think Cortez possessed this kind of work ethic just by coming out of the citadel.

Being a Veteran myself, I have witnessed first hand what military discipline can do for the right individual. If it is embrassed properly, the sky's the limit. Some people can transition this training over to civilian life. Others can't.

Cortez is going to be a hell of a pro. He is a leader in the making that this team so desperately needs.

I think I am more excited for this young man than any other on the roster. Not just for his skills on the field, but for the example he will show for present and future players, both on the field, in the locker room/meetings, and off the field as well.

[thor75]

I agree with everyone here. I wasn't sure what we had in Allen but its very nice to see him and Ike working together. Seems like a great character guy.

[SteelSpain]

Don´t forget 3 fumbles forced in the last two games. One against Bengals and two against Browns.

[chiken]

I always thought that Cortez was the gem of the group. He seemed more capeble of taking the ball away then the others.

[BigRob]

I wish someone would error check these Pittsburgh reporters. Allen was a 4th round pick out of the Citadel. Curtis Brown was the 3rd round pick that year at corner.

It does give me hope that maybe Lake has found another gem in Hawthorne. We can all hope.

[steel50]

i do wish we had lewis but i think allen will have a better career and glad we have him

[Shoe]

Ike is bound to fall off this season or next. He gave a glimpse of it at the end of the '11 season. I believe that the main reason he was able to rebound and have a solid season this past year is because of the humiliation of that last game. The chances that the erosion of his game will continue (due to age) are pretty high IMO.

[SteelSpain]

@MarkKaboly_Trib

Ike on Cortez Allen: "If he stays healthy, he is going to be hell for a lot of people."

[hawaiiansteel]

Cortez Allen steps quietly into starting job at corner for Steelers

By Ed Bouchette / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
May 28, 2013



It became tradition after the first week of spring drills for the Steelers' new starting cornerback to make bold predictions about himself, to forecast a Pro Bowl and great feats right away.

Keenan Lewis began that practice one year ago. Cortez Allen ended it Monday.

"I'm not that type to make predictions or boast about myself," Allen said as the Steelers resumed practices Monday with their fourth of the spring. "I'm a very humble guy. I just come to work every day and try to get better and better so I can help my team the best I can."

He plays a better game than he talks. That means he won't have to try to back up the kind of bravado his predecessor issued precisely at the same time a year ago, after just three spring practices as the Steelers' new starting cornerback paired with Ike Taylor.

"Pro Bowl," Lewis predicted for himself a year ago. "Watch out, this is going to be a big year right here."

Lewis did not make the Pro Bowl, but, in the overall scheme of things, after a slow start, he had a very good season as the Steelers' new left cornerback. It was good enough for New Orleans to sign him to a five-year contract worth $26 million.

Somehow it was not good enough for the Steelers to make him an offer to stay around longer. The reason: Cortez Allen.

While Lewis was making bold predictions a year ago, Allen was giving him a run for his money in a competition to replace the departed William Gay as the starting left corner. Lewis won, and his play upheld that decision, but no one on that coaching staff is hanging his head because Allen now is their starter, along with Taylor.

Coincidentally, Gay has returned, and the three are likely to be on the field together in some passing situations when the Steelers use five or six defensive backs.

Allen moved into the slot in those situations a year ago, joining Lewis and Taylor. He might move back to the slot when Gay comes onto the field this year because of his size, which he describes as "6 [feet] 2 and change."

"I don't know if that will be a game-plan thing as far as matchups," Allen said about moving into the slot. "Willie is where I learned a lot of it from, as well as Troy [Polamalu], Ryan [Clark] and Ike and others."

All those others might learn a thing or two from Allen when it comes to pilfering the football. It's been a large problem for a secondary that otherwise has been a reason the defense ranked No. 1 in the NFL in each of the past two seasons in fewest passing yards allowed.

The Steelers just don't produce turnovers the way they used to. They managed 11 interceptions in 2011 and of their 10 in 2012 only six came from a defensive back. Allen, though, was a turnover machine after he moved into the starting lineup at right cornerback to replace the injured Taylor late in the year. In the final two games, Allen had two interceptions (tying Clark for the most in the secondary), three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

"I think I've shown an ability to make plays in the defensive system," Allen said.

It's the kind of production Dick LeBeau and secondary coach Carnell Lake hope to see proliferate everywhere in 2013, and maybe the new starter can show the way.

"Absolutely that can change, and I'm going to do my best to be a factor in that," Allen declared in as close to a Keenan Lewis-like boast as anyone is likely to hear. "That's always our goal. We finished No. 1 in the secondary two years in row, No. 1 as a defense two years in a row. We'd like to be No. 1 in every category."

Toward that end, Lake and LeBeau had them working in practice last week on ways that might increase their football thievery.

"We're working on it everyday, doing more ball drills, more emphasis on attacking the ball so we can do better in that category," Allen said.

While Allen will move into the starting lineup to open the season just as Lewis did last year, there is a difference in the two situations. The timing for Lewis was perfect,, coming a year before his free agency as he played under a $1,260,000 tender as a restricted free agent. This is Allen's third year, and he is under contract through 2014. One good season, and he likely will get that contract extension offer from the Steelers that never came Lewis' way.

Still, it's a long way from The Citadel, where Allen attended after just one season of high school football. The Citadel is a military factory more than a football machine, and Allen became only the 13th Bulldogs player drafted into the NFL, the third-highest chosen from the South Carolina college when the Steelers drafted him in the fourth round in 2011.

The Steelers drafted another cornerback in the third round -- Curtis Brown from the more recognizable football hotbed, the University of Texas. It did not take long for Allen to surpass his draft classmate.

"Everybody had questions about what can I do as far as being from that type of league to facing opponents coming from I-A schools, the SEC, ACC, things like that," Allen said. "Football is football, and it's all about what you're willing to do and what you're willing to put into it. If you have a good foundation, good grounding, you can do anything."

He's ready to show how, without boasting about it.

[URL]http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/...#ixzz2UZlEO4xd[/URL]
__________________

[RuthlessBurgher]

Toward that end, Lake and LeBeau had them working in practice last week on ways that might increase their football thievery.

"We're working on it everyday, doing more ball drills, more emphasis on attacking the ball so we can do better in that category," Allen said.

This can't possibly be right. The old man suffering senility and can only do things one way...with a 15 yard cushion.