Miami football adds productive Nebraska transfer RB Ajay Allen

The Miami football program added productive Nebraska transfer running back Ajay Allen on Monday night. Allen ran 33 times for 190 yards and two touchdowns as a true freshman for Nebraska in 2022. Allen suffered a broken collarbone against Oklahoma in the fourth game of the 2022 season.

Due to playing in the limit of four games, Allen was able to take a medical redshirt last season. Allen was ranked as the 502nd prospect, 40th RB and 24th in Louisiana in the Class of 2024. Miami signed Mark Fletcher and Chris Johnson in the Class of 2023. Miami has four RBs with four years of eligibility remaining on its 2023 roster.

Tre’Vonte Citizen returns for Miami after missing the entire 2022 season with a knee injury. Henry Parrish who led Miami with 616 rushing yards in 2022 and Don Chaney Jr. who missed most of last season are the other returning RBs for Miami in 2023. Tim Harris Jr. is the new Miami RBs coach in 2023.

Mario Cristobal also hired Shannon Dawson as the new Miami offensive coordinator. Dawson is a Louisiana native like Allen. At Monroe, Louisiana High School Allen ran for more than 2,200 yards and scored 34 touchdowns per his Nebraska Bio. Allen ran for over 1,600 yards as a senior that included a 360-yard game.

Allen becomes the second RB on the Miami football roster from Louisiana joining Citizen who signed with the Hurricanes in the first class under Cristobal in 2022. The On3 scouting report praises Allen as having excellent start-stop cutting ability. Allen was projected as an all-purpose RB with excellent receiving skills.

Allen has the potential to compete for snaps in what is now a deep but mostly inexperienced Miami backfield. Chaney and Parrish are the only RBs on the 2023 Miami roster with more than one year of collegiate experrience. Chaney, Citizen and Parrish will all have to prove they are healthy and ready for the 2023 season.