INDIANAPOLIS—Chuck Pagano, please excuse Dwayne Allen for being a bit of a distraction at practice.
He simply can't hide his exuberance.
In the final days of Colts training camp at Anderson Univesity, there was Allen hooting and hollering from the offensive sideline during afternoon practice forcing tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts to tell his second-year tight end to settle down.
On Sunday night, Allen's antics were reserved to the confines of his home as a foot injury has sidelined the Clemson product.
"I'm going nuts man," Allen said on "The Ride with JMV" on Monday. "Watching (Sunday) night's game, watching those guys go out there, play at a high level and put a great product on the field, on a national stage, was so exciting but just so hard to be at home and not on the field with them."
Just a few days prior to the Colts preseason opener against the Buffalo Bills, it was announced that Allen was having a second opinion on his foot injury.
Rumors ran rampant on the severity of Allen's injury but he says the second opinion was simply a "checks and balance" situation.
Following the Bills game, Pagano said that he expected Allen to be ready for the regular season opener on Sept. 8.
"It was nice to see the reaction out of the club that they took," Allen said. "They took it as a very big deal. It's always nice to see that you're appreciated."
"Coach Pagano talks about the horseshoe—trust, loyalty and respect and there's a whole lot of trust in this thing. I have to trust and know that Mr. Irsay has put the best doctors, the best trainers, the best managers in place to give me the best opportunity to hit the field. I believe that he has done that and the doctors are doing the best that they can, and my trainers are the best in the league to make sure that I'm ready for the first game."
Pagano said on Monday that the Colts would monitor Allen's reps this week in an effort to try and get him some drill work.
Allen's eagerness to get back out on the practice field is eating at him as he's looking forward to doing the dirty work.
"I'm hoping to practice soon, get some reps to really start meshing with the guys so that we can get the running game going because the passing game is pretty darn good," Allen said.
"We've got a lot of different backs that want a real opportunity to rush the ball and, not saying that I'm going to solve everything, but I believe I can help in the run game."
Allen and the training staff now want to make sure that the 255-pound tight end is 'performing at a high level" before he returns to the lineup.
That return should be soon, but for now Allen is trying to get on Pagano's good side for where he can watch the Browns game on Saturday night.
"I'm going to beg coach to be on the sidelines but he might not want me out there," Allen said with a laugh. "I might be a distraction because I get to yelling and coaching."
"I'm passionate about this game. I love this game. I love what I do, so anytime I'm around it I have to give my input on whatever. Whatever I can do to help my team win is whatever I'm going to do whenever I'm around it."
Here is a link to a One-on-One interview between Allen and 1070 the Fan’s Mark Montieth. The interview is 45 minutes long and explains the amazing journey Allen has took to get to the NFL.
