One of Sonoma State’s most celebrated athletes, Larry Allen, died on Sunday, June 2. He was 52. No cause of death has been given..
Allen was the first student-athlete in the history of SSU football to be drafted into the National Football League when he was picked by the Cowboys in 1994. He played for the Cowboys from 1994 to 2005, winning a Super Bowl in 1995.
He was named to the Pro Bowl 11 times and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013. Though he spent his final two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, he officially retired from the Cowboys.His name is enshrined in the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor at AT&T (formerly Cowboys) Stadium. In 2019, Allen was named to the NFL's top-100 list, which ranked the best players in league history.
During the two seasons Allen played for Sonoma State (1992-93) he was twice named All-American and was named the Northern California Athletic Conference (NCAC) Offensive Player of the Year in 1993. That year Allen gave up only one sack and was part of an offense that established 10 new school records under then-head coach Frank Scalercio.
"My heart is heavy with the loss of SSU Cossack and Dallas Cowboy great, Larry Allen," said Scalercio. "Larry will always hold a special place in the hearts of our community and my family. He will forever be one of the most respected players, teammates and men in college football and the NFL. I will miss his big smile and hugs."
Allen is a member of the Sonoma State Athletics Hall of Fame and the NCAA Division II Football Hall of Fame. When asked about playing for a DII team versus Division 1, Allen said, “It was a great opportunity for me to showcase my talents. I had a great head coach (Scalercio) my senior season, who also coached the offensive line. SSU was a great school."