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Brandon George / Reporter
bgeorge@dallasnews.com | Bio
12:24 PM on Thu., Aug. 18, 2011 | Permalink
IRVING -- Former Cowboys offensive lineman Larry Allen, who played in more Pro Bowls (11) than any other Cowboys offensive player in franchise history, was at the team's first outdoor practice of training camp Thursday at Valley Ranch against the San Diego Chargers.
Longtime Cowboys offensive line coach Hudson Houck asked Allen to visit a few practices to help with the development of 20-year-old rookie right tackle Tyron Smith.
Allen, who planned to take Smith out to lunch to give him some more pointers, said he was impressed with the Cowboys' first-round draft pick out of USC. Allen said he plans to be in town until Saturday.
"Oh, he looks good," Allen said. "He has long arms and uses his reach well. He just needs to pick it up a little bit, get a little quicker."
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said recently the team plans to add at least one player to its hallowed Ring of Honor this season. Jones said Saturday that Allen would be as good a candidate as anyone.
Allen, who will be eligible to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the first time in 2013, said to be added to the Ring of Honor would be a great honor.
"If it happens, it happens. I hope it does," Allen said. "I'm just living life until it does."
Allen hasn't changed much. He's still big and he's still uncomfortable in front of the media. But he did speak longer Thursday than perhaps at any point during his Cowboys career.
Even then, the answers were short. After one long pause, Allen said, "It's like old times. Quiet Larry."
These days, Allen lives in California and spends most of his time helping his 15-year-old son, Larry Allen III, develop as a football player. His son is a 6-1, 240-pound sophomore offensive guard for De La Salle, one of the nation's top high school football programs in Concord, Calif.
Allen, who is regarded as one of the strongest men to ever play in the NFL, said this is the first year he's allowed his son to lift weights. His son is already benching 285 pounds and squatting 315 pounds. His son received his first recruiting letter recently from Cornell.
Of course, that's a far cry from his dad. Allen once bench-pressed 692 pounds and squatted 900 pounds. But he said he didn't start lifting weights until he was in college at Sonoma State.
Allen said he already knows who he wants to introduce him for his Pro Football Hall of Fame speech when he is inducted. He declined to name the person, saying he didn't want to jinx himself.
bgeorge@dallasnews.com | Bio
12:24 PM on Thu., Aug. 18, 2011 | Permalink
IRVING -- Former Cowboys offensive lineman Larry Allen, who played in more Pro Bowls (11) than any other Cowboys offensive player in franchise history, was at the team's first outdoor practice of training camp Thursday at Valley Ranch against the San Diego Chargers.
Longtime Cowboys offensive line coach Hudson Houck asked Allen to visit a few practices to help with the development of 20-year-old rookie right tackle Tyron Smith.
Allen, who planned to take Smith out to lunch to give him some more pointers, said he was impressed with the Cowboys' first-round draft pick out of USC. Allen said he plans to be in town until Saturday.
"Oh, he looks good," Allen said. "He has long arms and uses his reach well. He just needs to pick it up a little bit, get a little quicker."
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said recently the team plans to add at least one player to its hallowed Ring of Honor this season. Jones said Saturday that Allen would be as good a candidate as anyone.
Allen, who will be eligible to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the first time in 2013, said to be added to the Ring of Honor would be a great honor.
"If it happens, it happens. I hope it does," Allen said. "I'm just living life until it does."
Allen hasn't changed much. He's still big and he's still uncomfortable in front of the media. But he did speak longer Thursday than perhaps at any point during his Cowboys career.
Even then, the answers were short. After one long pause, Allen said, "It's like old times. Quiet Larry."
These days, Allen lives in California and spends most of his time helping his 15-year-old son, Larry Allen III, develop as a football player. His son is a 6-1, 240-pound sophomore offensive guard for De La Salle, one of the nation's top high school football programs in Concord, Calif.
Allen, who is regarded as one of the strongest men to ever play in the NFL, said this is the first year he's allowed his son to lift weights. His son is already benching 285 pounds and squatting 315 pounds. His son received his first recruiting letter recently from Cornell.
Of course, that's a far cry from his dad. Allen once bench-pressed 692 pounds and squatted 900 pounds. But he said he didn't start lifting weights until he was in college at Sonoma State.
Allen said he already knows who he wants to introduce him for his Pro Football Hall of Fame speech when he is inducted. He declined to name the person, saying he didn't want to jinx himself.
