MADISON - Based on his play to this point, defensive tackle Beau Allen is a star in the making. He's physical, tough and dependable in the trenches and he's proven to be a reliable option for defensive line coach Charlie Partridge.

With the team en route to Purdue, BadgerBlitz.com shares a conversation it had with Allen earlier in the week. The following is a question and answer with Allen.

To start, how has the season in general been going for you?

Allen: It's been going really well. I couldn't be happier. I'm happy with where we are and I'm just trying to focus on getting better every day. I'm happy with my play but I'm not satisfied with it. I'm just trying to get better and improve every day.

What are some of the biggest things that you're still trying to work on? It seems like you're coming into your own out there.

Allen: I feel like it's clicked for me a little bit in the past two or three weeks. One thing I'm trying to work on right now is recognizing pass rush and getting into a move faster. Sometimes I just settle into a bull-rushing move because that works really well for me, but I'm going to try to expand my pass rush and get to an edge. That's kind of my biggest thing right now. But I'm always continuing to be stout in the middle with the footwork and staying low and stuff like that. It's stuff that's continually in my mind as well.

Was the bull rush the most effective move for you in high school?

Allen: Yeah, because in high school I played nose guard. I was a head up nose every time so I was working against a guard-center-guard. I was trying to bull rush the center back as far as I could and create a gap between the center and guard and squeeze through there. It's something I'm really comfortable with and works really well for me. I can get under people's pads and press the pocket a little bit. That's what I like to do.

It's a little different in college now, though. You can't get away with that as much, can you?

Allen You can get away with it you've just got to learn to do it right. I think within the last couple of weeks that's been my go-to move, especially with one on ones and stuff. You just got to learn how to do it. Now that I've kind of gotten comfortable with it I'm trying to move away from that and expand my horizons.

Take me through a day in the life off the field. What are your classes like, what classes are you taking and how is that going?

Allen: It's going pretty well. It's a big adjustment obviously. In high school, I could kind of get away with not studying as much everyday. It was just kind of more like studying a couple of nights before the test. That doesn't really work in college. You've got to really prepare every night and go over your election notes and stuff like that. Right, now I'm taking a few classes. I'm taking Econ 101, which is kind of a more difficult class for me because it's something I've never really studied in high school. I'm getting used to that. Then I'm taking Nutritional Sciences 132, which I really like. It's kind of applicable to sports and sports nutrition. I'm in Sociology 125. I'm going to try to get into the business school. We'll see how that goes. I'm sure it's going to be pretty difficult, but it's a good goal.

What's your intended major if you get into the B-school?

Allen: I'm not even really sure. I want to maybe work in sales, but investing has kind of interested me. Investment and finance are really…I don't really know. It's still too early to say.

When you look at the course of the season, are you getting the reps you thought you'd be getting at this juncture?

Allen: Yeah, I guess to answer your question I didn't really come here and I didn't really know. But I'd say I'm getting the reps I kind of hoped I would earn. I'm not exactly sure how to put it. I didn't know what I was going to get but I'm glad with the amount of time I'm getting.

You hinted that you're starting to get a little more comfortable. Is the game coming to you?

Allen: I just feel like I'm understanding some things now with more experience I've gotten and practice that I didn't quite understand during camp. Now I'm getting a little more experience, not really, but compared to other freshmen maybe. I feel like it's coming to me a little bit more.

With the two big wins you guys have had over the past few weeks, do you pay attention to the hype you guys are starting to get?

Allen: No, as soon as you buy into the hype it's over. You can't do that. You've just got to focus on every day. It's Purdue week. That's what it's all about.

Is that a whole team thing?

Allen: Yeah, I don't think I could tell you what we're even ranked right now. I don't know how all that (stuff) works. It's whatever. I couldn't even tell you.


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