Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 10-48@ Alabama | 6 | 15 | 2.5 | 0 | 7 | |
| Wk 2 | L 24-27vs App State | 4 | 12 | 3.0 | 1 | 6 | |
| Wk 3 | W 20-17@ Old Dominion | 8 | 21 | 2.6 | 0 | 8 | Season-high 21 yds |
| Total | 18 | 48 | 2.7 | 1 | 8 |
#21
Michael Allen
Senior running back for East Carolina. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
5′11″ · 206 lb · Greenville, NC · J.H. Rose
CFB Index 42 · #197 of 326 RBsHigh confidenceTransferred Marshall → East Carolina for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
48
rushing yards · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 12 rush yds, 1 TD, 10 rec yds, vs App State
The play that turned itSwung Marshall from 43% to 78% to win.Marshall at Louisiana · 54-51
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Senior running back for East Carolina. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to NC State in 2022.
- Transferred from Marshall to East Carolina in 2026.
Michael Allen
Does a little of everything without one standout trait. Four head coaches in five seasons, at four different programs. The receipt on tape: 21 rush yds, 2 receptions against Old Dominion, Week 3, 2026.
48 RUSH YDS · 1 RUSH TD · 18 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
5 programs, one constant: he played.
20226 games
- Signed with NC State4-star out of J.H. Rose
20263 games
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
4 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
2 coaches2022–2024
East Carolina
Coaching transition mid-career: Mike Houston → Blake Harrell. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to East Carolina
2025Marshall
2026East Carolina
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | East Carolina | 18 | 48 | 2.7 | 1 | -- |
| 2025 | Marshall | 77 | 385 | 5.0 | 4 | -- |
| 2024 | UNLV | 19 | 108 | 5.7 | 0 | -- |
| 2023 | NC State | 52 | 251 | 4.8 | 1 | -- |
| 2022 | NC State | 53 | 268 | 5.1 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 219 | 1,060 | 4.8 | 6 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | East Carolina | 4 | 9 | 2.2 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Marshall | 12 | 139 | 11.6 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | UNLV | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | NC State | 11 | 66 | 6.0 | 0 | -- |
| 2022 | NC State | 11 | 97 | 8.8 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 38 | 311 | 8.2 | 2 | -- |
Game log
Game by game
Michael Allen's 2026 production
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 3 · 2026
W 20–17
at Old Dominion
21 rush yds (8 car)
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 3 on the road.
With T. O'Halloran — 48.2 yards per punt · 6 punts · 2 inside the 20 · T. Engleman Jr. — 99 rush yds (16 car)
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 3 · Old Dominion · 4&8 · Q4 · EPA -3.62No Huddle #0 K.Pearson pass complete short middle to #21 M.Allen caught at ODU27, for 2 yards loss to the ODU29 (#95 A.Foster; #18 J.Forrest), TURNOVER ON DOWNS
- Week 2 · App State · 2&2 · Q1 · EPA +2.07(04:16) No Huddle-Shotgun #21 M.Allen rush middle for 2 yards gain to the APP00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 04:11 #43 N.Perez kick attempt good (H: #83 E.Huether, LS: #53 B.Shirley)
- Week 3 · Old Dominion · 3&6 · Q4 · EPA -1.19No Huddle-Shotgun #21 M.Allen rush middle for 2 yards loss to the ODU27 (#0 M.Thompson; #18 J.Forrest)
- Week 3 · Old Dominion · 2&6 · Q2 · EPA +1.14No Huddle-Shotgun #21 M.Allen rush middle for 8 yards gain to the ECU37 (#19 L.Struck; #8 G.Johnson), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · App State · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.96(03:56) No Huddle-Shotgun #12 M.Griffis pass complete short left to #21 M.Allen caught at ECU18, for 3 yards loss to the ECU22 (#4 J.Gude; #33 A.Benton)
- Week 3 · Old Dominion · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA -0.87No Huddle-Shotgun #21 M.Allen rush middle for 1 yard gain to the ECU38 (#19 L.Struck; #18 J.Forrest)
- Week 3 · Old Dominion · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA -0.74No Huddle-Shotgun #21 M.Allen rush middle for 1 yard gain to the ECU32 (#19 L.Struck; #9 D.Lynch)
- Week 3 · Old Dominion · 2&2 · Q3 · EPA -0.73No Huddle-Shotgun #21 M.Allen rush middle for 1 yard gain to the ECU26 (#18 J.Forrest; #95 A.Foster)
- Week 2 · App State · 2&4 · Q2 · EPA -0.72(08:23) No Huddle-Shotgun #21 M.Allen rush middle for 1 yard gain to the ECU32 (#13 K.Thomas)
- Week 1 · Alabama · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA -0.59Michael Allen run for 1 yd to the ECU 26
2026 snapshot
Since week 2: +21 rushing yards, +2 catches.
Season context · Team result + system
2022NC State8-5HC: Dave Doeren · Balanced
2023NC State9-4HC: Dave Doeren · Run-leaning
2024UNLV11-3HC: Barry Odom · Run-heavy
2025Marshall5-7HC: Tony Gibson · Run-leaning
2026East Carolina1-2HC: Blake Harrell · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (7)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home1g | 12.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 |
| Road2g | 18.0 | 2.5 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| YDS/g | YPC | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 16.0 | 2.7 | 0.3 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Blake Harrell
Pass share
43.5%
77 pass / 100 run
Plays / game
59.0
3 games
Team sack rate
8.0%
88 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning, slow tempo.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
How he plays
Play style
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Back
Plays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Anthony Watkins’s 2024 season.
86%match
Matches Anthony on
Yards / reception
Rush TD rate
Weight
Through 5 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Joshua Samuel’s path through Austin Peay.
98%match
#4
Narii Gaither
92%
Matches Joshua on
Yards per carry
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Ajay Allen's senior season at Tulsa (2025).
77%match
Matches Ajay on
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Weight
Receiving share
Player DNA
Players who play like Michael Allen
Background
Mid-year graduate transfer from Marshall who, enrolled at East Carolina in January of 2026 … Three-time letterman (2/NC State, 1/Marshall) … Appeared in 28 games making seven starts in collegiate career … Tallied 1,331 all-purpose yards (1,012 rush, 302 receiving, 17 special teams) … Scored…
The backfield · East Carolina
- #21Michael Allen385 rushing yards · 2025
- #3Ashton Gray377 rushing yards · 2025
- #4TJ Engleman Jr.306 rushing yards · 2025
- #5DeJuan Lacy44 rushing yards · 2025
- #22Michael Beatty1 game · 2025
2 more on the roster · East Carolina team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology