British Columbia Lions

Damon Allen - Quarterback - 1996-02 - Cal State Fullerton

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Damon Allen spent the 1995 CFL season with the Memphis Mad Dogs. While it is widely believed he would receive the best compensation of his career for his year in the south, when the American based teams folded prior to the 1996 CFL season Allen was left without a team.

 

The British Columbia Lions began the 1996 season with a patchwork of owners that included former Montreal Alouettes owner Nelson Skalbania once Bill Comrie sold the team. As many suspected the owners stopped paying the bills and the team at that point led by quarterback Andre Ware faced serious questions whether they would continue through the season. Former Hamilton Tiger Cats owner David Braley stepped in and purchased the club midway through the season. Ware was shown the exit door and Damon Allen was summoned after spending the first months of the season without a team.

 

It would be a slow building for the Lions first under Adam Rita and then Greg Mohns the team improved and was competing with the Stampeders for tops in the division by the end of the 1990’s with Allen at the helm.

 

In 2000, Mohns was replaced at head coach by Steve Buratto and the Lions and Allen flourished. In 2000, Damon would enjoy his finest season on the West Coast with 4,840 yards passing for 24 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions. Allen along with the combination of Sean Millington and Robert Drummond became the most versatile and dangerous backfield in the league. The ability to run or throw kept opposing defences guessing and advanced the Lions past Calgary and Edmonton all the way to the Grey

Damon Allen       Cal State Fullerton        
    Passing           Rushing    
Yr Team Att Cmp Yds Pct. TD Int Lg C Yds Avg Lg TD
1985 Edm 98 48 661 49 3 3 54 36 190 5.3 18 5
1986 Edm 87 49 878 56.3 8 3 75 31 245 7.9 39 6
1987 Edm 287 150 2,670 52.3 17 13 97 66 562 8.5 40 6
1988 Edm 218 94 1,309 43.1 4 12 44 33 130 3.9 13 1
1989 Ott 434 209 3,093 48.2 17 16 78 75 532 7.1 51 1
1990 Ott 528 276 3,883 52.3 34 23 74 124 776 6.3 41 7
1991 Ott 546 282 4,275 51.6 24 31 70 129 1,036 8.0 42 8
1992 Ham 523 266 3,858 50.9 19 14 82 111 850 7.7 37 7
1993 Edm 400 214 3,394 53.5 25 10 102 120 920 7.7 43 6
1994 Edm 493 254 3,554 51.5 19 15 77 120 707 5.9 43 7
1995 Mps 390 228 3,211 58.5 11 13 73 63 427 6.8 25 0
1996 BC 368 219 2,772 59.5 13 10 64 52 400 7.7 31 2
1997 BC 583 378 4,653 64.8 21 11 73 111 837 7.5 28 8
1998 BC 479 282 3,519 58.9 16 16 85 115 782 6.8 29 2
1999 BC 521 315 4,219 60.5 22 13 78 136 785 5.8 30 8
2000 BC 525 324 4,840 61.7 24 11 67 58 284 4.9 34 2
2001 BC 471 251 3,631 53.3 18 14 78 86 580 6.7 45 2
2002 BC 474 268 3,987 56.5 22 10 109 70 479 6.8 22 4
2003 Tor 450 267 3,395 59.3 17 10 102 76 507 6.7 26 4
2004 Tor 312 189 2,438 60.6 12 4 63 40 212 5.3 32 3
2005 Tor 549 352 5,082 64.1 33 15 90 85 467 5.5 26 4
2006 Tor 335 198 2,567 59.1 12 11 83 25 197 7.9 22 0
2007 Tor 67 45 492 67.2 3 0 36 4 15 3.8 6 0
Total 23 9138 5158 72,381 56.4 394 278 109 1766 11,920 6.7 51 93

Cup and a match-up against the favoured Montreal Alouettes.

 

Allen would deliver (as he had previously for Edmonton in 1987 and 1993) in the big game and lead the Lions over the Alouettes 26-24.

 

The California native would enjoy 2 more productive seasons as he surpassed Ron Lancaster’s league record for career passing yards while with the Lions.

 

After the 2002 season, Wally Buono joined the Lions as head coach.  With Buono’s former quarterback Dave Dickenson returning to the league from the NFL, the Lions went ahead and signed Dickenson while Allen was released.

 

Damon would go on to join the Toronto Argonauts in 2003 and enjoy more Grey Cup success with the Argonauts.