Editor’s note: Billings Senior graduate Blake Allred gave his verbal commitment to play football at Montana State in January and conducted an interview about that commitment with Skyline Sports on January. The fullback and linebacker signed with MSU on February 7. Skyline misplaced the audio file of Allred’s interview until mid-July. Allred is one of 28 players who signed with the Bobcats between the early period in December and National Signing the first Wednesday of February.
Blake Allred experienced nothing but success his final two years of high school football. Yet as Christmas approached, his frustration grew.
The hard-nosed inside linebacker paired with eventual Class AA Defensive MVP Nolan Askelson to form the most menacing ‘defensive duos in the Treasure State. Billings Senior ripped off 26 straight wins and won back-to-back state titles behind the quarterback wizardry of Nathan Dick in 2016, the hard-hitting linebacker duo and the explosive play-making of Gabe Sulser in both of the state championship seasons.
Allred, a 6-foot, 210-pounder, earned Class AA second-team all-state honors at inside linebacker as a junior and first-team honors as a senior. This winter, Division I schools executed the first early signing period ever between December 20 and 22. The Montana Grizzlies signed 13 players, including Sulser and eight other players from Montana. Montana State signed 16 players, including Askelson and six others with Montana roots. But Allred remained unsigned.
“In December when all those guys were signing, it was a little frustrating,” Allred admitted in an interview in January.
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Photos by Travis Clarke, contributed. All Rights Reserved
