Stubby little legs and short choppy strides. Those were the physical attributes of Craig Allison. An insatiable desire to win and a thirst for competition were the intangibles. Put them all together and you got a runningback who was the perfect in Bob Reade’s wing-T offense. He was among the mainstays in Reade’s first recruiting class at Augustana and by the time his career ended he was the offensive MVP in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin on a team that won the 1983 NCAA Division III national championship.
He never checked a stat sheet after the game, never cared about how many yards he gained; he just worried about helping his team win the game. He was exactly what Reade was looking for, an all-purpose back that never left the field. After helping quarterback Rock Island High School to a Western Big Six championship as a junior, he came to Augustana in the fall of 1980 and he immediately earned a starting position in the defensive backfield. Midway through the 1980 season a rash of injuries forced Reade to look for help at runningback. He decided to give Allison a shot and it was a move that proved to be golden. In his very first collegiate start Allison ripped off 157 yards on 22 attempts as the Vikings defeated eventual league champion Elmhurst on the road on November 2, 1980.
Durable and tough, Allison never left the starting lineup after that day and during his career he helped the Blue and Gold to a 35-2overall record and a 27-0 mark in the CCIW in games he started. He was a four year letterwinner and helped the Vikings win three straight league titles (1981-82-83) and participate in three straight NCAA Division III playoffs (1981-82-83). He was always in the mix offensively and was a three time all-conference selection, earning second team honors in 1981 and 1982 before moving up to first team in 1983. Given Reade’s unique three runningback approach, Allison’s rushing totals could have been higher in an offense that used a “feature” back. But this was a young man about winning, not individual honors so he was comfortable playing in his home town.
After being eliminated in the first round of the NCAA playoffs and 1981 and losing in the Stagg Bowl in 1982, Allison and the Vikings enjoyed their finest hour in 1983. He was a captain on a team that won the first national team championship in school history with a stirring 21-17 come-from-behind win over Union College in the 1983 Stagg Bowl, which was played at Galbraith Field at the College Football Hall of Fame in King’s Island, Ohio. During that year he gained 1,237 yards rushing and scored 102 points. Those figures are still the fifth (rushing) and seventh (scoring) best single season totals in school history. He was the CCIW’s Most Valuable Offensive Player and he led the conference in both rushing and scoring. After the season was over he was named to the NCAA Division III All-American team.
When his career finally ended, he had gained 2,953 yards rushing, which to this day is still the fifth highest figure in Augustana history. He is seventh on the all-time scoring list with 192 points and he had three games in his career of over 150 yards rushing.
A versatile performer who returned kicks and punts during his career, he totaled 4,585 yards of all-purpose offense (2,953 rushing, 524 receiving, 466 punt returns and 642 kickoff returns).
“Reflecting back, having the opportunity to play in two national championship football games was an awesome experience,” said Allison about his Augustana days. “However, more importantly I developed lasting friendships with many of my teammates that have meant a lot to me over the years. Having the opportunity to play for the legendary Bob Reade was a valuable experience. Not only was he a coach but a mentor as well. Augustana College, from the administrators to the teachers, created a friendly atmosphere that made my college experience a memorable experience in my life.”
A Quad City native, Craig hasn’t ventured too far from home. He is currently a teacher of driver’s education at Rock Island High School, where he has worked for 18 years. He is the chairman of the health, physical education and driver’s education department. He also coaches football for the Rocks, serving as the defensive coordinator for the sophomore team and works with the defensive backs for the varsity.
Craig and his wife Kathi live in Rock Island and have two sons: Ryan and Tyler. He is the president of the Rock Island Red Sox baseball program and he has coached basketball and softball.
