Jeremiah Allison will play for Chris Ault, the father of the pistol offense, in Italy this spring
When former Washington State linebacker Jeremiah Allison turned down a scholarship offer from Chris Ault at Nevada coming out of high school, he never imagined that he would end up playing for Ault anyway.
Especially not in Italy.
But that’s exactly how Allison is going to spend the spring.
In January, Allison signed a pro contract with Ault’s new team, the reigning Italian Bowl champion Milano Rhinos, and the linebacker will leave the U.S. to join his new team on March 6.
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WSU linebackers coach Ken Wilson — a former Nevada assistant — helped to facilitate the connection when he told Allison that Ault was interested in his services.
The Rhinos’ president then reached out to Allison to ask if he’d like to play in Milan before he goes to law school in the fall.
After some consideration and a chat with his mentor, Sen. Michael Baumgartner – who encouraged Allison to go explore Europe – the linebacker signed with the Rhinos.
Now, he’s one of three American players who will be on Ault’s Milan squad. Former Eastern Kentucky quarterback T.J. Pryor will return after helping the Rhinos to an undefeated season last year, and former Nevada linebacker Jonathan McNeal will also play an integral role.
Allison said both American players have reached out to him since he signed with the Rhinos, and are helping him with the transition.
Ault, who’s widely acknowledged as the father of the pistol offense, retired in 2012 after 28 years at Nevada. He joined the Rhinos in 2016 and led the club to an undefeated 13-0 record and an Italian Football League championship.
The Rhinos’ 2017 season runs from March 6 through June 13, which gives Allison plenty of time to sightsee in Europe before he returns stateside to begin law school.
Allison (6-foot-2, 228 pounds), who just completed a stint as a legislative aide to Baumgartner, says he’s never been out of the U.S. before, and has come up with a list of things to see in Europe.
“I want to see Rome and the Coliseum, and Da Vinci’s Last Supper painting,” Allison said. “I want to go to France by train and see the leaning tower of Pisa.”
Even though he never got the chance to join an NFL team, Allision says he’s grateful for this new playing opportunity and is going to make the best of it.
“I’m just a kid from Los Angeles who never knew I’d be in the position I am today,” Allison said, adding that he hasn’t given up on the NFL entirely, and is open to any opportunities that might come his way.
In the meantime, however, Italy beckons.