Atlanta's season came to an end Friday in spite of a win against Spring Hill, but that game certainly won't be the last of Tristan Allen's career.

The Rabbits' key senior linebacker extended his competitive career four to five years Wednesday by giving a verbal pledge to Louisiana Tech in favor of a second scholarship opportunity from UTEP. He first announced the news through his personal Instagram account.

Allen (6-3, 206) will team up with at least Gilmer safety Kollin Hurt at the next level. The two players competed against each other in games as sophomores, juniors and seniors.

Center receiver Octavius Evans is a third local target still in play for the Bulldogs program.

Gilmer receiver LaMarcus Morton and Nacogdoches defensive back Josh Thompson are other players with Louisiana Tech scholarship offers. Both are currently committed to Big 12 Conference schools.

The Bulldogs lead the six-team West Division of Conference USA by a game with just two more regular season contests to play. They have an overall record of 7-3, and two of their losses came on the road in non-conference play against Arkansas and Texas Tech.

If Louisiana Tech manages to stay in front of the West Division pack, it will play in the conference's championship game.

A win in the title game would give the Bulldogs their choice of any of five bowl games aligned with Conference USA or possibly a berth in the Camping World Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La., against either an ACC or SEC team.

Regardless, Allen's new program has already clinched a bowl game for the third consecutive season under head coach Skip Holtz and for the eighth time in 27 years as an NCAA Division I FBS participant.

Allen helped guide Atlanta to two consecutive Class 4A Division II state quarterfinal appearances ahead of a 6-4 senior season and a tie for fourth place in District 7-4A Division II.

Atlanta missed the 2016 postseason because Pittsburg, the team it tied with for the fourth and final playoff berth out of the district, defeated the Rabbits in a head-to-head game earlier in the year for the tiebreaker.

Allen will become eligible to sign with any school that offers him in February.

2017 East Texas Football Players With Division I FBS Offers

  • Tristan Allen, Atlanta, LB, 6-3, 206 — committed to Louisiana Tech; additional offer from UTEP (2)
  • Judah Bell, Tyler Bishop Gorman, WR, 6-3, 180 — committed to Navy; additional offers from Bowling Green, Coastal Carolina, Houston, Kansas, Memphis, New Mexico, North Texas, SMU, ULL, ULM, UTSA, Wyoming (13)
  • Noah Bush, Athens, LB, 6-1, 216 — offers from Air Force, Army (2)
  • Lagaryonn Carson, Liberty-Eylau, DE, 6-4, 261 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, North Texas, Oklahoma, TCU, Tennessee, Texas A&M (9)
  • Terrell Cooper, Lindale, DE, 6-3, 240 — offers from Arkansas State, Memphis, North Texas, Texas State (4)
  • Trestan Ebner, Henderson, WR, 5-11, 180 — committed to TCU; additional offers from Arizona State, Arkansas, Arkansas State, Colorado State, Houston, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi State, Missouri, North Texas, Ole Miss, SMU, Syracuse, UTSA, Texas A&M, Tulsa (18)
  • Montrell Estell, Hooks, WR/DB, 6-2, 180 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, Baylor, Kansas, Notre Dame, SMU, Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech, Tulane (12)
  • Octavius Evans, Center, WR, 6-2, 186 — offers from Indiana, Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Texas State, ULL (7)
  • Ted Fuller, Harleton, RB, 5-11, 195 — offers from ULM, Wyoming (2)
  • Tre Gatlin, Carthage, DE, 6-6, 210 —offer from Wyoming (1)
  • Quan Hampton, Texas High, WR, 5-8, 165 — committed to Texas State (1)
  • Austin Hawley, Gladewater, DB, 6-1, 200 — committed to ULM (1)
  • Kollin Hurt, Gilmer, DB, 6-3, 175 — committed to Louisiana Tech; additional offers from ULM, UTSA (3)
  • Jordan Johnson, Hooks, ATH, 6-0, 195 — committed to Air Force; additional offer from Army (1)
  • Kayce Medlock, Arp, ATH, 5-10, 186 — committed to SMU; additional offers from Army, Colorado, Navy, Tulane, ULL, UTSA (7)
  • Damion Miller, John Tyler, WR, 6-1, 189 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Baylor, Houston, Kansas, Missouri, North Texas, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, SMU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech (11)
  • LaMarcus Morton, Gilmer, WR, 6-2, 175 — committed to Oklahoma State; additional offers from Arkansas State, Colorado State, Houston, Indiana, Louisiana Tech, Memphis, New Mexico State, Texas Tech, Tulsa, ULL, ULM, UTSA (13)
  • Javonta Mosley, John Tyler, CB, 6-1, 170 — committed to UTSA; additional offers from Arkansas State, Houston, Memphis, North Texas, SMU, Southern Miss, Texas State, ULL, ULM (10)
  • Cade Pearson, Texas High, QB, 6-3, 193 — committed to North Texas; additional offer from Wyoming (2)
  • Dhailon Phillips, Lufkin, WR, 6-3, 195 — offers from Air Force, Army, Texas State (3)
  • Dez Robinson, Atlanta, LB, 6-3, 210 — offers from UTEP, Wyoming (2)  
  • Kordell Rodgers, Lufkin, QB/ATH, 5-10, 165 — committed to Texas State; additional offers from Arkansas State, ULM (3)
  • Makyle Sanders, Tyler Lee, S, 6-1, 177 — offers from Air Force, Memphis, Navy, North Texas (4)
  • Bryson Smith, John Tyler, QB/ATH, 6-0, 170 — committed to Houston; additional offers from Air Force, Arkansas State, Bowling Green, Memphis, New Mexico, North Texas, Purdue, SMU, Southern Miss, Texas State, Tulane, Tulsa, ULL, ULM, UTSA (16)
  • D’Torian Smith, Tatum, DE/LB, 6-3, 225 — committed to Air Force; additional offers from ULM, UTEP (3)
  • Major Tennison, Bullard, TE, 6-6, 248 — committed to Alabama; additional offers from Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Oregon, SMU, Texas, Texas Tech, UCLA (14)
  • Josh Thompson, Nacogdoches, CB, 6-0, 182 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Arkansas State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Houston, Indiana, Kansas, Kansas State, Louisiana Tech, Minnesota, Missouri, North Texas, Ohio, Oklahoma State, Penn State, SMU, TCU, Texas State, Texas Tech, Tulane, UCLA, ULM, Utah, UTSA, Washington State, Wyoming (26)
  • Lakendrick VanZandt, Henderson, S, 6-1, 196 — committed to TCU; additional offers from Arkansas State, Houston, Memphis, Oklahoma State, SMU, TCU, Tulane, Tulsa (8)
  • Traveion Webster, Longview, S, 6-0, 197 — offer from ULM (1)

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