August 30, 2025 – Morehead, KY
Allen University enters the 2025 football season with something every successful program strives to build—experience. After a year of growth, grit, and glimpses of brilliance in 2024, the Yellow Jackets return to the field as a seasoned unit with a confident core and momentum on their side.
A strong finish to last season revealed the foundation being laid under Head Coach Cedric Pearl, and now that foundation is ready to support the next step: turning competitive moments into consistent wins.
Leadership on All Fronts
Allen's roster returns with talent and leadership across the board—from the offensive line to the secondary, from special teams to skill positions. This year's team is a complete and cohesive unit, bonded by the battles of last season and united by a shared goal to raise the program's standard.
At the center of it all is Junior quarterback Jamir Dismukes, the rising star who burst onto the scene in 2024 and never looked back. In just nine games last season, Dismukes accounted for 25 total touchdowns—throwing for 1,832 yards and 19 scores, while rushing for 284 yards and six more. His efficiency rating (162.09) and yards per completion (16.21) ranked among the best in the conference, earning him the 2024 SIAC Football Newcomer of the Year honor.
This offseason, the accolades kept coming. Dismukes was named a Preseason All-SIAC selection and earned national recognition as one of the elite signal-callers in HBCU football, being named to the 2025 Quarter Phi Back National Watch List, which puts him in the running for the prestigious BIP Memorial Trophy—the nation's only award dedicated to honoring Black quarterbacks at the high school and college levels.
All-Conference Core Returns with Purpose
While Dismukes commands the huddle, he'll be surrounded by a deep, hungry, and talented group of returners, including four more 2025 Preseason All-SIAC honorees:
• Nanders Lawrence, Junior – Wide Receiver
• Osirus Rhodes, Senior – Defensive Line
• Tyreshon Freeman, Sophomore – Defensive Back
• Trevor Bywater, Junior – Punter
Each of these players played pivotal roles last season and bring leadership and production back to a locker room that's matured from adversity and now embraces the challenge of pushing Allen Football to the next level.
With five Preseason All-Conference selections, Allen is tied among the top in the SIAC in terms of returning individual talent—a sign that this team is no longer rebuilding, but reloading.
Growth That Fuels Belief
The 2024 campaign served as a proving ground for the Yellow Jackets. Allen's offense showed explosive potential, the defense made timely stops, and special teams played with edge—all while navigating the challenges of a demanding SIAC slate. Though the results didn't always fall their way, the team's performance spoke volumes about the direction of the program.
Heading into 2025, that direction is clear. This is no longer a team finding its identity—this is a veteran squad prepared to assert it.
Armed with the lessons of last fall and fueled by a full offseason of development, the Yellow Jackets are focused, battle-tested, and hungry. Their season opener on the road against Division I opponent Morehead State offers a golden opportunity to showcase how far this team has come—and how far they intend to go.
Coach Pearl's Vision: Build, Believe, Break Through
Entering his second season at the helm, Head Coach Cedric Pearl sees the value in what this group has already endured—and the opportunity that lies ahead.
"We've got a core group that's been through the fire," said Coach Pearl. "That experience is something we can hang our hat on. The work these guys put in—during the season and the offseason—has us in a position to compete and take a real step forward."
Pearl's message is simple: the pieces are in place. Now it's time to execute.
Season Opener: Division I Test Awaits
The 2025 journey begins with a test worthy of the team's hunger. Allen will head to Morehead, Kentucky to face Division I opponent Morehead State of the Ohio Valley Conference, setting the tone for what could be a breakthrough year.
The Buzz Is Real
There's a different energy surrounding Allen Football this fall. It's the feeling that something is building—that the mix of talent, leadership, and purpose is ready to come together in a way that hasn't been seen before.
The 2025 Yellow Jackets aren't just here to compete—they're here to command attention. And whether it starts with a big play, a critical stop, or a bold road win, this team is ready to prove that Allen Football has arrived.
So fire up your screens, grab your gear, and prepare for a new era of Yellow Jacket football.
For schedules, tickets, and updates, follow @AllenUSports and visit www.auyellowjackets.com.
