Mikki Allen remembers the feeling of his first Tennessee State football game.

It was in the 1980s, and the band was rocking. The environment was memorable, as was the on-field play – All-American wide receiver Mike Jones had three touchdowns against Grambling.

“That was the day I fell in love with Tennessee State,” Allen said on a Zoom conference call.

Allen was named the Tennessee State athletic director on Thursday.

Allen, who was on the 1998 national championship Tennessee football team, has served in the UT athletics department for more than a decade. He has a background in college athletics, entrepreneurship, academics and development within UT's athletics administration.

He replaces Teresa Phillips, who is retiring in June after a 17-year stint as the TSU athletics director.

“As I was going through my career administratively at Tennessee, I said, ‘Hey, I want to be the AD back at my grandfather’s institution,’” Allen said.

The Murfreesboro native has long-standing family ties to the university. His grandparents graduated from TSU, leading to his passion for the school.

The 42-year-old Allen received his master’s degree in sports management and administration from TSU in 2007. His wife, Jekia, received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from TSU.

And it was at TSU that he started eyeing the job of athletics director at the school, in part because of an urging from TSU professor and former golf coach Catana Starks.

He said one of his primary goals will be to connect and re-engage the TSU alumni base.

“It is imperative that the student-athletes have the resources necessary for them to have success,” Allen said. “A role I can play is really using my relationships and understanding how to build relationships to really generate the revenue for our athletics programs to take it to the next level.”

Allen played football at Tennessee from 1996-99 under current Vols athletics director Phillip Fulmer. He praised Fulmer as his biggest influence in athletics administration.

“He has been someone that has been instrumental in my growth professionally,” Allen said. “I have always paid attention to his leadership style, and it is something that I will embed in mine and have. He has been the most influential person in terms of developing me as a leader.”

Allen joined the Tennessee athletics department as part of the Tennessee Fund in 2009. He also in recent years was the director of athletics development for Middle Tennessee.

Allen joined UT's senior staff and oversaw the VFL program in September 2019, when he was named the assistant athletics director for player relations and development. The four-year letterman was in charge of the program that aims to provide assistance for Tennessee football student-athletes that guides them from enrollment through their transition to post-football professional careers.

Allen also was tasked with managing VFL engagement and working with the Thornton Athletics Student Life Center.

He said his greatest experience at Tennessee in an administrative sense was assisting former UT athletics director Dave Hart during a major-gift fundraiser.

“During the time I had at Tennessee, it taught me a lot about the importance and power of fundraising,” Allen said. “The thing they say about major-gift fundraising is the opportunity is endless. You just have to get out there and connect with your constituents and the people that love you. I will definitely do that with the great fan base here at Tennessee State University.”

Allen previously co-founded and managed 29*34 Vintage Sportswear, a collegiate-licensed apparel company.

Allen received his doctoral degree in educational leadership and administration in 2016 from Trevecca Nazarene.

Less than four years later, he landed a job he has long had his eyes on.

“As the new director of athletics, I look forward to carrying the torch forward,” Allen said.

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.