Austin Allen

Though tape on the younger Allen brother is scarce, there’s reason to be excited about Arkansas’ next starting quarterback. He redshirted as a true freshman in 2013 and rarely saw the field over the past two years due to Brandon Allen’s strong hold on the starting role. However, with Brandon no longer in the picture, head coach Bret Bielema was quick to anoint Austin as the new Razorbacks quarterback. Though nearly two inches shorter than his brother at 6-1, Austin Allen has been lauded for his ability to throw the deep ball and he’s also drawn some praise as an underrated runner. Despite having a few years in Bielema’s system under his belt, the fact remains that Allen’s knowledge of the playbook will have to translate on the field in actual games this fall. By virtue of playing in the SEC West, Allen’s first year as a starter will likely be a trial by fire. That said, Allen has pieces around him that’ll ease his transition, including a deep receiving corps, a potent run game, and an offensive line befitting of the team’s Hog monicker. It’s worth noting that Arkansas finished the 2015 season ranked second in the SEC in scoring offense under Bielema’s tutelage, but that offense also featured a third-year starting quarterback and a pair of NFL running backs. While Austin Allen may not reach the lofty production totals amassed by his brother, he should still be a serviceable SEC quarterback in 2016 with a real chance to break out if he returns as a redshirt senior in 2017.