Recruiting

Allen set to join Syracuse quarterback fray this summer

Luke Rafferty | Asst. Photo Editor

Head coach Scott Shafer will have six quarterbacks to choose from to start Syracuse's first game against Penn State.

For three years, they both sat on the bench, watching behind a future NFL Draft choice. One in Oklahoma, watching Landry Jones lead the Sooners consistently to the top of the Big 12, and one right here in Central New York, watching Ryan Nassib return Syracuse to respectability.

As redshirt seniors, they both would finally be given a chance to start, albeit with competition. One, Charley Loeb, stayed with his own school, relishing the chance to compete for the Orange’s starting job. The other now gives him even more competition.

On Friday night, Scout.com reported that Drew Allen would transfer from OU to SU. Immediately, he became the presumed favorite for the starting job. Allen is set to graduate from Oklahoma this spring and will be eligible to play at Syracuse right away. He will have one season of eligibility. He will be able to enroll for Maymester to join the Orange’s wide-open quarterback fray.

“I think, really out of all positions, we’re looking for great competition and understanding that we’re going to use every day we can before we have to set a depth chart,” SU head coach Scott Shafer said. “We’re always trying to create competition by trying to recruit kids that we think can push the guys in front of them.

“There’s nothing better than competition to improve a football team quickly.”



In late January, Allen was given the opportunity to transfer from OU. Even with Jones’ upcoming graduation, Allen would have to overcome powerful running threat Blake Bell to earn the starting job.

Loeb entered the season as the presumed favorite at quarterback, having sat behind Nassib for three seasons. Terrel Hunt has impressed, as well, and is taking significant snaps with the first team while John Kinder remains in the mix.

Shafer said a true starter would receive 85-90 percent of the snaps. Hunt led all quarterbacks, taking 40 percent during Sunday’s open practice.

“Every day, we keep re-evaluating,” Syracuse quarterbacks coach Tim Lester said, “and one day, I’ll feel good about him, the next day it’ll be him, the next day will be him.”

Allen, though, is arguably the most talented quarterback in the mix. He was a three-star recruit and the No. 38 quarterback in the Class of 2009, coming out of Alamo Heights High School in San Antonio. He chose the Sooners over offers from Mississippi, Oklahoma State and Purdue, among others.

Scouts fell in love with his 6-foot-5, 210-pound frame and incredible arm strength, as well as his ability to carry the ball.

Don Byrd, now the coach at Central Catholic High School in San Antonio, coached Allen at Alamo Heights. He watched him at spring practice last season and has seen him develop from a talented high school quarterback to a more complete player after working with quarterbacks coach Josh Heupel at Oklahoma.

“He’s been trained to step in at any time to take over for Landry — he ran second team the whole time — and to get him ready in case something happened,” Byrd said. “I think he’s been trained well under the best. He’s a great athlete.”

Allen’s largest criticism coming out of high school was his throwing motion. He had such a large windup that Scout.com’s Brian Dohn even speculated he had some baseball background. But his frame and arm strength are still impressive, and he has had time to work with one of the best in Heupel.

“I think it’s his size and he’s got a good arm,” Dohn said. “ … He played against good competition, but when you wind up like he does, and you try to fire the ball in, in college, those windows are smaller.”

Like Allen, Hunt and Kinder were both three-star recruits coming out of high school. When Allen arrives, he will likely be joined by Austin Wilson and Mitch Kimble, a pair of incoming two-star freshmen.

But no one brings the pedigree Allen has as a former high school star and Big 12 veteran. Summer will still be open season for the Orange to decide on a quarterback, and Allen appears to be as good a choice as any.

“He’s become much stronger, much quicker,” Byrd said. “His preparation to understand defenses and stuff like that has come along very well. He’s done all the things he needs to do to play college quarterback, he just hasn’t had a shot to get on the field.”





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