Eric Sorenson
Kyle Allen has never been one to wait.
The top-rated pocket passing quarterback in the nation made National Letter of Intent Day simply just another Wednesday after committing to play for Kevin Sumlin at Texas A&M last June.
Allen also didn’t stick around to enjoy the last half of his senior year Scottsdale Desert Mountain, instead opting to enroll early at A&M last month to get a jump start on college life both in the classroom and on the field. He believes there may be a better way for the NCAA to handle signing day, as well.
“I think it would be good for them to offer a different type of signing day,” Allen told Sports360AZ.com’s Brad Cesmat in a phone interview from College Station, Texas. “They really don’t have a signing day for mid-year guys or guys who want to get it out of the way and not worry about constant recruiting so I think maybe if they added one then still the one in February I think it’d be a lot better for recruits.”
He said he didn’t feel the need to make a big deal of it Wednesday on LOI Day since he told the other schools who were pursuing him he was “100% committed” after giving a thumbs up to the Aggies.
With Johnny Manziel opting to forego his final two years of eligibility and enter the NFL draft this spring Allen is among six other quarterbacks (three on scholarship) looking to fill the larger-than-life shoes left behind by Johnny Football. Some consider him the early frontrunner.
Like most things Allen is taking it all in stride.
“I handle [the questions] just like I handle questions everyone ever’s asked me,” he explained. “I just give them a straight, honest answer. Right now, at this point of time, there’s no clear answer who’s going to start here. We just started doing our seven-on-seven stuff so we’re out here getting work in but as of right now it’s more of just learning the offense and learning how things move. Jelling with the guys. That [decision] isn’t up to the players, it’s up to the coaches.”
Allen selected SEC member A&M after narrowing his choices to the Aggies, ASU, UCLA, Oklahoma State and Ohio State early last summer.
He’s studying communications his first semester on campus but plans to explore other options and has enjoyed the change-of-pace-lifestyle of central Texas.
“To people in Arizona it’s a lot different,” Allen said. “It’s not like city life in Scottsdale…here it’s just a lot of culture. People who care about their culture, care about their beliefs and people who care about everyone around them. Everyone comes to you with open arms looking to help you.”
Allen joins Chandler Hamilton High defensive end Qualen Cunningham who also signed with the Aggies.
Above is a video shortly after Allen announced his commitment last summer.
