If at first you don’t succeed, Try, try again.
Houston Cougars head coach Tom Herman followed William Edward Hickson’s historical proverb landing former Scottsdale Desert Mountain High School quarterback Kyle Allen just a couple of years after trying to lure the nation’s top prep quarterback to Ohio State when Herman was Urban Meyer’s offensive coordinator with the Buckeyes.
Herman’s expertise grooming and improving quarterbacks will only benefit the 6’3″, 205-pounder who threw for more than twice as many touchdowns (33) as interceptions (14) during his two seasons at Texas A&M.
“Very seldom do you see an offensive coordinator or head coach loses two quarterbacks during the season still win a national championship,” ESPN college football analyst Mack Brown said. “I didn’t think they’d be able to do it when they put Cardale Jones in there that late [in the season].”
Allen arrived on campus a few weeks ago and will redshirt this season per NCAA rules before being eligible as a junior in 2017. He’s scheduled to step in for Greg Ward, Jr. who will be a senior this fall and potentially could have a number of talented skill players as Herman and the Cougars’ staff are on pace for a Top 25 recruiting class.
Brown, who won a National Championship as the head coach of the Texas Longhorns in 2006, didn’t see Allen play frequently in College Station but believes UH is the perfect landing spot.
“I thought Kyle did some good things at A&M,” he explained. “Going to Houston…it will be a perfect set up for Kyle and Tom does a great job with quarterbacks.”
