Highly recruited offensive lineman Pat Allen of Reisterstown (Md.) Franklin had heard about the passion of college football fans in the South, but he experienced it firsthand last weekend during his official visit to Arkansas.
Allen, his mother, Minnie Moore, and his stepfather arrived a few hours before the Razorbacks kicked off Saturday's game against Alabama.
"The game atmosphere, it was really hyped," said Allen, who is committed to Georgia. "It was really, really hyped. The people down south are crazy for their Hogs. They were doing the woo pig sooie thing the whole time. It was funny."
Allen, 6-5, 287 pounds, 5.0 seconds in the 40-yard dash, has scholarship offers from more than 20 schools, including Arkansas, Georgia, Oklahoma, Michigan, Florida State, Rutgers and Tennessee. He is a four-star prospect and is rated the No. 238 recruit in the nation by ESPN.
Being able to spend time with offensive line coach Sam Pittman was one of the better parts of the trip.
"He's real," Allen said. "He's really honest when he talks to you. As a player. He's not going to lie to you. That's what I like about Coach Pittman."
Allen took official visits to Michigan, Oklahoma and Tennessee before visiting Fayetteville. He'll officially visit Georgia next month.
Allen said at first he was caught off guard by the Hog Call, but he eventually realized what was being said.
"I was like, 'Wow,' " he said.
Allen and his high school offensive line teammates are known as the Hogs. He said the term stands for "honor our great strength."
"Our offensive line coach introduced it to us when he started training us," Allen said. "He's had all five of us since our freshmen year."
Ragean Hill, Arkansas' director of academics, made a strong impression on Allen and his mother.
"She's like a second mom," Allen said of Hill. "Plus, she understands the athletes because she was a college athlete herself. So she understands academics and what's required."
Allen said his mother and Hill hit it off on a personal level too.
"They were like best friends the whole trip," Allen said. "She's a really cool person."
It's customary for prospects to meet with Coach Bret Bielema near the end of their official visits, and Allen said he enjoyed their meeting.
"From what I've seen and what I know, he's a really chilled, relaxed dude," Allen said. "On top of that he takes care of his O-line. That's what I see."
WAITING ON AN OFFER
One of Memphis' top prospects, defensive lineman Michael Perry III of Memphis Whitehaven, said he hopes to attend Arkansas' game against Georgia on Saturday in Little Rock.
Perry, 6-1 1/2, 328, 5.32, has scholarship offers from Ole Miss, Missouri, Memphis, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Tennessee State. He visited Purdue last Saturday for the Michigan State game but still watched some of the Arkansas- Alabama game.
"I ended up catching the end of the fourth quarter," Perry said. "I saw where Arkansas was up by a couple points and then Alabama scored. I was keeping up on my phone the whole time. I was refreshing it, and saw that Alabama had won and I was like, 'oh man.' That wasn't the outcome I was hoping for."
Perry said he's noticed the Hogs' progress this season.
"They're definitely improving," said Perry, who has been in contact with Arkansas defensive line coach Rory Segrest and director of personnel Daniel Bush.
Perry said he believes a scholarship offer from Arkansas could be coming.
"Basically waiting until all my film comes in because I just recently transferred," said Perry, who attended Memphis Academy before transferring to Whitehaven. "I'm just waiting to get my film together and see if I'm going to be able to play during the postseason. I think right now I'm in good standing for an offer. They're just waiting to get me on campus and for me to meet the staff."
E-mail Richard Davenport at
rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports on 10/17/2014