Like it is

QB Allen has gotten better with every bump

Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen goes through practice Thursday, Aug. 6, 2015, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Brandon Allen was sitting quietly, politely finishing a long interview. All of his attention was focused on the guy asking questions and rarely was eye contact broken.

Finally that interview ended and another began seamlessly.

Allen was friendly and frank.

He knows he gets criticism. He might never forget coming back from Little Rock after a 24-17 overtime loss to Mississippi State in 2013 only to find his truck covered in eggs. Last year, several days before the season-opener at Auburn, some guys took after his truck again, burning it.

"At that time in my life, it hurt," he said. "I was barely 21, and that was in my first year as a starter and I was learning as fast as I could, but that was then, and now I really don't think about it.

"I've changed and moved on."

Allen didn't mention he was banged up in that game, or the fact he was not 100 precent in any game of his career when his passing was less than .500.

Even now, not a week goes by when at least a few radio callers don't question Allen's ability.

"To be honest, I don't pay attention any more," he said. "Like I said, I've changed. I've grown and matured."

When it was mentioned he was a redshirt senior he smiled and said, "That's right."

Allen is healthy physically, mentally and emotionally, and on Arkansas Razorbacks football media day he was blatantly honest.

"I had to learn to be a leader," he said. "I wasn't when I got here. In high school I did some things on the field to be a leader, but I was never vocal. I just did my job."

More times than not leaders learn to be leaders. They aren't born with it, but it obviously is something Allen wanted to learn and has worked at.

Watching practice last Saturday, it was Allen who led all the quarterbacks through the drills. If they changed places on the field, he was the one who ran to the new spot.

Allen has started 25 games, and he said nothing can substitute for experience in helping someone learn to be a leader.

"In college football the quarterback has to be the leader," he said. "I gained a little going into my junior year but now I'm totally comfortable in that role and the team is comfortable with me and that's the important thing."

"Learning and improving is what you do in life. Last year we were really close in a few games, but we didn't win. We, as a team, had to learn how to win. And we did, although it was late in the season, but we haven't forgotten that. And honestly, a quarterback gets too much credit for wins. It is a team effort."

Allen has improved each season. He completed 128 of 258 pass attempts (49.6 percent) for 1,552 yards, 13 touchdowns and had 10 interceptions as a sophomore starter.

Last season he was 190 of 339 (56 percent) for 2,285 yards. He had 20 touchdown passes and five interceptions, and recently said he wants to cut down on the interceptions.

All of that without a true go-to receiver who can stretch the field. Something that should change this year with newcomer Dominique Reed and redshirt freshman Jo Jo Robinson taking pressure off Keon Hatcher, Hunter Henry and Jared Cornelius.

Allen has been named to the preseason Johnny Unitas Golden Arm watch list and the Manning Award watch list. He spent valuable time this summer at the prestigious Manning camp as a counselor, no doubt honing his leadership skills.

In some ways the years seem to have flown by since Allen moved from Fayetteville High to the University of Arkansas, but as in most sports, it has been a transition from kid to man, one who is primed for his final season as a Razorback.

Sports on 08/11/2015