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Quarterback piece fits in unsolved puzzle

Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen (right) passes Saturday, April 23, 2016, while under pressure from linebacker Kendrick Jackson (44) during the annual spring Red-White game in Razorback Stadium.

When spring football began the big question among fans and talk show hosts was who will start at quarterback for the Arkansas Razorbacks this fall.

The coaches most likely knew, and it didn't take long for Coach Bret Bielema to announce it was Austin Allen. Undoubtedly, that was not the answer some fans wanted to hear.

Despite three years of improvement, three years as a starter and two bowl victories, there were some who just couldn't accept Austin's older brother, Brandon Allen.

All Brandon Allen did was work himself onto this week's NFL Draft radar.

Most mock drafts have him as the ninth or 10th best quarterback in the draft, and the NFL is in dire need of quarterbacks. Allen will be drafted and get a shot in camp.

An ideal team for him would utilize an offense with play action and roll outs. There may not have been a better play-action quarterback in the SEC last season.

So "BA" moves to the next chapter of his football life, and his brother steps into bigger shoes than some seem to realize.

Saturday in the annual Red-White game, Austin Allen took the majority of the snaps. He got mostly passing marks, and former Razorbacks quarterback Clint Stoerner -- who now works for the SEC Network -- provided a lot of insight into Allen's game and potential.

The quarterback question is answered (as was whether Stoerner still can throw it when he and Anthony Lucas teamed up to re-create the touchdown pass that beat Tennessee in 1999), but that doesn't mean radio talk shows and fans don't have plenty to discuss in the coming months.

The Razorbacks lost six starters from the offense, and five went to the NFL combine, which means quality SEC football players exited the program.

Replacing them won't be easy, and it starts up front where three veteran starters were lost, including All-American Sebastian Tretola.

When the Hogs lined up Saturday, sophomore Hjatle Froholdt was at Tretola's old position, left guard. A year ago, Froholdt was a defensive lineman. Froholdt, from Denmark, first tried football as a sophomore exchange student in high school.

Colton Jackson and Zach Rogers joined him as newcomers on the offensive line.

Working against the second-team defense, the first-team offense mostly was good. Allen had time to throw, and there were some holes for the running backs, but more on that to come.

Allen wasn't perfect, and Stoerner pointed out he's a risk-taker who trusts his arm, but he's got to learn to not take so many chances.

Overall he didn't leave much doubt why he was named the starter before spring practices ended.

Wide receiver, with five very talented returning lettermen, could be an Arkansas strength.

The running back spot became the biggest question after Kody Walker was lost for the spring with a broken foot. Perhaps it is a bit ironic Walker was granted a medical redshirt for a sixth season only to get hurt again.

Rawleigh Williams practiced, but he wore a green, no-contact jersey because he's still recovering from a neck injury from last season.

Juan Day is back, too, but he's inexperienced. Damon "Duwop" Mitchell came to Arkansas as a quarterback, but he played wide receiver and now has moved to running back. It seems like a position-by-committee coming out of the spring.

The defense looked improved, but it was hard to tell when there are so many offensive players in green jerseys.

Overall it was about what one should expect from a spring game. There were good plays, some not so good and lingering question marks, just not at quarterback.

Sports on 04/24/2016