Hog Calls

Ex-Hogs predicted Allen's emergence

Arkansas' Brandon Allen (10) calls out to his teammates during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Missouri, Friday, Nov. 27, 2015, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Samantha Baker)
Arkansas' Brandon Allen (10) calls out to his teammates during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Missouri, Friday, Nov. 27, 2015, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Samantha Baker)

FAYETTEVILLE -- Turns out in November that back in September former Arkansas Razorbacks quarterbacks Freddie Marshall, Scott Bull and Kevin Scanlon were crystal ball correct predicting Brandon Allen would join their club.

Their "club," actually fictitious and never called such by them, is bonded in reality. Marshall, Bull and Scanlon each endured four seasons in the shadows, including a redshirt year, to shine as fifth-year senior legends in Arkansas lore.

With a bowl game to play, elect Allen the club's statistical president. For these 7-5 overall 5-3 in the SEC Razorbacks, Allen only seven times intercepted, completed 224 of 334 passes for 3,125 yards and 29 touchdowns including a Razorbacks record seven in one game. Marshall, Bull and Scanlon before Arkansas' Sept. 5 season-opener discussed Allen's fifth-year senior quarterbacking advantages that they enjoyed.

"Brandon has more playing experience than Freddie, Scott and I probably had put together," Scanlon, the 1979 Southwest Conference Player of the Year for Lou Holtz's SWC champions, said. "But you have gone through many so many spring practices and two-a-days and other games you have some sense of confidence."

Bull, the through injury promoted backup quarterbacking Frank Broyles' 1975 Razorbacks to SWC and Cotton Bowl championships, said there is a paradoxical fifth-year senior calmness yet sense of urgency.

"You are always going to give it your best," Bull said. "But there is something about the finality of the last year."

All that was seen in the three last century they would see from Allen and then some in 2015.

"Experience got me by," Marshall, quarterbacking Broyles 1964 11-0 Razorbacks to the national and SWC championships, said. "It certainly wasn't my talent. Brandon has talent. A very strong arm."

And an even stronger mind, all said. They marveled at Allen unflinchingly repelling incessant, even vile, social media criticism from his 2012 backup debut until silenced by this season's 4-overtime victory performance against Auburn commencing a 5-1 Razorbacks run with Allen remarkable in all.

Social media didn't exist in their Razorbacks days. For that they are grateful, all three said.

"I can't see how it would not be completely distracting," Marshall said. "You would just have to turn it off. That is probably what Brandon does extremely well because he's focused. If they had it back then, I wouldn't have had a cell phone."

No social media back then but an Arkansas starting quarterback always lives life in a fishbowl.

"I remember before my first game," Scanlon recalled, "Scott Bull said to me, 'You are about to go through the greatest experience of your life and one of the most difficult experiences of your life. That's the mixed blessing of being a Razorback quarterback. Embrace it.' I did and it seems to me Brandon has done that."

All three in September assessed Allen's past and potential. All three predicted him having "a great season."

Seems all three read Brandon Allen's glorious senior future as accurately they read defenses in their glorious senior pasts.

Sports on 11/30/2015

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