Why Did Austin Allen Regress This Year?

[Con el Cerdos]

Because he was knocked senseless LAST year.

You are exactly right.  Particularly, after the physical punishment he suffered (injured knee) in the Auburn game he was never the same, last year and this year.

[Wardhog85]

I'm sure he's gunshy and not healthy, but not having Drew Morgan and Keon Hatcher to throw to has a lot to do with it too.

[redneckfriend]

So why did 3/4's of everyone here on Hogville predict either 8-4 or 9-3 or better? You could see that the WR group was way down from last year unless you did not want to see that. You could see that after losing R. Williams at RB, that group would not be as good.
You could clearly see that the O line would not be as good as last year's with the losses to graduation and last year's O line was crap.

As for the defense, they had potential to be "improved" but not good. None of the areas on defense were good last season. Their abilities are limited relative to rest of the SEC. Could they be better than last year's defense? Sure they could have been. But they weren't, were they?

Hence my prediction of 6-6 and prediction that 5-7 more likely than 7-5. Turns out, I will still miss that by 1 game. They will finish 4-8.

For much of last year Austin Allen looked like the best throwing quarterback in the SEC. There was really no reason to believe he wouldn't take a step forward with the experience of a year. There was general agreement that the O-line was a problem but, again, with Ragnow at center and a year of experience for much of the line, there was a reasonable hope they would also take a step forward.

The place where people underestimated the importance of change was at wide receivers. Watching Allen, he tends, even now, to look directly at the receiver who is his primary target- perhaps because he doesn't think he has the time to look off the DBs- who knows? In any case losing Hatcher and Morgan, two guys who could get open even if he was staring at them, was huge for Allen. He just never was as good as he looked initially when his receivers were average at route running and making catches.

Overall I would agree- there was too much optimism going in- especially about the defense. The optimism about Allen and the O-line retrospectively seem justified but wrong. The optimism about the running game also seems justified, but again, wrong- Whaley has never developed into a go-to running back. The losses  to TCU and A&M set the tone- an expectation of failure rather than success- and that seems to have infected the rest of the season. The coaches were unable to get the team turned around mentally and to believe in themselves, particularly on offense since with the poor defense success this year depended on scoring a lot of points.

[lakecityhog]

Yeah, most schools would be wary of pinning their hopes to a QB that winds up in the NFL! Oh, I know Bobby Allen is buddies with NFL coaches.
Some of you people are literally STUPID!!!

AA led the SEC in passing yards and tied in TD's but he is no good, riiiiight!!

[lakecityhog]

And like clockwork the ring leader of that crowd chimes in!

[HognotinMemphis]

Yeah, most schools would be wary of pinning their hopes to a QB that winds up in the NFL! Oh, I know Bobby Allen is buddies with NFL coaches.
Some of you people are literally STUPID!!!

AA led the SEC in passing yards and tied in TD's but he is no good, riiiiight!!

He also led SEC in INT's last year. And led the SEC in times sacked, but that is all the O line's fault, right?

[cosmodrum]

Garbage OL gave him shell shock. No one to throw to.

[hawginbigd1]

And like clockwork the ring leader of that crowd chimes in!

No fan of zeke but stats do lie, sometimes they don't but they are a lot less factual than many think. This team has many weaknesses but ineffectual to poor QB play is the biggest over the last 15 games or so. From the first game this season he looked like he did at the end of last year and probably worse.

[hawg1221]

I should point out that BEFORE this season started there were a couple talking heads on SEC NOW that said AA did not look good from what they saw in preseason practice. They were discussing him right before their first game.

[lakecityhog]

#2 and #3 following their leader! I actually expected no less!

[jm]

Though far from perfect, AA has been as close to a bright spot as this team has.
O line play - bad
receiver play - bad
running backs- who knows what they would be if they had blocking.
Sadly, QB play has been pretty good compared to the other units.

[LR_Matt]

From game one, his accuracy and his sense of when to get rid of the ball (to avoid sacks) seemed to be lacking. Inexperienced receivers and a shaky o-line contributed to it, but there were many times when he had time to throw, there was an open receiver, and his throw was late or off the mark. And his pocket awareness has been horrible, He takes too many needless sacks.

Is this Enos' responsibility?

Regress, LOL.... Neither of the Allens were good bro.

[lakecityhog]

I'm sorry, I "reality" didn't mean to hurt you! But then again sometimes reality does hurt.

[hawginbigd1]

Though far from perfect, AA has been as close to a bright spot as this team has.
O line play - bad
receiver play - bad
running backs- who knows what they would be if they had blocking.
Sadly, QB play has been pretty good compared to the other units.

Wow what games you been watching Kelley has outplayed him

[rude1]

Just go back to the start of his career last year, tough as nails, would stand in there to the last minute to deliver the ball, unfortunately playing behind an offensive line who got whip lash from looking over their shoulder at the wreckage that was AA after they turned somebody loose, has taken its toll and has pretty much beaten the young man down. Playing hurt now and probably shouldn't be playing but there just isn't anyone else.

[roothawg]

He should be old enough to know he is holding the ball 2 long. A coach doesnt have to tell a good qb he is having his a$$ handed to him because he is afraid to throw the ball

[IronHog]

Receivers are not even in the same ballpark talent wise as the group that was here last year.

BS

[lakecityhog]

PASSING        GPEffic    Cmp-Att-Int    Pct    Yards     TD    Long    Avg/G
Austin Allen     7    128.5    91-158-4    57.6    1114    8    49    159.1
Cole Kelley     9    127.5    87-151-4    57.6    1038    8    60    115.3

Hmmm, maybe not? Don't think that out of 6 years we EVER saw an Allen in any kind of trouble. Both represented our school and state very well. Both invited to the Manning QB camps multiple times, but that is probably because Bobby and the Manning's are so close.

Keep it up, this just gets easier and easier! What kind of a loser life insists on hacking on kids that suffer and give their all to the University of Arkansas??? I cannot for the life of me figure that out.

[jm]

Wow what games you been watching Kelley has outplayed him

Kelley was beat to a pulp just like AA. Until something is done with the line play and receiver play we are going to continue to lose more games than we win. There is not a QB in history that can overcome what AA and CK both faced.

[sowmonella]

1) Horrible OL play
2) AA is playing hurt
3) Big drop off at the WR position from last year
4) No one fears our running game

This^^^^. Tom Brady would look bad with what Austin has had to endure this year.

[HognotinMemphis]

PASSING        GPEffic    Cmp-Att-Int    Pct    Yards     TD    Long    Avg/G
Austin Allen     7    128.5    91-158-4    57.6    1114    8    49    159.1
Cole Kelley     9    127.5    87-151-4    57.6    1038    8    60    115.3

Hmmm, maybe not? Don't think that out of 6 years we EVER saw an Allen in any kind of trouble. Both represented our school and state very well. Both invited to the Manning QB camps multiple times, but that is probably because Bobby and the Manning's are so close.

Keep it up, this just gets easier and easier! What kind of a loser life insists on hacking on kids that suffer and give their all to the University of Arkansas??? I cannot for the life of me figure that out.

DUI per year:

Austin Allen - 0
Cole Kelley - 1

[OneTuskOverTheLine™]

From game one, his accuracy and his sense of when to get rid of the ball (to avoid sacks) seemed to be lacking. Inexperienced receivers and a shaky o-line contributed to it, but there were many times when he had time to throw, there was an open receiver, and his throw was late or off the mark. And his pocket awareness has been horrible, He takes too many needless sacks.

Is this Enos' responsibility?

He also was heavily tutored by the Manning family and did some coaching for them in their camps. It could have simply been that he thought he was being given too much credit after last season, and was a little worried by the attention. That's all speculation, but I know what it's like to take over a position from a brother who was well loved and good at his craft. There's pressure there that you put on yourself. Sometimes it just takes a little doubt to second guess yourself, and that can get you smacked when you're on the field.

[hoglady]

From Athlonsports.com's preview of this year's team:

3. Shoring up the Offensive Line
One of the best surprises during the 2016 season was the play in the pocket by new starting quarterback Austin Allen. Allen led the SEC with 3,430 passing yards and was second in touchdowns with 25. But he also led the conference in interceptions (15) and was sacked the most (34). Some of the blame should fall to the offensive line, which was a work in progress after returning just two starters.

Headed into the 2017 season, the line is in better shape overall, although standout left tackle Dan Skipper is gone. Center Frank Ragnow is back and will anchor the unit, which really started to hit its stride when Johnny Gibson took over at right guard mid-way through the 2016 season. Redshirt sophomore Colton Jackson got a couple of starts at right tackle before giving way to Brian Wallace. If all goes well, expect Jackson to emerge as the starter at left tackle in place of Skipper at the end of spring practices. The rest of the spring will focus on rounding out the depth chart.

If you're bad, you will never improve past a point. This year's O line was as bad or worse than last year's, regardless of returning starters. Allen lost his receivers and fell apart this year. The NFL takes note of these things. Unlike his brother, he will not be drafted. He breaks down mentally fairly quickly.

The Clary experiment doomed the Oline from the start.

[hoghearted]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EHKTna3VadE

How quickly we forget....

[IronHog]

The Clary experiment doomed the Oline from the start.

NWA bias at its most obvious

[Pigsknuckles]

1) Horrible OL play
2) AA is playing hurt
3) Big drop off at the WR position from last year
4) No one fears our running game

/thread

[Pecos Hog]

He has a very bad habit of staring down recievers.   Could be caused by the line not giving him any time to look anywhere else.     But I don't think I've ever seen him look off a reciever to a secondary target.   All I can remember is him telegraphing where his passes were going.

[EastArkHog 47]

The only loss off the OLine last year was Skipper, the OLine should have been pretty good to start the year, what AA really missed this year was Morgan, Hatcher and Sprinkle. Blame the OLine problems this year on Anderson and Bielema playing musical lineman and they should have known that

[wendellgee]

Rumor was he was hurt in either the spring or summer and they kept it under wraps. 

Heard this also, but the version I heard was his knee was scoped about 2 weeks before the season opener.

[hoglady]

NWA bias at its most obvious

May be.
Just never made much sense to me.
I just think you would have a scene a better more cohesive Oline unit with Wallace in their from the first game.

[UA1985]

Regress, LOL.... Neither of the Allens were good bro.

If you can't look at his stats last year, then compare them to this year, then conclude he is less effective this year, there's no hope for you. The regression in effectiveness is obvious. Whether it's his fault or completely due to the WRs and o-line is debatable.

[UA1985]

PASSING        GPEffic    Cmp-Att-Int    Pct    Yards     TD    Long    Avg/G
Austin Allen     7    128.5    91-158-4    57.6    1114    8    49    159.1
Cole Kelley     9    127.5    87-151-4    57.6    1038    8    60    115.3

Hmmm, maybe not? Don't think that out of 6 years we EVER saw an Allen in any kind of trouble. Both represented our school and state very well. Both invited to the Manning QB camps multiple times, but that is probably because Bobby and the Manning's are so close.

Keep it up, this just gets easier and easier! What kind of a loser life insists on hacking on kids that suffer and give their all to the University of Arkansas??? I cannot for the life of me figure that out.

I bet there are a lot of things you can't figure out.

[lakecityhog]

Oh, I am pretty sure that I have it figured out. There are many people that don't like the name Allen for whatever reason and because of that they constantly bitch and moan about how terrible they were.

Then you have the KC guy that HATES EVERYTHING ARKANSAS and actually thinks that his opinion matters to anyone other than himself.

I am from NorthEAST Arkansas so no connection AT ALL. My kid's team was never whipped by a Fayetteville team, I don't put ANY coach above the program or the kids and I want the team to win if it takes a former Longhorn to lead us there.

I don't believe in conspiracy theories about regional bias, I believe in coaching incompetence. I don't believe that leadership starts with team captains, I believe that leadership starts with the AD and then the HC and then the assistant coaches and then to the players. I think that if you look at us over the past several years you can see that the leadership at the 2 highest levels was sorely lacking.

[la20688]

1) Horrible OL play
2) AA is playing hurt
3) Big drop off at the WR position from last year
4) No one fears our running game

This should have been end of the thread.

[jcbville]

Because every piece of the puzzle a QB relies on to be good went to regression hell?

[ShadowTheHedgehog]

AA regresses, but stat-wise his stats were somewhat padded last year because he played most of the games against the trash non-conference opponents.

[Pigasaurus]

1) Horrible OL play
2) AA is playing hurt
3) Big drop off at the WR position from last year
4) No one fears our running game

Bingo! Lost SEC leading rusher to injury.  How much more does he need to be dealing with? 

[HiggiePiggy]

AA regresses, but stat-wise his stats were somewhat padded last year because he played most of the games against the trash non-conference opponents.

He played well against just about everyone we played last year. 

Problem was never Allen. It is and always has been the head coach.

[Pigasaurus]

This should have been end of the thread.

Everything else is hate*insert coach* derp derp.

[HiggiePiggy]

AA regresses, but stat-wise his stats were somewhat padded last year because he played most of the games against the trash non-conference opponents.

How many qbs have thrown for 400 yards against Alabama in the last decade?

[HognotinMemphis]

Heard this also, but the version I heard was his knee was scoped about 2 weeks before the season opener.

We should have had Bielema's head scoped.

[DocHogliday]

Big drop off in o-line and experienced receivers.  Case closed.  Next.

[TeufelHog]

Because he would not commit to "putting the team on his back" when required by "tucking and running the football."  Don't want to hear about "injury risk" because he was just as vulnerable to injuries behind our o-line this entire year.  Let me put it into perspective for you . . . as of this Saturday he was/is playing in his last 2 games as an Arkansas Razorback . . . AND HE STILL WON'T take what the defense is giving him "run wise."  It has been there all year because the opponents know he won't do it.  Coaches be "darned."  Sometimes you gotta' do what you gotta" do to get your team the win.

[Kevin]

ol & young wr

[DeltaBoy]

1) Horrible OL play
2) AA is playing hurt
3) Big drop off at the WR position from last year
4) No one fears our running game

This^^^^^^

[Rzbakfromwaybak]

Wrong offensive scheme (pro set), young inexperienced receivers, poor offensive line, lack of talent compared to SEC opponents, & poor coaching. Allen wasn't bad when given the time & receiver's were running good routes.

[MrKlem10]

CTE.  Poor kid has been beat up.

[hawginbigd1]

Kelley was beat to a pulp just like AA. Until something is done with the line play and receiver play we are going to continue to lose more games than we win. There is not a QB in history that can overcome what AA and CK both faced.

5th yr sr v. Rs freshman,  Kelley holds ball to long but maybe he can learn. A lot of the hits and sacks come after that imaginary 3 second clock has elapsed for both of them.

[Deeznutts]

Because he's not that good and his attitude sucks ? And you want to keep making excuses? Please.

[12247]

The number one item that requires correcting on this entire team is the mindset of the players but that can only be handled by the coaches who aren't qualified to do so.

Just One Example:  OU entered this season needing WR with experience just like us.  They end up with a transfer from Ky and a freshman and the second team RB and go whip Ohio State and keep on going.  Their WRs are just fine.  We end up with a couple of highly rated Jr College recruits and our leftovers from last year and we still can't go catch a ball.  Its mostly coaching and mindset and we got neither.