Texas A&M Football: Spring Practice Update on Kyle Allen

The ongoing quarterback competition for the starting spot on the Texas A&M football team will extend into fall practices. True freshman quarterback Kyle Allen continues to impress during spring practice as he competes to replace Johnny Manziel. 

Allen is competing with rising sophomore Kenny Hill and fifth-year senior Matt Joeckel to be the starting quarterback at A&M. He graduated from high school a semester early so he could participate in spring practices at A&M and start to compete immediately. 

Allen displayed his accurate arm in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl where he completed 12 of his 18 pass attempts for 183 yards. His comfort level in the offense after a week of practice was impressive. 

Allen was the No. 1 ranked quarterback in the country coming out of high school, but he has surprised many with his ability to come in and compete at a high level so early in his career. He has a solid understanding of the Aggies offense and has displayed a strong arm. 

Allen has shown the ability to move the No. 1 offense down the field on long drives and get into the end zone. His inexperience has shown up is in his decision-making. 

He is accurate with the ball and can put it into tight spaces. Allen simply needs to improve on being more decisive and getting the ball out of his hands quicker. 

When Joeckel or Hill take a snap, they see where they are supposed to go with the ball and throw it. Allen is hesitating at times, which is to be expected of a quarterback with limited experience in the offense. 

The mere fact he is competing head-to-head with quarterbacks who have one and two years more experience in the system is a testament to Allen's football intelligence and work ethic.

When Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin arrived in Aggieland in 2012, he had the three quarterbacks on campus compete for the starting spot. Jameill Showers emerged from spring practice as the top performer, but the competition carried on over the summer and into the fall when Manziel won the starting position.

Aggies fans should expect the competition to replace Manziel to follow a similar timeline. It does not matter who looks the best at the end of spring practice because the competition will continue all summer and into the Aggies practices in August.

Aggies fans should expect Sumlin to announce who the starter is going to be somewhere about two weeks before the game against South Carolina. Allen's performance since he stepped on campus has him right in the middle of that competition.