Kyle Allen Is Texas A&M's Best QB, but He Still Has Much to Learn

In late August, there was reason to wonder if Kyle Allen would ever take a meaningful snap in a Texas A&M uniform.

Allen was one of the biggest prizes of the Aggies’ 2014 recruiting class, rated as the No. 1 pro-style quarterback recruit by 247Sports. But he lost a spirited battle to sophomore Kenny Hill to become the Aggies’ starter following Johnny Manziel’s departure to the NFL. Allen then watched as Hill set an A&M single-game passing record in his debut at South Carolina.

The Aggies’ struggles this season, coupled with Hill’s two-game suspension for a violation of team rules, gave Allen a chance. And he took advantage in a big way.

Allen was a key force in A&M’s 41-38 upset at No. 3 Auburn on Saturday, completing 19 of 29 passes for 277 yards with four touchdowns and an interception. He is playing like the Aggies’ best quarterback and deserves to start when Hill returns from his suspension next week against Missouri. KEYE TV's Adam Winkler shared coach Kevin Sumlin's comments regarding Allen:

That said, the true freshman still has plenty to learn if he wants to become a competent, every-week starter for Sumlin and offensive coordinator Jake Spavital.

Allen threw four touchdown passes in the first half Saturday but none after halftime as Auburn rallied from a 35-17 deficit.

Butch Dill/Associated Press/Associated Press

A&M got into the Auburn red zone twice in the second half, but it had to settle for field goals. And the Aggies’ final two offensive drives gained a net of zero yards. A&M was also very fortunate to avoid a safety on its final drive, as tailback Trey Williams barely made it out of the end zone.

Still, it’s easy to see why Allen was so prized coming out of the prep ranks. At 6’3”, 205 pounds, he has good size and zips the ball around the field with ease to the Aggies’ corps of highly talented receivers.

Saturday was also a marked improvement from his first start against Louisiana-Monroe, which saw Allen complete 13 of 28 passes for 106 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Coach Sumlin felt that Allen was more "relaxed" in this matchup, per Kate Hairopoulos of The Dallas Morning News: 

Both sets of Tigers will test Allen in the final two regular-season games. Missouri defensive end Shane Ray entered the day leading the SEC in sacks, and LSU’s defense harassed Ole Miss senior Bo Wallace constantly in a 10-7 upset last week. They’ll have plenty in store for a true freshman.

By no means is Allen guaranteed the quarterback job beyond this season. Hill has thrown for 2,649 yards with 23 touchdowns against eight interceptions this year and should be a spirited competitor in spring practice.

However, Hill is coming off his second suspension in less than a year (he was also suspended following a spring arrest for public intoxication). In his last three starts, he threw six touchdowns against six interceptions, and he struggled to make the correct decisions against talented defenses from Alabama, Mississippi State and Ole Miss. Allen isn't as flashy, but he plays smart and hasn't forced many bad throws. 

With A&M eliminated from College Football Playoff and SEC contention, Sumlin and Spavital would be wise to find out what they have in Allen, and they'll hope he can conquer the learning curve quickly.