Kyle Allen will start at quarterback for Texas A&M in the season opener against Arizona State, and with that, the signal-caller reputed to be more like Johnny Manziel will have to wait his turn for the top job.
Texas A&M announced coach Kevin Sumlin's decision on Monday via Twitter.
As a true freshman last year, Allen took over the starting job midseason from a slumping Kenny Hill, and responded with a road win at Auburn and a win over West Virginia in the Autozone Liberty Bowl. In those two games, he was 41 of 64 with eight touchdown passes and only two interceptions, averaging 285 passing yards. He also absorbed losses to Missouri and LSU, however, and struggled against LSU, in particular.
The preseason competition for Allen came in the form of freshman Kyler Murray, whom Aggies offensive coordinator Jake Spavital likened to former A&M star Johnny Manzielearlier in the preseason. With the experience of five starts last season, Allen should give the Aggies more of a steady presence in the pocket.
Murray, the more mobile of the two, will begin his career on the sideline.
But as Sumlin proved last year, the starting nod in early September doesn't guarantee a change won't be made later in the season.
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