FAYETTEVILLE — For the first time in six seasons, a quarterback with the last name of Allen will not be leading Fayetteville football through spring practice.
The question for Bulldogs is, who’s next?
Fayetteville has been in the fortunate position of having two Division I-A quarterbacks under center for the last five years, in brothers Brandon and Austin Allen. The sibling pair led the Purple’Dogs to unprecedented heights, both in the record books and in the trophy cases.
But now, with both Allen brothers down the road as Arkansas Razorbacks, Fayetteville coach Daryl Patton has a bit of a quarterback competition on his hands this spring.
“I said the other day that I’m probably one of the most blessed coaches to have had probably two of best quarterbacks ever in this state,” Patton said. “Brandon and Austin were both excellent quarterbacks, but they’ve graduated and we have to move on.”
Mitch Marshall was Austin Allen’s backup last season as a junior and enters spring practice as the top guy on the depth chart. Marshall (6-foot, 180 pounds) is the one quarterback returning with limited varsity experience at the position.
“Right now Mitch can make all the throws,” Patton said. “It would not be wrong to say he’s the No. 1 guy going into the spring.”
Fayetteville has several other candidates at the the position, though, with as many as six quarterbacks vying for the job. C.J. O’Grady, a 6-4, 220-pound junior-to-be, presents more of a Cam Newton-style threat, Patton said, and 6-3, 190-pound junior-to-be Blake Power could move over from tight end to quarterback if need be.
Fayetteville also is looking at Dre Greenlaw at the position. Greenlaw (5-10, 190) started in the secondary as a junior and is one of the better athletes on the team. The Bulldogs will also look at incoming sophomores Eli Hale and Jack Lindsey.
“We’re trying to make our offense as much like it’s been in the past,” Patton said. “The thing with our quarterbacks is we’re asking them to get everyone in the right spots and take care of the football.”
Quarterback isn’t the only position where Fayetteville will need to replace a key player. Just four starters return on both sides of the ball as the Bulldogs say goodbye to a senior class that won more games than any in school history.
“Since I’ve been here this may be the most important spring we’ve had,” Patton said. “Because of the number of seniors we had starting, we don’t have a lot of experience.
“Every position there’s battles going on.”
Fayetteville begins spring workouts in full pads at 3 p.m. Monday. The Bulldogs are scheduled to complete spring drills on either May 23 or May 24.