No. 8 Is THE Guy

WRITTEN BY Frank Ragnow

Everyone knows that No. 8 is THE guy.

I go back to the spring of 2015 when people were saying there should be a QB competition. Competition? We knew. Inside the walls of the football facility we all knew. After each practice that spring it seemed like there was one thing we all kept saying … ‘Yeah, No. 8 is the guy.’

Then there was the TCU and Texas A&M games last year. Both completely different, but both perfectly displayed who Austin Allen is. When he made the two-point conversion catch at TCU and then followed it up with a game-winning rushing TD … we all knew he was different. How many QBs can do that? Or better yet, how many are willing to do that for their team? He was special.

Texas A&M was a completely different outcome, but the belief in Austin only got stronger. He got hit quite a bit. Well, a lot actually, and he just kept getting up. I kept looking back after he’d deliver a strike down the field and see him bouncing right back up. It was like nothing had happened and he was immediately getting guys into position. He’s an absolute gamer.

Gamer

Austin is one of the toughest people I’ve ever met. As an offensive line, we know if we give him time he’s going to make plays. That’s an offensive lineman’s dream. We also know if we don’t give him the time he needs that he’s going to let us know it. That’s a leader.

Guys on both sides of the ball respond to him because he’s about it … not just a talker. He’s always here. He’s always doing the extra work. It’s not like he’s just the leader and the voice, which he is, but he’s doing everything. He backs it up with how he works.

What’s the coolest part about Austin? And, no, it’s not his hair. He’s humble. He’s always the same guy, which is a big characteristic Coach B loves in his players. Getting called out by the coaches for a mistake he made during practice, same guy. Has a practice where he completes 27 of 27 passes, same guy. He’s cool, calm and collected.

I voted for Austin as a captain not only because I think the QB should be the leader of the team, but because he’s that guy. He’s the face of our team. He represents everything we want. He’s tough and he’s uncommon. He never talks about himself.

He’s been one of my best friends since the first time we hung out together. He’s one of the guys that helps me get away when times are difficult.

There’s no other QB and leader I’d rather play with during my senior season as a Razorback. Every time game day rolls around and I’m walking through the tunnel onto the field next to No. 8 I’m reminded of one thing … He’s not just THE guy, He’s OUR guy.