Just a little over a month after transferring to high school football juggernaut, St. Thomas Aquinas, 2017 quarterback Jake Allen had his new school in contention to win it all at the Miami Hurricanes South Florida Shootout 7-on-7 this past weekend in Coral Gables.
Coming up a few wins short, Allen and his team may have not won the tournament, but personally Allen left a winner as he left the tournament with an offer from the University of Miami.
"Halfway through the camp, one of the recruiting assistants took me to the weight room to do my measurables, talked to me a little bit, and then after we lost to Flanagan, Coach Coley pulled me over and wanted to inform me that I had the offer. We talked for about ten minutes and he pulled my dad over and talked to him too. It was cool, I mean I was super excited when he told me. I mean it's Miami, it's my best (offer) so far," said Allen.
Allen, who stands in at 6-foot-3, 190-pounds, also holds offers from Iowa, UCF, Cincinnati, Rutgers, and North Carolina State among others.
However, the 'Canes coaches might not have to do as much as selling to Allen as they thought, as Allen has already created a tight bond with Sophomre starting quarterback, Brad Kaaya. Allen mentions that Kaaya is recruiting him very hard.
"Yeah, I've actually been talking to Brad for a couple of months. We'll talk every week or so and I'm going to go up next week and hang out with them and I'll probably go with Sam Bruce and Trevon (Grimes). I love Kaaya, he's the man. I mean he's a real cool dude and it's great to have a guy like that telling me the way things work," says Allen.
"I mean when we talk, Kaaya is always telling me 'commit! commit! commit!', but I'm not ready for a commitment. He gives me advice on recruiting and the fact that he loves Coach Coley and the fact that he believes in the system they are running down there. Ultimately, he really just wants me to come join him there, but we'll see."
Kaaya's senior season, (which is questionable at this point as he will be a candidate for the NFL draft), along with sophomore Malik Rosier, 2015 signee Evan Shirreffs, plus 2016 commit Jack Allison, has Miami set with quarterback depth for years to come. Does the challenge of some potential quarterback competition scare off Allen?
"It's actually pretty funny, I talk to Jack Allison just as much as I talk to Kaaya Iike on a weekly basis. I mean, Jack and I are friends and I'm not the guy to shy away from competition. I've been around competition for awhile first at Cardinal Gibbons and now at St. Thomas and I truly believe that competition only makes you better. So, if down the road, I went to the University of Miami and competed, I only think that would make me be better down the road," said Allen.
The quarterback competition is nothing new to Allen as last season he split first team reps with an upperclassman at Cardinal Gibbons and will more than likely do it a little bit early in fall practice this upcoming year as he and 2016 quarterback Blake Dever duke it out to lead the Raiders this fall. Allen says he loves his new school regardless of the competition and says the transition has been great.
"After the first week, once I had learned the playbook, week after week, we started to click on all cylinders and we're looking scary as an offense," he said.
It also helps UM's chances that Allen is teammates with arguably the top player in the 'Canes 2016 class in wide receiver Sam Bruce who is doing a little recruiting for the 'Canes himself as he is in Allen's ear every now and then.
"It doesn't get better than having Bruce in your team. When all goes bad, you can always check it down to Bruce. Bruce will always be open regardless. I have yet to find a guy that can cover him and I love the guy. He's super passionate and he's a great leader and I mean the way he leads us, the way he takes control, and the way he is always open, how could you not love playing with that guy?" Allen added.
"Sam was standing next to me when I got the offer and he gave me a little look and smile and I plan on going down to visit with him next week."
Allen capped off a busy spring last weekend in Coral Gables but will only have a little time to relax as he plans to visit Miami, Florida, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Cincinnati, Tennessee, Kentucky and Michigan among others this summer.
Here are his highlights: Jake Allen Highlights - Hudl
Coming up a few wins short, Allen and his team may have not won the tournament, but personally Allen left a winner as he left the tournament with an offer from the University of Miami.
"Halfway through the camp, one of the recruiting assistants took me to the weight room to do my measurables, talked to me a little bit, and then after we lost to Flanagan, Coach Coley pulled me over and wanted to inform me that I had the offer. We talked for about ten minutes and he pulled my dad over and talked to him too. It was cool, I mean I was super excited when he told me. I mean it's Miami, it's my best (offer) so far," said Allen.
Allen, who stands in at 6-foot-3, 190-pounds, also holds offers from Iowa, UCF, Cincinnati, Rutgers, and North Carolina State among others.
However, the 'Canes coaches might not have to do as much as selling to Allen as they thought, as Allen has already created a tight bond with Sophomre starting quarterback, Brad Kaaya. Allen mentions that Kaaya is recruiting him very hard.
"Yeah, I've actually been talking to Brad for a couple of months. We'll talk every week or so and I'm going to go up next week and hang out with them and I'll probably go with Sam Bruce and Trevon (Grimes). I love Kaaya, he's the man. I mean he's a real cool dude and it's great to have a guy like that telling me the way things work," says Allen.
"I mean when we talk, Kaaya is always telling me 'commit! commit! commit!', but I'm not ready for a commitment. He gives me advice on recruiting and the fact that he loves Coach Coley and the fact that he believes in the system they are running down there. Ultimately, he really just wants me to come join him there, but we'll see."
Kaaya's senior season, (which is questionable at this point as he will be a candidate for the NFL draft), along with sophomore Malik Rosier, 2015 signee Evan Shirreffs, plus 2016 commit Jack Allison, has Miami set with quarterback depth for years to come. Does the challenge of some potential quarterback competition scare off Allen?
"It's actually pretty funny, I talk to Jack Allison just as much as I talk to Kaaya Iike on a weekly basis. I mean, Jack and I are friends and I'm not the guy to shy away from competition. I've been around competition for awhile first at Cardinal Gibbons and now at St. Thomas and I truly believe that competition only makes you better. So, if down the road, I went to the University of Miami and competed, I only think that would make me be better down the road," said Allen.
The quarterback competition is nothing new to Allen as last season he split first team reps with an upperclassman at Cardinal Gibbons and will more than likely do it a little bit early in fall practice this upcoming year as he and 2016 quarterback Blake Dever duke it out to lead the Raiders this fall. Allen says he loves his new school regardless of the competition and says the transition has been great.
"After the first week, once I had learned the playbook, week after week, we started to click on all cylinders and we're looking scary as an offense," he said.
It also helps UM's chances that Allen is teammates with arguably the top player in the 'Canes 2016 class in wide receiver Sam Bruce who is doing a little recruiting for the 'Canes himself as he is in Allen's ear every now and then.
"It doesn't get better than having Bruce in your team. When all goes bad, you can always check it down to Bruce. Bruce will always be open regardless. I have yet to find a guy that can cover him and I love the guy. He's super passionate and he's a great leader and I mean the way he leads us, the way he takes control, and the way he is always open, how could you not love playing with that guy?" Allen added.
"Sam was standing next to me when I got the offer and he gave me a little look and smile and I plan on going down to visit with him next week."
Allen capped off a busy spring last weekend in Coral Gables but will only have a little time to relax as he plans to visit Miami, Florida, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Cincinnati, Tennessee, Kentucky and Michigan among others this summer.
Here are his highlights: Jake Allen Highlights - Hudl
