Texas A&M re-opens quarterback competition

The man with all the answers for your quarterbacking needs has watched his starter, Kyle Allen, finish the last two games with losses and four interceptions to just one touchdown. In Saturday’s 23-3 loss to Ole Miss, Allen hit a streak of 14 straight incompletions and completed just 35.3 percent of his passes (12-of-34) before getting benched in the fourth quarter.

Sumlin said he’ll announce the starter for Saturday’s game on Friday.

“(It’s) hard to play that position looking over your shoulder all the time”, he said Tuesday.

“Has to show more consistency”.

“Kyle was fine”, Spavital said, “there was nothing wrong with him”. “I’m really focusing in on timing, precision, communication, leadership. Just all the “it” factors in what we’re looking for”.

Given Allen’s success earlier in the season, Murray’s continuing adjustment to the college game, and the lack of a bye week (which aided Allen’s ascension to the starting job last season at Kenny Hill’s expense), the most likely outcome of the in-season quarterback battle seems a continuation of the status quo: Allen the starter, Murray the change-of-pace player, Hubenak the emergency quarterback. It was the first extended action of the season for Hubenak, who started his career at Oklahoma State before transferring to Blinn.

Allen was 12 of 34 for only 88 yards with an interception. Murray saw spot duty in five of the first six games this year.

“Has done a great job for us ever since he stepped foot on campus”, Spavital said. “Can operate offense effectively”. Ole Miss defensive tackle Breeland Speaks said the Rebels mostly stayed in their 4-2-5 defense and used a little bit of movement up front. Murray did not play. Sumlin discussed the incident on Tuesday without addressing specific details of what happened.

“Kyler has done the things necessary that we’ve asked him to do based on what happened on the sideline”, Sumlin said.

“Hopefully this is a learning experience for him”, Sumlin added. Murray also threw an interception.

Murray arrived at A&M cloaked in high expectations after going 42-0 as a starter at Allen High and winning three state championships. It’s going to take work, but Sumlin has to once again find the right formula under center if the Aggies are going to get back on track in 2015.

Murray, a true freshman who was one of the top recruits in the country, did not play in the game.