Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen sat down with 5NEWS partner Bo Mattingly for a three part series on how the Razorbacks signal caller handled his first year as a starter, injury and expectations entering the 2014 season.
Bo Mattingly: You go through a transition. You go through the John L. Smith year then Bret Bielema comes in with Jim Chaney, it seems like it has to be completely different. Describe what it's like with Jim Chaney now and what it was like before that.
Brandon Allen: I think different coaches have their different styles. Obviously both are great coaches but they have different styles about going about things. Petrino was obviously more of the in your face kind of, do it the way I want it done and coach Chaney is more of a 'if you get the job done'. Petrino would like to make things perfect. A perfectionist really. Chaney kind of lets you do your own style of things as long as you're doing the way he wants it done. Your own little style within the way he wants it done is alright with him.
BM: What does having coaches like that do for guys? There is motivation out of fear and then you have the players coach. It seems like there is a real respect from the team just from the way the coaches treat them.
BA: Exactly. That's something. I think we're more disciplined than we've ever been. I think it's because we see that these coaches care about us and not just on the field. They care about us off the field. When we think about that, we don't want to do anything to disappoint them.
BM: What do you lay in bed thinking about when it comes to the season?
BA: I keep thinking about Auburn and our first game. I think that's been in all our player's heads. It's a big first game for us. It's going to be a cool environment, cool experience for us and I think we're all ready to go out there and just play like we know we can play.
BM: Are you ready to the be the University of Arkansas quarterback and take everything that comes with that?
BA: I'm ready. I am ready. I've been wanting that for a long time and I think that, especially this past spring and summer, I've done a lot to get myself prepared for it. To get this team ready for a great season that we all need and we all want. I think, as a team, we're all ready for it.