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Draft Diary- QB Jared Allen Game Day

TFY Draft Preview - Scout.com
January 22, 2005 at 11:33pm ET
Well, game day is here. This trip has been very eventful and I've had a wonderful time here in Maui. Wednesday night was the Luau which allowed us to get a taste of the Hawaiian culture with great food, music and hula dancing.

Thursday was the busiest day we've had, jammed packed with activities. We started out with practice from 7:45am to 9:45am. Practice was basically one big team period with each quarterback getting several plays in a row. I made some good throws and felt fairly confident in my ability to lead the offense.

After practice we headed to the annual Hula Bowl Beach Bash and Surf Competition at Launiupoko Beach. I chose not to participate in the surf competition, but kind of wish I had. Although, some guys cut their hands on the coral which is something I could not afford to happen before the game.

David Rayner from Michigan State ended up taking first place in the competition. After the Beach Bash we headed to Lahaina Town for some shopping and then up to Whaler's Village to sign autographs, eat dinner and do more shopping.

Friday we had a pre-game walk through at the hotel to cover any last minute questions before the game. Our offensive coordinator Coach Chris Hatcher from Valdosta State has done a great job preparing our offense.

The three quarterbacks choose a toothpick, one being short, one medium, and one long. The toothpicks determined what order we will play in the game. I picked the shortest toothpick and therefore will be playing third. We will rotate every two series so I will hopefully see the field sometime in the second quarter.

Overall, I feel very fortunate to be experiencing all Maui has to offer and look forward to playing in the game today.

– Day 2 –
Things getting a little heavier in Hawaii as Florida Atlantic quarterback Jared Allen takes us through his second day of practice talking about some of the lesser-known prospects who may become household names in April.

Practice this morning went really well. Everything went much smoother as a team. We added a couple of new plays on offense but nothing to difficult. Timing is still tough with the receivers on some routes, but it is getting better. I am very impressed with the talent at wide receiver for our squad. Receivers like Tony Brown from Tennessee and Jamacia Rector from N.W. Missouri. After practice I had a chance to throw some one-on-one routes to the receivers for all the scouts. I did pretty well, but improvements could have been made on a couple passes.

Next we all headed to a shopping center near the stadium to shop and sign autographs. There were a lot of people who were kind enough to come out to the meet-n-greet. I think the appearance was a widely advertised promotion. Everyone on the island has treated us with great hospitality. I look forward to the luau this evening, and I'll let you know more about it in tomorrow's update.

My agent (Memphis-based Brian Parker) was right on the money when he informed me I would have plenty of paperwork to fill out upon my arrival. I was in the same room doing paperwork for 5 ½ hours filling out questionnaires from various teams. Since I've been here I have interviewed face-to-face with the Jacksonville Jaguars , Tampa Bay Bucs, Philadelphia Eagles , Miami Dolphins and the Cleveland Browns . After practice this morning I talked with a scout from the Baltimore Ravens . I prefer interviews rather than filling out the questionnaires because I feel like the scouts get a better chance to know me.

Even though this week might be one long job interview, I've still managed to have a great time and meet some great guys. I've mostly hung out with the Harvard quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and Auburn defensive end Brett Eddins. As it turns out Tony Brown is going to be in Memphis where I've been training and we are going to keep in touch and work out together once this week is over.

– Day 1 –
After a terrific week at the East-West Game with Jason Leach we move further west and now follow the exploits of Florida Atlantic quarterback Jared Allen, one of the top small school passers in the nation. Already invited to the combine, Allen hopes to continue the good impression he's made on NFL scouts at this All Star classic.

We'll follow Jared as he prepares for the biggest moment of his life- the NFL Draft. And while he'll check in with us from time-to-time he starts off at the Hula Bowl, in beautiful Maui. Just arriving Monday evening, Jared gives us an idea of his first impressions and what the initial practice was like.

I've been looking forward to this week ever since coach Shnellenberger informed me I had received an invitation to play in the game. I spent the last week training in Memphis with Tredell Dorsey of Velocity. I plan on returning to Memphis after the game where I'll go through more combine specific training.

My first impressions of the Hula Bowl were good ones. Most of the guys, including myself, got to Maui late Monday night, so we did not get to see the resort and its surroundings until today. The East team, which I play on, had the early practice this morning. Getting up after the long flight last night wasn't as difficult as I thought it was going to be. We went to Denny's for an all you can eat breakfast then headed to the field for team pictures. It was on the drive to practice that I got my first glimpse of how beautiful Maui is!

After pictures we had our first team meeting in which Coach Frank Solich explained all the rules and procedures for how things will be done. The playbook today consisted of simple I-formation run and pass plays, with some occasional shotgun split formations. We have some strong looking offensive linemen that should give us quarterback's some great protection. For the most part it was laid back.

My roommate is Chris Laskowski also from Florida Atlantic. I am happy we are roommates after all we have been together in building the FAU football program. The opportunity to experience the Hula Bowl with him is a great reward. It is also great playing with the guys that I have played against throughout my career at