Ed Orgeron’s quest to build a wall around the state of Louisiana has made news for keeping certain folks out of the state this past week but it has apparently proven quite effective at keeping at least one player inside the border as well.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram is reporting that freshman offensive lineman Willie Allen had intended to transfer to TCU this offseason but that he was blocked by the school from doing so:
Allen announced his intention to transfer out of Baton Rouge last week after taking a redshirt year in 2016. While it’s understandable that the Tigers don’t want him to head out to another SEC school, blocking the Horned Frogs is a bit puzzling at first glance after they were one of the teams that recruited Allen hard out of high school. It turns out there’s a reason why the school put a lone Big 12 destination on the no-go list however.
The Baton Rouge Advocate dug a little deeper into the matter and reports that the LSU staff believes that TCU had some sort of contact with Allen before he formally requested a transfer. It seems a little unlikely either school will formally confirm that accusation but it has been known to happen over the years when a player is thinking about moving on from a program.
Baylor, UCLA, Miami and Oklahoma all appear in the mix for Allen with Forth Worth off the table as a result, according to Allen’s high school coach. It’s possible he could appeal the decision by the Tigers but the offensive lineman will otherwise be looking at somewhere else to play in 2018.