Junior Austin Allen will lead the Hogs into the Belk Bowl on Dec. 29 to face Virginia Tech. Allen is just completing his first year as the starting quarterback for the Hogs.

Arkansas QB Austin Allen.

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Allen got some great news on Tuesday when junior center Frank Ragnow announced he would return for his senior year at Arkansas.

"That’s huge right there for everyone," Allen said. "Selfishly I didn’t want him to go. Just having him coming back, he’s one of, if not the best player on our team right now. That’s huge for our offense next year and the whole team."

While the news was obviously good for Bret Bielema and Kurt Anderson, but Allen also benefits greatly by Ragnow returning since he's the one who takes snaps from him.

"Huge, he’s out there making calls," Allen said. "He can get everyone doing the right thing out there. He can tell the right tackle what to do, the guards, he calls out the mike.

"He does a lot of things out there to go along with being the best center in college football in my mind. It’s a five-star guy coming back for us and that’s the biggest recruit we can get right there.

How did he tell you he was returning?

"He texted me this morning saying, ‘Hey, I wanted you (me and my friends) to be the first to know that I’m going pro, so just don’t say anything, Love you guys. It’s coming out after practice," Allen said. "Then right before practice he texted saying, ‘Just joking,” or something like that."

How did you take the news?

"Yeah, I was pissed," Allen said laughing. "I didn’t talk to him all day. I didn’t say one word to him. I was just joking with him, but no matter what he did, I would have supported him. I’m just glad he’s coming back for another year."

You and your teammates face the Hokies in just over a week, how's it going?

"It’s going great," Allen said. "We got a lot of the younger guys a lot of work. Just continuing to get reps with everyone is huge for us. I think it helps everyone, the whole team. My freshman year, we didn’t have any bowl reps or bowl practices. It really helps out spring ball, it carries all the way into the summer."

How do you handle the delay between end of season and bowl game and stay focused?

I would just say the attitude you come in with every day," Allen said. "Instead of coming in with an attitude of, ‘Wow, we have to come up here right now?’ You have to come in with, ‘We get to come in here right now. We get to have these extra practices.’ There’s a lot of guys who didn’t get these extra practices and they know how special it is and being able to play football past Christmas is huge."

The team leaves for Charlotte the day before Christmas. Any feelings on not spending the holiday at home?

"I grew up kind of doing that with my dad, going to all these bowl games," Allen said. "I barely remember any Christmases at my house. We would always have them in the hotel room and everything like that. I’m used to it."

So for the Allen boys, Austin and Brandon, Santa came to the hotel?

"Santa came to the hotel," Allen said with a wide smile. "At a young age I learned Santa wasn’t real."

Now that you have had some time to learn your opponent and watch film, what does Virginia Tech's defense look like?

"They’re another great defense," Allen said. "It feels like, looks like the same kind of defense we play each week. Athletic guys who play hard and they do what they do and they do it at a high level. It’s a great challenge for us and we have to be ready for them."

A TV reporter wants to know if Austin knows what a Hokie is?

"It’s a turkey or something, isn’t it?" Allen asked.

The reporter informs him that it’s a castrated turkey.

"Castrated turkey?" Allen said. "That’s, uh, interesting."

At times, the Tech defense has given up big plays – do you see some things you can take advantage of?

"Each week you kind of see their tendencies, see what each opponent is going to do," Allen said. "Coach (Dan) Enos is a master game planner and really puts us in the right positions to succeed and I’m sure he’s going to do the same this week or when we play them."

What have Drew Morgan and Keon Hatcher meant to you, with this being their last game?

"They’re the rock of this team," Allen said. "Those guys are team leaders. They come out to practice every day with the same mentality and it really rubbed off on the young guys. I think whenever they leave, those guys will see how hard they worked and they’ll want to be just like them. I couldn’t say enough good things about those guys.

You were around with Drew when he was a practice legend, now he’s a top receiver – what was it about him and how critical was he for your brother last year and you this year? And oh yeah, what about Keon too?

"I’d put Drew up against anyone in the country, just how dependable he is and how great of routes he runs," Allen said. "What he’s done the past few years has been nothing short of remarkable how well he’s caught the ball and everything he does for our team. He goes in there and blocks. He’s been a workhorse for us the last two years and I wish he could have another year with me, but he’s going to be off to bigger and better things.

"And Keon has been around for so long now. He’s a dog out there, just the way he competes and how hard he plays and how we can line him up at fullback and he’ll go in and crack the mike linebacker. He runs great routes, catches the ball. He was Mr. Dependable for us. Anytime we needed a third down, fourth down, I was kind of looking his way. He’s a special player."

Who are some of the receivers you think will step up next year with so many guys leaving?

"One guy that really catches your eye is Jordan Jones," Allen said. "Just how tall, fast he is. Runs well, catches the ball well. A lot of guys really. Kofi (Boateng) is coming back from an ACL injury, but he’s already out there running around and catching balls. Pett (LaMicheal Pettway) and D’Vone (McClure) just how physical they are. And then Deon (Stewart) just how smooth he is. We have some guys coming in and I’m sure I’m missing someone, but we’ll be fine."

The Belk Bowl will kickoff at 4:30 p.m. CT in Charlotte, N.C., and be televised by ESPN.