LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Notes written while splitting my time between the transfer portal, the NFL Draft and MLBTV.com:
*The most interesting college football transfer portal entrant this week is Brady Allen, a 4-star prospect who redshirted last season at Purdue. Allen was recruited to the Boilermakers by … Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm.
Allen likes to throw the ball. Brohm likes to throw the ball.
This was Allen’s second trip into the portal in four months. He tried the portal in December after Brohm left Purdue for U of L. But he returned to the Boilermakers and competed in spring practice.
According to the Lafayette Journal & Courier, Allen finished spring drills as Purdue’s No. 3 quarterback. The starter for new coach Ryan Walters is expected to be Hudson Card, who transferred from Texas. No surprise. You don’t leave Austin to sit in West Lafayette, Ind.
This was the surprise: The second team quarterback for the Boilermakers was Ryan Browne, a true freshman and early enrollee. Maybe it should not be surprising considering Browne was recruited by the new coaching staff out of New Berlin, N.Y.
First-year Louisville coach Jeff Brohm at a spring football practice session.
The analysts at 247Sports.com ranked Browne the No. 49 quarterback prospect in the Class of 2023. Allen, for the record, was ranked the 10th best quarterback in the Class of 2022.
A product of Gibson Southern High School in southwestern Indiana, Allen was named Indiana’s Mr. Football in 2021. He led his team to the state 3A title while completing nearly 69% of his passes for 4,253 yards with 58 touchdowns and six interceptions.
Over four seasons, Allen threw 149 touchdown passes, a state record. Allen picked Purdue over Cincinnati, Indiana, Kansas, Rutgers, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
Allen will have plenty of options in the portal — and you have to wonder if his first choice will be to team with Brohm again.
The Cards have four quarterbacks on scholarship. Jack Plummer transferred from California with one season of eligibility and should start when Louisville opens its season against Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
The back-up job will be a competition between Brock Domann, a senior; freshman Pierce Clarkson and senior Evan Conley.
Allen completed one of three passes against Indiana State in his only action for the Boilermakers last season. He’ll have four seasons of eligibility wherever he lands.
Stay tuned.
*I don’t know which former University of Louisville baseball player will deliver the best season in the major leagues this season.
Could be Will Smith, who is off to a solid start, slashing .333/.417/.641 with the Dodgers while putting himself in position to make his first National League all-star team as the starting catcher.
Former U of L star Will Smith leads all National League catchers in runs batted in this season. AP Photo.
Might be left-handed pitcher Reid Detmers with the Los Angeles Angels. Although Deters is 0-1, he’s pitched well in his last two starts and has 25 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings.
I do know which former Cardinal has filed the Most Change of Address forms — Nick Solak, who played for coach Dan McDonnell from 2014-16.
In a 19-day stretch from March 31 through April 18, Solak bounced from the Cincinnati Reds’ organization to the Seattle Mariners to the Chicago White Sox to the Atlanta Braves.
This, of course, came after Solak started his career with the New York Yankees as a second-round draft pick in 2016. The Yankees sent him to Tampa, which shipped him to Texas, where Solak made his major-league debut on Aug. 20, 2019.
Through parts of four big-league seasons, all with Texas, Solak hit 21 home runs with 35 doubles and 93 RBIs. A low on-base percentage (.327 for his career) as well as inconsistent defensive play, plus the signing of Marcus Semien led the Rangers to send Solak back to the minor leagues last season.
Former Louisville infielder Nick Solak has started strong with the Texas Rangers this season. AP Photo.
The Reds purchased his contract in November, which nearly led to a spot on the Bats. But Seattle bought him from the Reds on March 31. Fifteen days later Solak went to the White Sox, his favorite team when he grew up in Naperville, Illinois.
That happy ending was wiped away after four days when Atlanta claimed Solak off waivers.
After appearing in a combined nine minor-league games at Tacoma and Gwinnett, Solak received a telephone call with encouraging news Tuesday. The Braves summoned him to the big-league club.
He did not play Tuesday night against the Marlins. Maybe that chance will come Wednesday — and maybe Solak will be able to stop living out of his suitcase.
*The latest odds from Las Vegas on Kentucky quarterback Will Levis being the first player selected in the NFL Draft Thursday night in Kansas City.
These numbers are from SportsBetting.ag:
Bryce Young, Alabama -2000.
Levis, UK +600.
C.J. Stroud, Ohio State +2500.
Anthony Richardson, Florida +4000.
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