2017 Early Contenders high school football preview: No. 11 Allen

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Video: 2017 Early Contenders: No. 11 Allen
Host Zack Poff breaks down the Eagles' prospects this season, complete with video highlights.

Head coach: Terry Gambill

Last season: 14-1, lost in 6A-1 state semifinals to The Woodlands, 36-28

Last decade: 131-10, 4 state titles

Famous alumni/players: Buffalo Bills RB Jonathan Williams, two-time MaxPreps National Player of the Year Kyler Murray, Dallas Cowboys WR Uzoma Nwachukwu, Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Shawn Tolleson PLAYERS TO WATCH

RB Brock Sturges (5-10, 200, Sr.) — The Arizona State commit rushed for 1,313 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore and 1,138 and 16 scores as a junior.

OT Trey Strattford (6-4, 270, Sr.) — The UCLA commit is Texas' 70th top senior recruit.

WR Theo Wease (6-3, 189, Jr.) — America's No. 36 recruit for his class already has 33 college offers, with Ohio State and Oklahoma as apparent front-runners.

WR Carson Schleker (5-9, 180, Sr.) — He's committed to Iowa State.

QB Grant Tisdale (6-1, 204, Jr.) — The terrific dual threat has 13 college offers. KEY GAMES

Sept. 1 — vs. Cedar Hill (Texas)

Sept. 8 — vs. Evangel Christian Academy (Shreveport, La.)

Sept. 15 — vs. Coppell (Texas)

Oct. 20 — at Guyer (Denton, Texas) STORYLINES

* A change at the top with Gambill taking over for Tom Westerberg before the 2016 season didn't change the result for one of the nation's premier programs, which extended its regular-season win streak to 45 games.

* Gambill won his first 14 games for the Eagles before dropping a 36-28 6A-1 semifinal game to The Woodlands 36-28. Westerberg, by the way, went 8-3 in his first season at Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu).

* As good as Allen's senior class is — it boasts seven of the top 367 players in the state — the Eagles' junior class is stacked with other nationally ranked recruits like guard E.J. Ndoma-Ogar (6-3, 305, No. 160) and defensive tackle Jayden Jernigan (6-1, 270).

* The defense should be the strength of the Eagles, with top Texas senior recruits CJ Johnson (6-0, 170), a safety headed to Texas State, cornerback Taj Bickham (5-11, 160, Texas State), linebacker Jace Waters (6-2, 201) and cornerback Jevon Jones (6-0, 180).

* Though a handful of new and posh structures have been built in the state, Allen's Eagle Stadium is still one of the most spectacular. It seats 18,000, including 1,000 set aside for the school's Escadrille. They keep it affordable too, with adult tickets costing $6 in advance and $8 at the gate.