Poll: Next Years Starter QB

[p'colabamaman]

I believe it will be McElroy's job to win or lose, and it could be lost very easily.

 

[drjamesm]

I believe G Mc will start the 1st 2 games then S Jackson will take over!

 

[THE BAMA IRISHMAN]

The QB situation will be talked about quit a bit during the off season. But right now I will stay focused on businessed at hand. The best performer will get the job. The Saban way "Only the best start". As it Should Be. :BigA:

 

[p'colabamaman]

I voted Greg McElroy because I think the experience factor will tilt it in his favor. I'm hoping he keeps it based on talent. It's not because I don't want to see the others but I remember when GM switched his commitment to us from Texas Tech. He was excited to come here and most everyone was excited about his talent. I hope he steps up big time.

Great post. I'm sure it will based on who handles the job the best, and I hope GMc has the goods. I'd like to see him do well. At this point, with his experience with the "process", I would think he knows it better than the others, IMO. But we, as fans, don't really know who is stepping up. I wish good luck to all the young QBs.

 

[Tide1990]

Nope...not going to be McElroy...think John David Phillips...time in the system is only one of many factors.

 

[BEATtutorsee]

I would think a step down in Offensive production would be expected next year. We will like you said lose Andre (Most likely), Caldwell, Wilson, and both tight ends McCall, and Walker. The thing is though the defense may be a ferocious one next year. So next years team probably wont need to score as much. I think a 9-10 win season atleast and then watch out from 2010 on...

I tend to agree although I'm not just going to assume that we'll automatically be worse offensively next year. We will have plenty of talent that's for sure, it'll likely all boil down to the kind of decision making we get from whoever is starting at QB. Defensively though I definitely agree, I expect next year's to be even better. :eek2:

 

[dave12]

Probably GM, but i don't really care who it is as long as they're good and consistant, and improve our passing attack.

RTR:BigA:

 

[CrimsonBleedRed]

I, like many, think it will be McElroy with Durrah and Jackson pushing him. It takes more then having talent to play and win in the SEC and that's a learning process. I think Nick has a plan for Star and he won't deterred from it unless Star makes enough progress that forces a change in plans.

 

[JessN]

Then again we were supposed to be 9-3 (at best) this year, UT and AU were supposed to be great and UGA was the preseason #1. So much for being able to predict the future eh? Who knows what next year holds, we could be even better on offense next year. I know we expected our O-Line to be a little weak and Terry Grant to be our starting running back this year too! As long as everyone does their jobs, we'll be fine. . .

Experienced, solid quarterbacking has become one of the biggest must-haves in college football and especially the SEC. Don't underrate it.

Which three teams had the most QB experience heading into 2008? UA, UF, UGA.

Which three teams are at the top of the SEC in 2008? UA, UF, UGA.

By most accounts, who had the No. 4 QB in the SEC going into 2008? Ole Miss, with Snead, and Ole Miss is about to do better than a lot of people predicted and head to a bowl.

Which potential contenders had QB issues? LSU, AU, UT.

What has happened to them? AU and UT are now longshots to make the postseason; LSU fell out of the national title picture but does have such a collection of talent that it is winning in spite of its QB, to a point.

What about Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, etc.? All have experienced quarterbacks. Penn State is the outlier, but they at least had a senior take over the position this year (and they're in the Big 10, not the SEC).

Add in the questions along the OL, and while Alabama might "be fine" next year, I seriously doubt Alabama is in the title discussion. And before you ask what I had UA picked to do this year, I was among the most optimistic of them all: 9-3 with wins over both chief rivals. I'm optimistic for 2009, but realistic at the same time.

As to answer the original poll question, it's really going to be dependent on how much better Jackson picks up the offense between now and then. If he picks up the offense, I think he wins the job. If he struggles, I actually think Darrah has a good shot at it.

 

[chris]

i chose GM based on smarts and ability. I do think CNS will want to play Star as early and often as possible,but i think AJ Mcarron will make the biggest push as the season progresses!

 

[mlh]

I expect McElroy to do just what he did in HS -- wait patiently and learn, then step up when his time comes and perform very well.

 

[Hankster2]

Terrence Cody.

He already has the NT and FB positions down. Saban is slowly teaching him all the positions on the field since he is proving to be one of our most versatile players. Plus he's the best wishbone QB we have which is what I've heard we'll be running next year.

In all seriousness I don't think you can underestimate the fact that Star is a Saban recruit and therefore he better fits Saban's mold. I think experience is keeping GM at #2 but he'll have less of a leg up on Star next year.

If this year has taught us anything it's that Saban has little issue with playing talent over experience.

 

[GreatDanish]

I lean toward thinking McElroy will earn the starting job.
That is, unless, Star has a superb Spring. He might, but I'm not expecting that right now.
Unfortunately, whoever it is will likely make some mistakes that we haven't seen this year.

 

[rollntider]

I think we will see McElroy with Star getting significant playing time, and by the end of the season I bet Star takes it over....

 

[REBELZED]

I'm pretty sure we all thought Star would be pushing JPW for starting time and/or taking over THIS year too. There's a lot to be said for QB's who have been in college/a certain system longer. For that reason, I think McElroy picks up where JPW left off and assumes that "game manager" type role and our offense shouldn't change/fall off too much.

 

[BamaMoon]

I'm pretty sure we all thought Star would be pushing JPW for starting time and/or taking over THIS year too. There's a lot to be said for QB's who have been in college/a certain system longer. For that reason, I think McElroy picks up where JPW left off and assumes that "game manager" type role and our offense shouldn't change/fall off too much.

I don't remember too many saying that Star would beat out JPW as a true freshman. Next year will be totally different. I appreciate what you say about McElroy stepping in as a game manager, but here is the difference in Star vs. JPW this year and Star vs. McElroy next year. McElroy has basically no game experience (unlike JPW this year). Next year, as a redshirt freshman, Star should have a good grasp of the system. Therefore, it may come down to who is the more dynamic playmaker if they both know the system and from all I've heard it would sound like Star would get the nod there.

I'm like everybody else and I don't know. I do know that Coach Saban will play the one who will give us the best chance to win and that will make me happy. :BigA:

 

[Tidewater]

Star maybe has more talent, but theres a lot to be said about being in the system for 3 full years. I think its going to go to McElroy.

One would think that Mac would have gotten more meaningful playing time this year if that were the case. Last weekend was a golden opportunity to get Mac some meaningful playing time, yet he did not get in until there were 46 seconds left in the game, then he handed the ball off twice.

 

[BamaJama17]

Star maybe has more talent, but theres a lot to be said about being in the system for 3 full years. I think its going to go to McElroy.

Thats what I'm thinking.

 

[M2J]

I think its McElroy that has the most to prove come Spring and Fall camps. Its gonna be wide open, but I think coach expects and hopes Star is ready for the position, and if its even close I think Star gets it.

Star is far more talented than GM, the system with Coach Mac is a QB friendly one and considering they've both been in it about the same time, I don't see much advantage there. And hopefully Coach Mac has and is continuing with the same decision making drills that he reportedly did with JPW, because I think having a QB that won't lose it is first and foremost the priority next year, if both are about the same level on that aspect then I think Star will greatly expand the offense with his running and in the passing game the way it seems that Coach Saban has called for after many of our games. I think its Star's job to lose.

However, I'm just hoping to get the best play possible for next year out of our QB, because everything else should be in place for this team to win if we get solid QB play and OL play with the turnover that will go on there.

 

[M2J]

I'm pretty sure we all thought Star would be pushing JPW for starting time and/or taking over THIS year too. There's a lot to be said for QB's who have been in college/a certain system longer. For that reason, I think McElroy picks up where JPW left off and assumes that "game manager" type role and our offense shouldn't change/fall off too much.

Well, the thing was people were a bit afraid that JP would revert back to his old ways of screwing up our chances of winning. If that were to happen as it has in past 2 years, I don't doubt that Star's redshirt would already be off and replaced with a Crimson one in games.

I hoped JP could improve and obviously he has, and I thought Star would be pushing JP, not because I thought a true freshman could come in and be a superstar QB and lead the team, but because JP would play poorly and lose his spot, and we'd try and build for the future with Star.