Junior Greg McElroy recently earned the job as starting QB for the No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide, taking over for the Tide’s all-time leading passer, John Parker Wilson. McElroy beat out QB candidates Star Jackson and Thomas Darrah in spring practice.
For what it’s worth, McElroy considers himself up to the challenge, having succeeded former Missouri QB Chase Daniel in high school in Texas. McElroy showed no signs of pressure back then, leading his team all the way to a state title.
“The fact that I played behind Chase has prepared me for this moment,” McElroy said.
Tide fans have to hope that McElroy remembers how to get out to a hot start, as Alabama plays in the marquee game of college football’s opening weekend – a top 10 battle against No. 7 Virginia Tech at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
McElroy did his part in the offseason, bulking up his 6’3”, 220 lbs frame by building up a core that can now bench a personal-best 370 pounds. He roomed with Texas’ Colt McCoy and Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford at the Peyton Manning Passing Academy over the summer, learning as much as he possibly could from the Heisman hopefuls and the Super Bowl-winning Manning brothers.
“Greg has stood out a lot to me,” ‘Bama tailback Roy Upchurch said. “He went, in my opinion, from just a regular quarterback to a quarterback that will wow you. I think he’s more of a spread-around type of quarterback, that he’ll get it to anybody who’s open and get it out of his hands real fast. He’s really opened my eyes this year.”
Monday, August 31, 2009 at 10:52 pm by bryan
After giving it a good run last year, the Alabama Crimson Tide should be back in the national title hunt once again.
Alabama somehow managed to get through the difficult SEC schedule undefeated before being tripped up by the eventual national champion Florida Gators in the conference championship game.
The team returns 15 starters, including nine on a defensive unit that should rank right up there at the top.
The Tide does have to replace quarterback John Parker Wilson and tackle Andre Smith, but the foundation is there for another run at a national title.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 at 7:17 pm by steve
After taking two Crimson Tide players on a Gulf Coast fishing trip, the University of Alabama asked Athens resident Curtis Anderson to refrain from contacting members of the Alabama football team.
Specifically, Anderson took star receiver Julio Jones and running back Mark Ingram on a fishing trip this past spring, although Alabama did not report a NCAA violation over the matter.
“When I was told, ‘This is Julio Jones,’ I said, ‘Whoopty-do,”‘ Anderson told The Birmingham News. “I had no idea who Julio Jones was. I’ve got my right hand on this Bible. I swear to Jesus Christ, I had no idea who Julio Jones and Mark Ingram were when I met them and they became friends of mine.
Jones denies any wrongdoing in the situation, with his uncle reportedly saying, “(Julio) never went fishing with any Alabama booster. We’re not that crazy” to the Mobile Press-Register.
The No. 5 ranked Tide open the season with a barnburner on Sept. 5, against No. 7 Virginia Tech in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome.
Monday, August 24, 2009 at 10:57 pm by bryan
In the first coaches’ poll of the season that was released Friday, the SEC is well represented in the Top 15 with five teams. Defending champion Florida leads off with 53 of 59 first place votes… and the Crimson Tide check in at the back end of the Top 5.
In Year Three of the Nick Saban era, Saban and the Tide look to forget about the back-to-back losses at the end of last season that marred an otherwise perfect season.
With a #5 preseason ranking, the Tide can set their sights on another trip to the SEC Championship if they run the table like they did last season. Games at Mississippi on October 10, against South Carolina at home the next week on the 17th, and a game at home against LSU on November 7 all stand in the way between Alabama and a trip to the title game.
Of note - Alabama will NOT meet Florida in the regular season - meaning their only chance to play each other comes in the SEC Championship.
Sunday, August 9, 2009 at 11:09 pm by bryan
