Friday, August 3, 2012

The Alabama Analysis: Tide searches for backup QB

When it comes to the Alabama quarterback position, the job is in good hands. The preseason “quarterback battle” of 2011 seems like a distant memory, and AJ McCarron now seems like he’s been the Crimson Tide quarterback for years.

McCarron officially took the starting role the second game of 2011 at Penn State, and the rest has been history. Thanks to steady and confident play during the regular season, and a “showcase” performance in the BCS title game, McCarron went from unproven commodity, to proven leader.

AJ McCarron

While the sky is certainly the limit for McCarron in 2012, the real “issue” at the quarterback position are the young men waiting in the wings. McCarron is the starting quarterback, this much is a fact, but what is simply speculation is who would succeed McCarron if a “crisis” situation came to fruition.

The prominent player

AJ McCarron

Emerging talent

Phillip Ely
Alec Morris

When it comes to experience behind McCarron, redshirt freshman Phillip Ely has one year of practice, and one spring game, while true freshman Alec Morris has…high school.

While the starter, McCarron, is expected to be one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC, the backup plan is shaky at best. Former backup quarterback Phillip Sims, who had game experience, is now at the University of Virginia. The departure of Sims has left the aforementioned freshmen to battle for the runner-up spot.

In respect to a possible “prognosis” - any guess is as good as the rest.

If Phillip Ely enters the game to complete “mop-up” duty during a blowout victory, does that mean he has been touted as the backup quarterback? Who knows? Does one really have to be the true backup…to hand off? The same scenario could equally apply to Alec Morris.

When all is said and done, it probably doesn’t “really” matter who the backup is for 2012, because if McCarron is forced to leave the field, a “baptism by fire” will await the young man who enters the game.

Ely? Morris? In an ideal world…Alabama never has to find out.

Unit Rating: 7.5/10

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