Arguably the biggest question surrounding any team going into the 2023 college football season is who will take the opening snap for the Alabama Crimson Tide when they take the field for the first time. To be honest, regardless of who takes the first snap, that’s when the battle truly begins. Nick Saban has shown us time and time again – he has no problem replacing starting quarterbacks, or making in game switches throughout the duration as Alabama head coach. Most notably in the 2017 National Championship Game. Whomever wins the job will then have to maintain it through stellar on field play, but I digress.
While Alabama is still firmly recognized as running back & offensive line university (amongst other position groups), the quarterback position at the university, specifically the last 8 years under Coach Saban, has entrenched itself into the national consciousness. Much to a surprising degree most would say. I would say that’s unsurprising if we follow the trend of history.
Going back to the days of Brodie Croyle, it’s been nearly two decades since Alabama has had a quarterback “issue”. There’s been competition unquestionably, but whoever the guy has been has turned out to be at minimum a great game manager.
Post Croyle era, who at the time rewrote much of the record books for quarterbacks at the school, Birmingham native John Parker Wilson took over. Wilson didn’t have the luxury of playing with the roster the quarterbacks after him did, but he was amongst the best in the SEC. While the team never saw a National Championship game, he too ended up rewriting the history books. After Wilson, we begin to see somewhat of a shift.
Alabama QB Brodie Croyle (12) – Bob Rosato/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images
Again, while the university has always been known for road grading offensive lines and NFL level running backs, Greg McElroy’s seasons in 2009 and 2010 began a new chapter in Alabama’s quarterback history. While his predecessors played longer and had more statistical success and his successors took it even further, McElroy’s efficiency and turnover free play helped bring the program back to national prominence.
In 27 starts, McElroy accumulated 5,681 yards, 39 touchdowns, and only 10 interceptions. In his senior season, in which the Tide went undefeated and won the National Championship, McElroy completed 70% of his passes. While it’s certainly important to note the team around him was significantly better due to recruiting and development, his importance can’t be understated in my opinion.
Following McElroy, Mobile Native AJ McCarron took the baton further than any Alabama quarterback in history. During his tenure, Alabama won two National Titles and McCarron went 36-4 as a starter. Following the trend of those before him, he planted his name as a record breaker for the position. Much of those records he still holds today. McCarron finished his career with 9,019 yards, 77 touchdowns, and only 15 interceptions. To cap off his legendary run, he finished second in Hesiman voting which was unfathomable for an Alabama quarterback at the time.
Alabama QB Aj McCarron (10) – Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
This brings us to the 2014 season which reminds me of where we are today. I believe we aren’t far enough removed from the run of Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones, and Bryce Young to completely rehash those careers. We know what they were and what they meant. All four of those guys were apart of National Title teams, were All-SEC, & All-Americans at some point in their career. The latest starter, Bryce Young, became the first quarterback in Alabama history to to win the Heisman trophy. Three of the four were drafted top 15 in the NFL Draft. All four of those guys are now starting quarterbacks in the NFL.
While those players are now the de facto standard in most people’s minds, I’d like to remind you of two players that both had unquestionable success at the helm in Tuscaloosa: Blake Sims and Jacob Coker. Two unsung guys that waited their turn for the opportunity and ceased it. During the two seasons where those players were the starting quarterbacks, Alabama went 26-3 and made the college football playoff in both years. In 2014, the Tide finished with a 12-2 record & won the SEC Championship game before suffering a 42-35 defeat to Ohio State in the inaugural playoff game.
In 2015, Jacob Coker saw action in all 15 games, but didn’t cease the starting role until after a defeat at home against Ole Miss. After that game, Alabama ran off 12 consecutive games and beat Clemson in the National Championship game. While Coker was effective and certainly played his role, he wasn’t the guys before or after him. The reality is, it didn’t matter. He was simply good enough. Sometimes, that’s all you need.
Alabama QB Jalen Milroe (4) & Head Coach Nick Saban – Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Whether it’s Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson, or Tyler Buchner, I trust the best player of the bunch will find their way on the field. Under Saban, they always have. The question surrounding Alabama’s quarterback position is fair. The concerns surrounding the supporting cast are more than fair. Despite that, I don’t believe there’s any reason to write the Tide’s obituary this season. Certainly not a reason to panic. Why? Because history tells us they’ll be amongst the best teams in the country. Every starting quarterback going back to McElroy has won at least 10 games in their reign. That’s 15 consecutive seasons with double digit wins, the most of all time in college football history.
As long as Nick Saban is at the head, as long as Alabama continues to be amongst the two best teams in recruiting, and until we see teams march in to Bryant-Denny Stadium and consistently beat the Tide, I believe it’s prudent to expect the Tide to be competing amongst the elites of the nation. Will they be competitive? I think so. Will they be good enough to win it all? That remains to be seen. All we know for certain is that the last time Alabama wasn’t in the picture, George W. Bush was president.
Until we see otherwise on the field, I’m going to air on the side of history.
