Nick Saban just signed a quarterback who couldn’t crack the starting lineup at FSU and you’d think it was the second coming of Tebow. Seriously, check out the early gushing.
You know you’re on to something when Danny Sheridan concurs.
Matt Hayes is even more breathless.
Allow me to retort.
Seriously, how many great college quarterbacks has Nick Saban signed?
***************************************************************************
UPDATE: One out of nine ain’t bad?
Get The Picture 
How many has he signed vs how many has his offensive staff developed? His QBs aren’t allowed to throw ints. Thats about it. It seems that the last two really only had about 2 reads and it was to throw away if it wasn’t there. Very apparent when a couple of guys weren’t open and AJ NEEDED to make plays like when they were down ie. last two games. Their QBs were deer in the headlights when this happens.
LikeLike
I’ve been hearing about Coker to ‘Bama for months. The frenzy is a little over-the-top, but he does meet an immediate need. It’s ok to be excited about that – if you’re a fan. At this point in the year, I’m guessing the media just want something to write about.
Alabama’s last two starting quarterbacks won national titles. McElroy and McCarron, for the most part, did exactly what Saban wanted. If they aren’t allowed to throw interceptions – that’s great too. Both of them rank highly in Alabama’s passing stats for a career, so it’s not like they were running the wishbone or something. If there was a problem with Alabama’s offense, he’s someone else’s problem now.
You also posted about Ricky Town and Lane Kiffin. That one was easy to see coming. Kiffin was obviously the reason Town wasn’t interested in USC in the first place, so with Sarkisian it’s easy to see why he flipped. He grew up a USC fan.
LikeLike
Oh, I think Alabama’s done fine developing kids within Saban’s parameters. I’m just asking if he’s ever signed a great college QB before.
LikeLike
McCarron was highly ranked.
So were JaMarcus Russell, Star Jackson and Phillip Sims.
Were they developed? That’s a better question. Based on titles, I guess so. NFL wise? Probably not.
LikeLike
Based on titles? With the best OL in college football (at least 3 first round picks) and the best defense in college football, the QB has very little to do with those rings.
LikeLike
Yeah, but I’ve always felt like that’s kind of an unfair and sour grapes-ish response. I thought AJ was a pretty good quarterback, what I saw from him…if he had a good OL, well, fine…but they’re still not making the throws, and he surely helped to win some games against some of the best DL’s in the country, too. I didn’t think the kid got enough credit, to tell you the truth. Not screwing up is a pretty big part of being a QB in cfb, imho. I don’t think the “AJ can’t win the (last two) big games” meme has much legs – not that you wrote that.
LikeLike
DL’s and all the rest of those defenses, too, come to think of it. The secondaries in the SEC are nothing to sneeze at.
LikeLike
Aw come on.
Jay Barker and the “92 defense is one thing. 3,000 yards and 30 touchdowns is another. I’m not saying McCarron is the lost Manning brother, but he was a great college quarterback. 🙂
LikeLike
I thought Greg McElroy was a great HS QB who played like a great college QB for one season. I think you are right about his (and others) development being stunted by being in Saban’s rather limited system, though.
LikeLike
When is the Bama staff allowed to start working with him? Can he start with the playbook and all, considering he is still a FSU student until May? Experienced QB or not, it will be tough sledding if he cant start until mid May or June when he arrives on campus.
LikeLike
See, I’d love to hear someone who knows the rule here. So if, say, Joe Cox had graduated and immediately gone to play for, say, Vanderbilt the next year just because he was having fun being a college student on scholarship or wanted to keep playing or thought he could play himself into an NFL player or whatever, he could have done that?
LikeLike
Cox couldn’t do it because he exhausted his eligibility.
However, it’s what Russell Wilson did when he left NC State for Wisconsin. There are some conditions involved, but bottom line is yes, a graduate with remaining eligibility can do it.
LikeLike
He signed Jamarcus Russell, who was a great
college QB
LikeLike
Russell had one very good season. He wasn’t a great college QB.
LikeLike
Stewart Mandel is an idiot to compare this guy who has played zero meaningful snaps to Russell Wilson, who was a 3-year starter at NC State before finishing at Wisconsin. Tom O’Brien let his ego get in the way with Wilson and lost his job because of the Wilson situation.
LikeLike
Reminds me of when UGA fans were desperate at a certain position. We rejoiced over the signing of one Isiah Crowell.
LikeLike
He was a legit 5 star back with good stats. He also did fairly well–besides off the field issues, thankfully he got himself removed from the program so that other backs who represent the university and sport well could come in and play.
LikeLike
Will he have to sit out a year?
LikeLike
I’m pretty sure he graduated and can play this season.
LikeLike
Uh, whut? So he’s … going to grad school at Bama just so he can play a year? How’s this work now?
LikeLike
It just does: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E6IfdUJn6s
LikeLike
Russell Wilson had 3 spectacular years at NC State (which now has 3 former QBs starting in the NFL!). Coker is the quintessential CFB Great White Whale, the Ultimate Back-Up QB upon which fans can project all sorts of theoretical greatness.
Bet he’s playing back-up again next year.
LikeLike
A QB who could not beat out a freshman will now be all-american/heisman worthy because that freshman won the heisman. Makes perfect sense to me. Also Nick Saban.
LikeLike
It worked for John Brantley! And in his case, also Irvin Meyers! 😉
LikeLike
Coker will compete with the other qbs at Alabama. Would Richt turn him down if he wanted to transfer to UGA? Hell no he wouldn’t.
LikeLike
It is not the transfer, it is the fact that media acts like the guy just won the heisman instead backing up the guy who just won the heisman.
LikeLike
Randy Sanders says “he has the strongest arm I’ve ever seen – a special kid”. Pretty strong words from the QB coach that coaches the current Heisman trophy winner.
LikeLike
Or maybe just over the top coachspeak from the guy who allowed this “special kid” with the strongest arm he’s ever seen to rarely see the field in a season when the team’s average score per game was 52-11.
LikeLike
Agree. I will believe parts of coachspeak from a lot of guys, but Randy Sanders ain’t one of them.
LikeLike
Heard an interview with Phil Savage a month ago, he said he did not think the next Alabama QB was on campus yet. He is very close to the program and was a former NFL GM so I am guessing he thinks the 2014 QB will be the true freshman QB coming out of HS in Oklahoma. They may need Coker as the safety net in case that doesn’t go well. Or perhaps he said the next “great” Bama QB wasn’t on campus yet and they just plan to run the ball down everyone’s throats in 2014 to minimize what they expect from whomever gets the spot the summer.
I can’t blame them for going after him, Fisher is a former OC under Saban and Coker wasn’t going to play until Winston leaves, at least the 2015 season. I think it is a smart pickup for them, especially if those on the team now haven’t inspired confidence.
LikeLike
And to think I once liked the notion of rooting for Alabama when I was a little guy … it’s easy to be callow when unaware of the facts of inherent media bias. I’m older now then yesterday.
LikeLike
#2 Pro Style qb in the nation.
Nick Marshall didn’t start at Georgia, and am Newton didn’t start at Florida, so that means zero.
LikeLike
Alabama fans are the brand’s worst aspect
LikeLike
Uh, no. At the bottom rung everyone’s fans are terrible. Bama has some good fans, their lousy ones are just monopolizing the airwaves right now. The bottom layer of Bama fans are not as deep as FU, or Ohio’s.
LikeLike
Florida, FSU, and Alabama seem to trade that bottom rung back and forth depending on who has been winning the most the last couple years.
LikeLike
We all have fans who are on the bottom rung, every year, win or lose. But you are right, the size of the group at the bottom gets much larger in periods when the team is performing well and sinshine fans come out to tell everyone else how great they are. I think that is why Ga Music made the observation, terrible Bama fans have been more outgoing in the past few years. Notice how the Barn fans went silent the past two years? Now they are trying to topple the Bama group
LikeLike
As long as Alabama continues to recruit stud offensive linemen the Quarterback will look great. Our QB has to be able to play while being sacked, AJ seldom got his uniform dirty.
LikeLike
I really don’t care what Bama does.
LikeLike
Uhhhh, Herbie? what does this kid’s girlfriend look like?
LikeLike
I think what you’re asking Senator, is not if Saban has ever gotten a highly-rated High-Schooler, but if he’s ever signed a great QB. The answer is no.
LikeLike
And yes, the rule is if you’ve graduated, you can transfer wherever you like without sitting out a year. Logan Gray left UGA after graduating to play elsewhere. I think it was Missouri.
LikeLike