Since we are playing for next year...bring on McCarron!

TideFactor · Nov 7, 2010

I don't know how most people feel, but overall I have been pretty happy with our D this year. Yes, if our True Freshman CB Millner hadn't gotten burned on the 3rd and 13 with 2:45 to go in the 4th, the Tide would probably still be in the hunt for the title today, but I don't think we should have ever been in that situation.
The BIG problem with our team all season has been the Offense, which was supposed to be the best we'd ever seen at Bama and has been far from it... McElroy played solid yesterday and I don't fault him for the INT or the Fumble, but he didn't make many plays or do anything downfield (other than the drop by Maze). We have needed a "playmaker" at QB this season and haven't had it. An 8.5 ypc avg for Julio on 10 catches is unacceptable. It should be more like 15. I put that on McElroy. The fact that we weren't able to put in 14 pts in the 1st half Saturday, which probably would have "iced" the game", is the reason we lost. It's all about the situation we put our team and Defense in... If LSU was down 14-3 at halftime, they have a whole different attitude in the 2nd half and we probably win 24-9. I put that on the offense and with that goes blame goes the QB.
So, with nothing to play for other than Pride and next season (Which should be a "Title-Contending" season), I think it's time to plug in McCarron at a 50% split. I came into this season expecting us to take 1 loss and figured that we would still be able to get to the Title Game if we did that...we did and we were. Taking a 2nd loss to a clearly inferior team means this team has underachieved in my mind. I think we need to focus on the future and try to make sure our team is ready to live up to their potential next year. That means McCarron is taking the reigns and anything we can do to prepare him for that, the better as far as I'm concerned.
Roll Tide!

Bamabuzzard · Nov 7, 2010

We're still playing for this year. I'd rather have an 11-2 record with a big bowl win than throw in the towel for the season and "play for next year". GMAC and the other seniors deserve to get the most out of what's left of this season. It will be a lot of these guys last time to put on a football uniform.

bamanut_aj · Nov 7, 2010

I doubt the players and coaches would agree that this season is lost and we should pack it in to play for next year.

BamaJeff · Nov 7, 2010

Good grief! Are we 7-2 or 2-7? This season is not over and we still have a lot to play for!

BocaLance · Nov 7, 2010

It never fails. :frown:

BAMA1979 · Nov 7, 2010

Bamabuzzard said:
We're still playing for this year. I'd rather have an 11-2 record with a big bowl win than throw in the towel for the season and "play for next year". GMAC and the other seniors deserve to get the most out of what's left of this season. It will be a lot of these guys last time to put on a football uniform.

This.

45longcolt · Nov 7, 2010

Maybe we hould let Coach Saban decide that instead of coach wannabe factor!:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

BAMA1979 · Nov 7, 2010

TideFactor said:
I don't know how most people feel, but overall I have been pretty happy with our D this year. Yes, if our True Freshman CB Millner hadn't gotten burned on the 3rd and 13 with 2:45 to go in the 4th, the Tide would probably still be in the hunt for the title today, but I don't think we should have ever been in that situation.
The BIG problem with our team all season has been the Offense, which was supposed to be the best we'd ever seen at Bama and has been far from it... McElroy played solid yesterday and I don't fault him for the INT or the Fumble, but he didn't make many plays or do anything downfield (other than the drop by Maze). We have needed a "playmaker" at QB this season and haven't had it. An 8.5 ypc avg for Julio on 10 catches is unacceptable. It should be more like 15. I put that on McElroy. The fact that we weren't able to put in 14 pts in the 1st half Saturday, which probably would have "iced" the game", is the reason we lost. It's all about the situation we put our team and Defense in... If LSU was down 14-3 at halftime, they have a whole different attitude in the 2nd half and we probably win 24-9. I put that on the offense and with that goes blame goes the QB.
So, with nothing to play for other than Pride and next season (Which should be a "Title-Contending" season), I think it's time to plug in McCarron at a 50% split. I came into this season expecting us to take 1 loss and figured that we would still be able to get to the Title Game if we did that...we did and we were. Taking a 2nd loss to a clearly inferior team means this team has underachieved in my mind. I think we need to focus on the future and try to make sure our team is ready to live up to their potential next year. That means McCarron is taking the reigns and anything we can do to prepare him for that, the better as far as I'm concerned.
Roll Tide!

LSU did anything they wanted to do on offense in the second half. IMO, our passing game had very little to do with this loss.

tru2thaduce · Nov 7, 2010

Playing AJ would be an absolute slap in the face to Greg IMO.GMAC has earned the starting QB job in 2010 and has done nothing to lose his position.Playing for next season at any point with this team is just a losers mentality.

PacadermaTideUs · Nov 7, 2010

We're not playing for next year - we're playing for this year.

Yes, we need to prepare our younger players. No worse way to prepare them than to teach them that when things aren't going perfectly, it's OK to give up on the play/game/season/player and instead start playing for next play/game/season/player. You win championships (or lose them) 5-7 seconds at a time. If you're always giving up on this 5-7 seconds, you'll never win the championship.

Yes, AJ shows a lot of promise. Yes, he has a great chance to be the starter next year. He has gotten plenty of reps late in games and will get plenty more in the off-season. No need to rush it. No worse way to bring along a young QB than to throw him into a high-pressure situation (i.e. Iron Bowl) and run the risk of blowing his confidence completely out of the water. That may be Spurrier's method, but I don't agree with it. You put him in late in games where the outcome has already been decided - let him get his reps when the outcome doesn't depend on it.

TideFactor · Nov 7, 2010

I didn't realize that playing McCarron meant we were "Throwing in the towel". Seems to me he has looked pretty damn good when he's been on the field this year. I didn't say BENCH McElroy or even START McCarron, but I think it's stupid not to start playing McCarron more given the situation we are in. I do think McElroy has earned to start the rest of the season and finish his Senior season leading the team.
And for those of you who think we are still playing for "something" other than pride... I'd like to hear what. I'm pretty sure that our team starts out with 2 primary goals at the beginning of the season, 1) Winning our Division and getting to the SECCG & 2) Winning the SEC Championship and Competing for the National Title if we are in position to do so. Both of those are pretty much off the table.
I'd like to go 11-2 as well and I think we can do that with McCarron playing more. I'm not sure he's not better than McElroy right now anyway. Heck, McCarron may be our only shot at going 11-2, you never know until you play him. I bet if we ask Julio who he'd rather have play, we'd get a different answer than the one you McElroy defenders are giving... That should tell you something.

PacadermaTideUs · Nov 7, 2010

A. What's wrong with pride?
B. You have no clue what Julio would say.
C. It doesn't matter what Julio would say.

TheRealPokeChop · Nov 7, 2010

My predciton is GMac will be the starting QB longer than this thread will stay open

gmoney · Nov 7, 2010

I think the back up qb should get at least 1 series in the first half of every game.This will give them meaningful experience if an injury should occur.The BCSNG is a prime example of not having a player with meaningful experience to enter the game.CPB did this and did not cause problems because the starter knew he was the man and the 2nd stringer knew that was his chance for pt to grow and be ready for the future or if an injury occured.Just think it is a good idea.

Jessica4Bama · Nov 7, 2010

TideFactor said:
I didn't realize that playing McCarron meant we were "Throwing in the towel". Seems to me he has looked pretty damn good when he's been on the field this year. I didn't say BENCH McElroy or even START McCarron, but I think it's stupid not to start playing McCarron more given the situation we are in. I do think McElroy has earned to start the rest of the season and finish his Senior season leading the team.
And for those of you who think we are still playing for "something" other than pride... I'd like to hear what. I'm pretty sure that our team starts out with 2 primary goals at the beginning of the season, 1) Winning our Division and getting to the SECCG & 2) Winning the SEC Championship and Competing for the National Title if we are in position to do so. Both of those are pretty much off the table.
I'd like to go 11-2 as well and I think we can do that with McCarron playing more. I'm not sure he's not better than McElroy right now anyway. Heck, McCarron may be our only shot at going 11-2, you never know until you play him. I bet if we ask Julio who he'd rather have play, we'd get a different answer than the one you McElroy defenders are giving... That should tell you something.

Yeah I bet Julio would throw his QB under the bus like that if he was asked that question.

YellowhammerLA · Nov 7, 2010

I think it's time to plug in McCarron at a 50% split.

This is the part of your post everyone seems to be ignoring. I won't jump down your throat -- there's a lot to be said for getting some good snaps in for our future signal-caller, particularly considering how painful it was this season to watch the younger guys 'grow up' in-game.

And we don't owe Greg playing time because he's a senior. If he's the best quarterback, then great, start him. But if another player is better, then he should be in the game, regardless of how old he is.

Bamabuzzard · Nov 7, 2010

CNS puts the best player on the field. GMac has started this entire year and odds are will start Saturday.

YellowhammerLA said:
This is the part of your post everyone seems to be ignoring. I won't jump down your throat -- there's a lot to be said for getting some good snaps in for our future signal-caller, particularly considering how painful it was this season to watch the younger guys 'grow up' in-game.

And we don't owe Greg playing time because he's a senior. If he's the best quarterback, then great, start him. But if another player is better, then he should be in the game, regardless of how old he is.

bamabryan · Nov 7, 2010

BAMA1979 said:
LSU did anything they wanted to do on offense in the second half. IMO, our passing game had very little to do with this loss.

Our turnovers were certainly huge in the loss yesterday. We had one turnover that was an interception and another while we were attempting to pass.

rgw · Nov 7, 2010

We're still playing for this year. I hope the staff is letting the team know this too.

Are we mathematically eliminated from conference championship game participation? No.

Do we still have a game against the team at the top of the division? Yes.

Do we need weird things to happen to reach the championship game? Yes.

Have weird things happened all season to this point? Yes.

So why not keep on fighting?

BamaMoon · Nov 7, 2010

A few weeks ago in a discussion about AJ's playing time, I said I wish the staff would give him a series or two a game regardless. Granted it's easy for me to say this sitting here in this recliner because if they did and he messed up I don't have to answer for it.

Now, having said that, I'm a big GMac fan and he's earned his keep and PT and I don't expect to see him miss significant playing time except when a game is safely in control. However, I am looking foward to seeing AJ take over next year.

I guess we should get a good preview in the Thursday night game against GA St. I figure we'll see AJ for at least a couple of quarters, maybe even more if we light 'em up in the first quarter.

Since we are playing for next year...bring on McCarron!

BamaNation Citizen

FB Moderator

Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame

All-American

All-American

All-SEC

All-American

All-SEC

All-American

BamaNation Citizen

All-American

Hall of Fame

1st Team

Hall of Fame

3rd Team

FB Moderator

Hall of Fame

Suspended

Hall of Fame

TideFans.shop - NEW Stuff!