With a little time to reflect, what are your feelings about A.J. McCarron?

Well I think he can throw and he has a hot wife....

Statistically he's the best QB to ever play at Bama. What else can you say?

He needs to learn to keep his mouth shut though, or perhaps to more eloquently get his point across.

I went from thinking he was kind of a gunslinger and a little immature, to thinking he should be a Heisman candidate and viewing him as an Alabama great, to wondering if Nick Saban hadn't (against his will to some extent) been the main reason he seemed so great.

I still like him, I still value him for what he did and how he conducted himself most of the time, but things did start to tarnish his image. The tattoos were just... well, a smart guy doesn't do that. Those were internet meme bad. That alone didn't really impact how I viewed him that much though, but it did bring his judgement into question and did make me think that may be my first impression had some truth to it.

But, the stuff he started saying after his Alabama career? His own words made it seem like the main reason he was so disciplined and conducted himself so well was that he was forced to, and he didn't sound appreciative either. It seems to me he managed to sabotage himself a bit, impact his draft status negatively and now? He has to find the maturity that Saban apparently forced on him.

One of the best college QBs in the history of the game. A disappointing senior season keeps me from labeling him the best, but top 10.

A good QB who could have been one of the all time greats. I used to view him as a great leader, but I no longer do. I believe other guys on that team (Barrett, CJ Moseley) were the true leaders and McCarron just knew how to yap. IMO he had the opportunity to take the program to uncharted greatness and his inability to lead did the team in.

Having said all of that negative (and I wouldn't even say it were it not for all of his stupid comments after he graduated) he is still one of Alabama's best QBs of all time and overall I appreciate what he did do for the University. The negative just sticks with me too much to let it go.

I have a positive impression/memory of him. How can we not?



Additional thoughts:

I think his early success contributed to the team's "failure" in his senior season. I think he had gotten a little "too big for his britches" and it probably wasn't a harmonious locker room that year - largely because of him. I think there was perhaps some resentment toward him. I don't have any factual basis for this, just my impression. See: Championship game spat between him and Barrett Jones for a possible indicator of how some on the team may have felt about him. That team should not have been beaten.

KrAzY, I agree with what you've said... some of the stuff he's said after leaving campus has tarnished his image a bit. You didn't mention this specifically, but his "chip on my shoulder" shtick got a little old (talking about being disrespected and such prior to the draft). I guess I never walked in his shoes, but I think would have preferred a "quieter", positive approach.

I absolutely still root for him and look forward to him getting a chance with the Bengals. I have never thought that he was NFL-starter talent, but some kids mature and blossom post-college. If he does, then he can be an NFL starter, no question. Don't get me wrong (AJ, don't get mad that I am disrespecting you), he was and is a fine QB... one of the best in Bama history. I hope he's around for a long time.

He was a very good college QB on several great teams. I was disappointed with some of his behavior after leaving Alabama. It now appears that his demeanor, discipline and focus as our QB was a product of CNS's hands on coaching. As to whether he makes it in the NFL is to be determined.

TideEngineer08 said:

A good QB who could have been one of the all time greats. I used to view him as a great leader, but I no longer do. I believe other guys on that team (Barrett, CJ Moseley) were the true leaders and McCarron just knew how to yap. IMO he had the opportunity to take the program to uncharted greatness and his inability to lead did the team in.

Having said all of that negative (and I wouldn't even say it were it not for all of his stupid comments after he graduated) he is still one of Alabama's best QBs of all time and overall I appreciate what he did do for the University. The negative just sticks with me too much to let it go.

Click to expand...

Very well said. In the last year, too many comments were made by current and former players along with some comments by CNS that make me believe AJ was not a leader on the 2013 team. His lack of leadership seemed to greatly cost the 2013 team.

Not my favorite Bama player.I'll just leave it at that.

AJ is one of the best to have played QB. I think he also exemplified what it means to be "Alabama"

TideEngineer08 said:

A good QB who could have been one of the all time greats. I used to view him as a great leader, but I no longer do. I believe other guys on that team (Barrett, CJ Moseley) were the true leaders and McCarron just knew how to yap. IMO he had the opportunity to take the program to uncharted greatness and his inability to lead did the team in.

Having said all of that negative (and I wouldn't even say it were it not for all of his stupid comments after he graduated) he is still one of Alabama's best QBs of all time and overall I appreciate what he did do for the University. The negative just sticks with me too much to let it go.

Click to expand...

Sadly, this^^^^.

RTR91 said:

Very well said. In the last year, too many comments were made by current and former players along with some comments by CNS that make me believe AJ was not a leader on the 2013 team. His lack of leadership seemed to greatly cost the 2013 team.

Click to expand...

...and this^^^^.

He was better than his detractors thought and not as great as his proponents thought.

He won a lot of games running an incredibly talented team and acted like a jerk on occasion.

He brought home two national titles to the tide...he's forever a hero at the capstone but his leadership will always be questioned.

I think he was a great quarterback for us. He may be a little immature but remember guys how we were at that age. At least for me, I look back and cringe sometimes wishing I had done some things differently. We could have done much worse than AJ. It's to easy to sit at a computer, sip coffee and pass judgement when we don't know what motivates people. If I met him, I'd shake his hand and say I enjoyed watching him play at Alabama and wish him well in the NFL.

KrAzY3 said:

I went from thinking he was kind of a gunslinger and a little immature, to thinking he should be a Heisman candidate and viewing him as an Alabama great, to wondering if Nick Saban hadn't (against his will to some extent) been the main reason he seemed so great.

I still like him, I still value him for what he did and how he conducted himself most of the time, but things did start to tarnish his image. The tattoos were just... well, a smart guy doesn't do that. Those were internet meme bad. That alone didn't really impact how I viewed him that much though, but it did bring his judgement into question and did make me think that may be my first impression had some truth to it.

But, the stuff he started saying after his Alabama career? His own words made it seem like the main reason he was so disciplined and conducted himself so well was that he was forced to, and he didn't sound appreciative either. It seems to me he managed to sabotage himself a bit, impact his draft status negatively and now? He has to find the maturity that Saban apparently forced on him.

Click to expand...

I more agree with this. I loved what he did at alabama, but was always fearful his St. Paul's days would resurface at some point.

To His credit he found out who was boss at alabama and accepted it through three years of his career. But once he got his freedom back he reverted back to old AJ. I appreciate what he has done for the capstone but I don't like the old him coming back.

A lot of people say he was the #1 QB in Alabama's history but I don't have a problem putting him in about #7 or 8 at best.

CrimsonPaul said:

A lot of people say he was the #1 QB in Alabama's history but I don't have a problem putting him in about #7 or 8 at best.

Click to expand...

Statistically he is, but it's a matter of opinion really. I mean some have argued qbs like jay barker are to them. But most will probably say joe Namath

I thought he did well but agree that CNS had a lot to do with that. Personally, I like Blake Sims more. Let's see what he does in the NFL. I am pulling for him.

theballguy said:

I thought he did well but agree that CNS had a lot to do with that. Personally, I like Blake Sims more. Let's see what he does in the NFL. I am pulling for him.

Click to expand...

i agree with you. Blake IMO was the best we've had in my time as a Bama fan which goes back to around 1985 or so. As far as AJ goes, i have no problem with him as a person. I think he was a very good system QB in college. If he had the arm strength i think he'd have a heck of a lot better shot in the NFL.