Alabama QBs in 2024

[AlexanderFan]

So the BOB thing is interesting more now than ever.

CNS didn't fire him, right? He chose to go back to the NFL. Did he encourage him to leave? OR, did BOB see the writing on the wall and get out while there was time? How this shook out we might not ever know until a book is written and then it might be a "he said; he said" deal.

But now we know from JM that BOB didn't believe JM should play QB. Even if BOB thought he would stay at Bama, he saw what this season has indicated that JM is possibly too flawed to develop especially if he were comparing him to Bryce.

FWIW, I don't think anybody really expected JM to have to ever play QB at Bama. Why CNS recruited him is still a mystery to me. He doesn't fit the mold of the others he's recruited since Jalen Hurts.

This time last year it seemed clear the next guy up would be TS, but then he wasn't ready OR was too stubborn to just be him and not try to match Jalen's hero ball stuff (at least that was the scuttle butt coming out of fall camp).

All of that led to the problem we had last fall, early season and all the way up to the midseason when we put a big ole bandaid on the QB wound and went with a new watered-down approach of a simplified offense.

EDIT: In no way take this as a defense of BOB. I just think it's becoming more and more clear how all this unfolded and especially why BOB didn't even try to develop JM.

Who says he didn’t?

Milroe doesn’t make RPO reads, doesn’t get the line into protection schemes, can’t audible out of a play….. And BoB tells him he shouldn’t be a quarterback. Sounds like BoB may have been tired of throwing spaghetti against the wall and none of it sticking.

 

[landonew]

Well I think you are missing the point. That is what. No one is arguing that the OL didn’t have problems and that bad snaps didn’t kill drives this year (and once against Michigan). You said that when he got clean snaps Milroe played good enough to beat any team in the country. I don’t think that’s true and I think the evidence supports my assertion when we look at the best teams we played this season- Texas, UGA, and Michigan. His bad play, when it showed up, is on him, not Seth.

When JM had clean snaps and decent protection, we beat Georgia. JM did not play particularly well that night. But he played well enough to beat Georgia. The next game, the O-Line played poorly, and we lost to Michigan in OT. Are you saying that the O-Line's mistakes did not impact the game by a single point in regulation? Not one point? Come on man, they were responsible for three stalled drives and 16 sacks/TFL.

I did not say JM played well. I said he played well enough to win, provided he had clean snaps and decent protection.

 

[GrayTide]

Since CNS's second year 2008, all we have heard is how much better our talent is than any other team. I have questioned the ranking services ability to accurately rate most players, but if we assume these rating services are accurate, then it has to be the coaching that is lacking. The competition is going to get more difficult, especially in the SEC because most programs are loading up on transfers which should immediately make them more competitive since these transfers are experienced players, not 18 year old kids 3 months removed from high school. It is a fine line to walk between recruiting high school athletes and filling immediate needs that can be satisfied through the Portal. Should we be more active in recruiting the Portal especially for OL and DL players who have experience. I wonder if CNS has researched the portal for a replacement Center.

 

[landonew]

So unsuccessful possessions were unsuccessful 50% of the time because of Jalen....thats your argument?

Absolutely. If a QB scores on 50% of their team's possessions, they're elite in CFP.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

Since CNS's second year 2008, all we have heard is how much better our talent is than any other team. I have questioned the ranking services ability to accurately rate most players, but if we assume these rating services are accurate, then it has to be the coaching that is lacking. The competition is going to get more difficult, especially in the SEC because most programs are loading up on transfers which should immediately make them more competitive since these transfers are experienced players, not 18 year old kids 3 months removed from high school. It is a fine line to walk between recruiting high school athletes and filling immediate needs that can be satisfied through the Portal. Should we be more active in recruiting the Portal especially for OL and DL players who have experience. I wonder if CNS has researched the portal for a replacement Center.

You can bet that he is...

 

[JohnD]

FWIW, I don't think anybody really expected JM to have to ever play QB at Bama. Why CNS recruited him is still a mystery to me. He doesn't fit the mold of the others he's recruited since Jalen Hurts.

We were really after Drake Maye (was committed) and Miller Moss. Both those fell through.

EDIT: In no way take this as a defense of BOB. I just think it's becoming more and more clear how all this unfolded and especially why BOB didn't even try to develop JM.

It is pure speculation that BoB didn't even try to develop JM. Just because he told him he should play another position at some point doesn't mean he did not try to develop him. But job #1 was to coach Bryce.

Who says he didn’t?

Milroe doesn’t make RPO reads, doesn’t get the line into protection schemes, can’t audible out of a play….. And BoB tells him he shouldn’t be a quarterback. Sounds like BoB may have been tired of throwing spaghetti against the wall and none of it sticking.

By most insiders, BoB was a 2 year deal. Would he have been let go after 2 regardless, who knows. I think he would gone somewhere else a the NFL level if New England hadn't hired him.

 

[landonew]

that was my thought out of 6 ppl half of them was on Jalen how’s is that a supportive argument

The QB is responsible for essentially all of the scoring possessions. A 50% success rate means they score half the time. Your O-Line is not directly responsible for scoring possessions. Their job is to facilitate the QB, so when they cost you 3-4 possessions a game, that's 3-4 less scoring opportunities for the QB.

 

[Evil Crimson Dragon]

So Saban doesn't fire anyone unless absolutely necessary.

Here is how it works on good authority when Saban wants to make a change.

Saban call his agent and says i you to find me candidates for X position coach along with any other instructions regarding X coach. Saban's agent calls agent of X coach. X coach's agent calls X coach and says you need to take a look at some other opportunities and here is how we are going to do this. Most agents establish a relationship with their coach clients with the understanding that you need follow my lead when i call to say its time to move.

With this approach the embarrassment of a public firing are minimized, buyouts are maximized, etc.

Sounds like an excellent way to conduct business

 

[AlexanderFan]

Sounds like an excellent way to conduct business

Might be why he has repeat coaches

 

[irvingtontide]

The QB is responsible for essentially all of the scoring possessions. A 50% success rate means they score half the time. Your O-Line is not directly responsible for scoring possessions. Their job is to facilitate the QB, so when they cost you 3-4 possessions a game, that's 3-4 less scoring opportunities for the QB.

Yea tell any RB the oline isn’t a part of their scoring possession. Matter of fact our first TD milroe had nothing to do with so that’s a 1/3 of our points that our line was directly responsible for seeing how they sprung the rb free. We was what 3/13 on 3rd down? I’m guessing milroe had no part in that. Let me ask you how many times has milroe got the ball off on a hot route all year to negate a blitz? how many quick slants have we ran all year?

 

[Grogan11]

When JM had clean snaps and decent protection, we beat Georgia. JM did not play particularly well that night. But he played well enough to beat Georgia. The next game, the O-Line played poorly, and we lost to Michigan in OT. Are you saying that the O-Line's mistakes did not impact the game by a single point in regulation? Not one point? Come on man, they were responsible for three stalled drives and 16 sacks/TFL.

I did not say JM played well. I said he played well enough to win, provided he had clean snaps and decent protection.

We need to stop with this bad snaps and protection problem stuff. I get it, some snaps were bad and there were breakdowns in the Oline. That happens to every QB in the country. What we should be talking about is when he had good snaps and protection was he able to run the “Alabama” offense?? You know, the one that has produced Heisman winners at QB AND WR in the last 5 years. The offense had to be built around him instead of built around the TEAM. That’s not a good thing for winning championships and it’s also not a good thing for recruiting.
JM, TS, DL, JS, it doesn’t matter who wins the job, it just matters that we get back to playing Alabama football on that side of the ball.

 

[landonew]

Yea tell any RB the oline isn’t a part of their scoring possession. Matter of fact our first TD milroe had nothing to do with so that’s a 1/3 of our points that our line was directly responsible for seeing how they sprung the rb free. We was what 3/13 on 3rd down? I’m guessing milroe had no part in that. Let me ask you how many times has milroe got the ball off on a hot route all year to negate a blitz? how many quick slants have we ran all year?

It's a generalization that cuts both ways. What about when JM throws an incompletion on 3rd and long, after two unsuccessful running plays or a penalty or a sack or an erratic snap? What about when he scrambles for a first down. It's not possible to completely attribute every possession outcome to a single player or position group.

Also - FWIW - JM converted the third down immediately before the 34 YD touchdown on the possession #2. It wasn't a long run. It was a critical play. How do you allocate credit for that?

What I'm saying is that when the O-Line allows sacks or other negative plays, it often kills drives. If you listen to CNS's postgame press conference, he specifically mentions "drive killers" -- noting that those are really not on the QB.

 

[B1GTide]

You guys are talking yourselves in circles.

 

[CrimsonBloodn62]

You guys are talking yourselves in circles.

You thought last offseason was bad, but trying to figure out who the starting QB was going to be this offseason will be 10 times worse.

 

[irvingtontide]

It's a generalization that cuts both ways. What about when JM throws an incompletion on 3rd and long, after two unsuccessful running plays or a penalty or a sack or an erratic snap? What about when he scrambles for a first down. It's not possible to completely attribute every possession outcome to a single player or position group.

Also - FWIW - JM converted the third down immediately before the 34 YD touchdown on the possession #2. It wasn't a long run. It was a critical play. How do you allocate credit for that?

What I'm saying is that when the O-Line allows sacks or other negative plays, it often kills drives. If you listen to CNS's postgame press conference, he specifically mentions "drive killers" -- noting that those are really not on the QB.

Are we talking about the qb sneak because I mean that’s something every college qb is supposed to be able to execute and that would be to the credit of the OL again seeing as they create the push to get it.
You’re the one that tried to break each failure down by position group assigning blame of each drive to one of the other I just said your argument is that 1/6 people was the reason for 4/8drives failing that’s not a good argument in favor of the 1.

 

[Evil Crimson Dragon]

You thought last offseason was bad, but trying to figure out who the starting QB was going to be this offseason will be 10 times worse.

Just have to let it play out

 

[Coach D]

It's a generalization that cuts both ways. What about when JM throws an incompletion on 3rd and long, after two unsuccessful running plays or a penalty or a sack or an erratic snap? What about when he scrambles for a first down. It's not possible to completely attribute every possession outcome to a single player or position group.

Also - FWIW - JM converted the third down immediately before the 34 YD touchdown on the possession #2. It wasn't a long run. It was a critical play. How do you allocate credit for that?

What I'm saying is that when the O-Line allows sacks or other negative plays, it often kills drives. If you listen to CNS's postgame press conference, he specifically mentions "drive killers" -- noting that those are really not on the QB.

Any QB with time should be able to make throws to the correct spots. Saying Milroe did is nothing special. The fact that Milroe was not consistent and could not hit under routes consistently and make great pre snap reads and things show he was not elite or great as you allude ton in other posts. You’re overboard high on him and others overboard low. But you can’t say all success goes to qb just like a drive killer is all on him.

 

[Slowpoke Catracho]

Me knowing this will go on for at least 8 months!

 

[landonew]

You guys are talking yourselves in circles.

We need to stop with this bad snaps and protection problem stuff. I get it, some snaps were bad and there were breakdowns in the Oline. That happens to every QB in the country. What we should be talking about is when he had good snaps and protection was he able to run the “Alabama” offense?? You know, the one that has produced Heisman winners at QB AND WR in the last 5 years. The offense had to be built around him instead of built around the TEAM. That’s not a good thing for winning championships and it’s also not a good thing for recruiting.
JM, TS, DL, JS, it doesn’t matter who wins the job, it just matters that we get back to playing Alabama football on that side of the ball.

When the snaps were clean and the protection was decent, JM threw for 192 yds to beat the two-time defending champions 27-20 in Atlanta. This offense was built around what we had. An inexperienced OL, an unpolished QB, and fewer weapons than we're used to. They made the most of it, won an SECCG, and lost their CFP semifinal game in OT. Disappointing end but a better season than just about anyone, including CNS, expected. Have you listened to his interview on MacAfee?

In terms of JM. He needs to improve this offseason so he can compete for QB1 next season. We need a center. JM is going to need better protection if he's going to win that Heisman!

 

[RammerJammer14]

When JM had clean snaps and decent protection, we beat Georgia. JM did not play particularly well that night. But he played well enough to beat Georgia. The next game, the O-Line played poorly, and we lost to Michigan in OT. Are you saying that the O-Line's mistakes did not impact the game by a single point in regulation? Not one point? Come on man, they were responsible for three stalled drives and 16 sacks/TFL.

I did not say JM played well. I said he played well enough to win, provided he had clean snaps and decent protection.

As I said in my post, I thought very clearly- no, I am not saying that the OL play had zero impact on the game. I am simply saying that Milroe’s performance goes well beyond sporadic line play. The OL in the UGA game played an almost perfect game. Good for them. Milroe still limited the offense and we only scored 27 points. If Milroe needs perfect line play to beat every team with a somewhat competent defense and offense, then I dispute your claim that he is good enough to beat anybody. Could we go undefeated with his play? Yes. But the odds are heavily against that. His play decreases the margin of error that we have in every game. When we play teams with comparable talent and coaching, that margin of error gets us beat.

With Milroe as the starter we more than doubled our season sack totals with basically the same line and seriously dropped our offensive production from 2022. In 2022 we averaged 41ppg, in 2023 it was 34ppg. Taking out the cupcake teams, in 2022 we averaged 42ppg and in 2023 30ppg. This season we mostly scored 24-27 points a game, scoring less than 30 points in 8/14 games. For comparison in 2022 we scored less than 30 points in 2/13 games.

It is simply not true that the O Line and snaps is all that stands between Milroe and winning tight games. We get in those tight games because he limits the offense.