DeBoer gets his first transfer ... and it's a QB. Austin Mack

[gtgilbert]

Another observation shared from a local in Tuscaloosa.

He said one of the local, Bama media guys who spent time with the team in Pasadena and saw JS throw with the other QBs later reported that JS was nowhere near ready to compete for PT next year. He also said that Dylan Lonergan was head and shoulders better throwing long passes.

This is not to slight the potential that I think JS has (would have eventually had in T-town and may have in Columbus), but it just illustrates my prior post that we got a current, net gain at the QB position when AM came in as compared to JS.

But this also might give a little insight into "why" JS may have decided to transfer. Leaving AM out of the equation, JS may have seen the hill to climb to get earlier PT in T-town might have been steeper than he originally thought and this is before he had to consider going up against AM.

Other insiders that post elsewhere have said similar things about Sayin and Lonergan. Basically, Sayin can sling it but Lonergan still looked like the best QB on the roster.

ok, but just looking at who can throw the best long pass, isn't really a holistic view of being a good QB. I mean, Milroe can throw the ball a LONG, LONG way, but there were a lot of other gaps in the skillset. Someone mentioned Freddie Kitchens earlier; he could throw the laces off the ball. He actually broke bones in defensive players hands when they batted balls (true story). He barely completed 50% of his passes though...

Going forward, if the articles out there on the new offense are correct, it will be way less about big chunk plays, and more about being consistent/efficient, then taking some chances when the D tries to sneak up.

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

ok, but just looking at who can throw the best long pass, isn't really a holistic view of being a good QB. I mean, Milroe can throw the ball a LONG, LONG way, but there were a lot of other gaps in the skillset. Someone mentioned Freddie Kitchens earlier; he could throw the laces off the ball. He actually broke bones in defensive players hands when they batted balls (true story). He barely completed 50% of his passes though...

Going forward, if the articles out there on the new offense are correct, it will be way less about big chunk plays, and more about being consistent/efficient, then taking some chances when the D tries to sneak up.

FWIW, the people that have posted elsewhere didn't mention the long ball specifically. Just that Lonergan has looked the best. A lot of people seem to think he could be special. We'll find out eventually 🤷‍♂️

 

[Ledsteplin]

I agree - Lonergan was the best QB in last years spring game.

It's hard to tell from what little he played. He must not have carried that over into Fall Camp. Mac Jones outplayed Tua in the 2019 A-Day game. But Tua started. We'll see how Spring goes. Mack will have to look awfully good and Milroe not so much, for Mack to start in September. But I think Milroe is smart, and picks up the new offense and looks good in practice.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Regarding Sayin and any true freshman quarterback off a HS field and onto a FBS P5 field. It is VERY rare to see one start. I have no idea if Sayin is the second coming of Johnny Manziel (on the field, not off) or not. But regardless, I'll play the odds and tell you I'm very confident Sayin wasn't going to earn the starting position even if Austin Mack didn't come.

The ONLY reason I think Austin Mack has a chance to start is because he enrolled at UW in August 2023, and spent an entire football season practicing and learning within the offense being brought to Tuscaloosa. Also, he is no longer a true freshman with a true freshman body and mental makeup. He's no longer in that transition period most kids go through in their first year getting used to college life compared to high school life. All of these things add up to AM is officially a college quarterback who may have a real shot at the starting position at Alabama. But it won't surprise me one bit if he isn't either. But, IMO, he is in more of a position to be the starter than Sayin would have been for the 2024 season.

Pic taken 09/02/2023

 

[B1GTide]

It's hard to tell from what little he played. He must not have carried that over into Fall Camp. Mac Jones outplayed Tua in the 2019 A-Day game. But Tua started. We'll see how Spring goes. Mack will have to look awfully good and Milroe not so much, for Mack to start in September. But I think Milroe is smart, and picks up the new offense and looks good in practice.

I never assumed he would start because of the spring game. Too much that you don't see.

 

[Ledsteplin]

I never assumed he would start because of the spring game. Too much that you don't see.

Sorry, I didn't mean to insinuate that. I was commenting based on what many here have said.

 

[countrytider]

It's hard to tell from what little he played. He must not have carried that over into Fall Camp. Mac Jones outplayed Tua in the 2019 A-Day game. But Tua started. We'll see how Spring goes. Mack will have to look awfully good and Milroe not so much, for Mack to start in September. But I think Milroe is smart, and picks up the new offense and looks good in practice.

In my opinion Milroe is behind the 8 ball…is he mentally capable of learning it? If so, is he physically capable of making all the throws required to execute the full offense?

 

[2003TIDE]

The ONLY reason I think Austin Mack has a chance to start is because he enrolled at UW in August 2023, and spent an entire football season practicing and learning within the offense being brought to Tuscaloosa.

I feel like I read some Washington posters on Reddit say Mack was technically the backup at the end of the season due to injuries and spent a lot of time with their 2's in practice.

 

[teamplayer]

I know this has been observed 100 times or more, but wasn't DL also running the offense against the 3rd team defense during most of the Spring Game when he was playing???

I admit he looked poised and threw the ball well, but I also kept thinking "he probably has the least pressure and best opportunity to impress" with Spring QB rules and throwing against the 3rd team.

Not knocking on his talents OR potential going forward but it seems the "context" of his looking good in the last year's A-Day game is rarely mentioned.

He may have been running against the third string. That would certainly help a guy look better. I can't say that I remember that much detail about our spring game. All I can remember is that Lonergan made the best impression of the QBs.

 

[BamaMoon]

. Mack will have to look awfully good and Milroe not so much, for Mack to start in September. But I think Milroe is smart, and picks up the new offense and looks good in practice.

I know you have a fondness for Milroe, but I think you've got that backwards:

Milroe will have to look awfully good (show major improvement) and Mack not so much for Milroe to start in Sept.

I think you have to stop thinking about JM being the incumbent starter as if everyone is playing catch up to him. That would be true, to an extent, had there been no coaching change.

I could be making too much of AM's advantages going into the spring but I don't think you are being realistic about JMs need for improvement (regardless of the coaching change) much less his challenges facing a system that will require him to do things much quicker and more efficiently that he's demonstrated after being on campus for 3 years.

But we will find out in the next 6 months or so how good of a QB coach Grubb may be and how much Jalen might be able to change. I hope they both are successful, but I think it'll take that for JM to be the starter come the fall.

It's actually a great opportunity for all the QBs. They all have a great opportunity. But JM is not going to "inherit" the starting job. He's also not going to win it without improving his skill set and mind.

 

[Ledsteplin]

I find it odd how some here want to discount a Heisman quality quarterback, who led Alabama to wins over LSU, Tennessee, Auburn, and an SEC Championship win over The Georgia Bulldawgs, then into the playoff. Instead, hoping a Redshirt Freshman who's been in DeBoer's system a year but with no college game experience at all, will be the starter in September.

Just odd.

I think Milroe quickly learns and thrives in the DeBoer/Grubb system, and starts in September. I can see Grubb salivating and concocting plays utilizing Milroe's running ability, to slip into the wide open pass attack.
If I'm wrong I'm wrong. But that's how I see it.

 

[Saban4Ever]

FWIW, the people that have posted elsewhere didn't mention the long ball specifically. Just that Lonergan has looked the best. A lot of people seem to think he could be special. We'll find out eventually 🤷‍♂️

Hope Lonergan doesn’t transfer in the Spring. Is he still planning on playing baseball at Bama?

 

[B1GTide]

I find it odd how some here want to discount a Heisman quality quarterback, who led Alabama to wins over LSU, Tennessee, Auburn, and an SEC Championship win over The Georgia Bulldawgs, then into the playoff. Instead, hoping a Redshirt Freshman who's been in DeBoer's system a year but with no college game experience at all, will be the starter in September.

Just odd.

I think Milroe quickly learns and thrives in the DeBoer/Grubb system, and starts in September. I can see Grubb salivating and concocting plays utilizing Milroe's running ability, to slip into the wide open pass attack.
If I'm wrong I'm wrong. But that's how I see it.

I want Alabama to win championships, not Heismans. A QB who can get the entire team involved is necessary to win championships. So Milroe's hype does not factor at all in my preference for 2024.

If he wins the job, he will have my full support. But if he doesn't win the job, I won't be any more disappointed for him than for any of the other guys who still have work to do. He is a great teammate so I am pulling for him. Let's see how it goes.

 

[Tug Tide]

Hope Lonergan doesn’t transfer in the Spring. Is he still planning on playing baseball at Bama?

2026 Baseball Roster - Alabama Athletics

The official 2026 Baseball Roster for the Alabama Crimson Tide

rolltide.com

He’s not on the baseball roster currently

 

[BamaMark.]

Regarding Sayin and any true freshman quarterback off a HS field and onto a FBS P5 field. It is VERY rare to see one start. I have no idea if Sayin is the second coming of Johnny Manziel (on the field, not off) or not. But regardless, I'll play the odds and tell you I'm very confident Sayin wasn't going to earn the starting position even if Austin Mack didn't come.

The ONLY reason I think Austin Mack has a chance to start is because he enrolled at UW in August 2023, and spent an entire football season practicing and learning within the offense being brought to Tuscaloosa. Also, he is no longer a true freshman with a true freshman body and mental makeup. He's no longer in that transition period most kids go through in their first year getting used to college life compared to high school life. All of these things add up to AM is officially a college quarterback who may have a real shot at the starting position at Alabama. But it won't surprise me one bit if he isn't either. But, IMO, he is in more of a position to be the starter than Sayin would have been for the 2024 season.

Pic taken 09/02/2023
View attachment 40378

Just heard a Washington reporter on JOX discussing Mack. Said Mack has all the tools but is "as raw as the day is long" and if he played next year wasn't sure if that would be considered a good thing or not.

 

[Ledsteplin]

I want Alabama to win championships, not Heismans. A QB who can get the entire team involved is necessary to win championships. So Milroe's hype does not factor at all in my preference for 2024.

If he wins the job, he will have my full support. But if he doesn't win the job, I won't be any more disappointed for him than for any of the other guys who still have work to do. He is a great teammate so I am pulling for him. Let's see how it goes.

We have 2 really good quarterbacks. One with experience and a great skill set, but not yet learned into the new offense. The other is talented and knows the offense, but has no on field game experience. May the best man start in September. I'm sure the coaches will figure it out. And without our help. 🤣

 

[RammerJammer14]

I find it odd how some here want to discount a Heisman quality quarterback, who led Alabama to wins over LSU, Tennessee, Auburn, and an SEC Championship win over The Georgia Bulldawgs, then into the playoff. Instead, hoping a Redshirt Freshman who's been in DeBoer's system a year but with no college game experience at all, will be the starter in September.

Just odd.

I think Milroe quickly learns and thrives in the DeBoer/Grubb system, and starts in September. I can see Grubb salivating and concocting plays utilizing Milroe's running ability, to slip into the wide open pass attack.
If I'm wrong I'm wrong. But that's how I see it.

I think it is odd that people consider Milroe a Heisman quality quarterback just because he “finished 5th” in the Heisman voting, and insist that he should obviously be the starter because of that. IMO that is a completely meaningless data point. Outside of one or two guys, most of the “Heisman” hype is nothing more than being the QB of a team in the top 5. If Milroe played exactly the same as he did last season but was playing for 3-loss LSU or Arizona, he wouldn’t have hardly gotten any votes at all.

I do agree that penciling in this Mack kid as the starter just because he was at UW for a year is also premature. Personally, if I had to make a guess on who will be starting in the fall, it would be Simpson or Lonergan. But I won’t really be surprised if anyone on the roster starts.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Just heard a Washington reporter on JOX discussing Mack. Said Mack has all the tools but is "as raw as the day is long" and if he played next year wasn't sure if that would be considered a good thing or not.

Well, he would probably know more than any of us. As I said, there are no guarantees for AM or anyone in the QB room to start. Everything is new at Alabama right now so generally speaking, there is a huge clean slate for everyone to show what they got.

 

[2003TIDE]

Just heard a Washington reporter on JOX discussing Mack. Said Mack has all the tools but is "as raw as the day is long" and if he played next year wasn't sure if that would be considered a good thing or not.

Well Brock Huard thinks differently

I promise you, when you see this guy throw, when you see Austin Mack in person, when he walks in the room, his presence is enormous. He is bright, he is smart. The Husky staff loved him. I was bummed more than any other player for the Huskies that went into the portal.

 

[Power Eye]

I think it is odd that people consider Milroe a Heisman quality quarterback just because he “finished 5th” in the Heisman voting

That's kind of a weird statement. Regardless of what you, I, or anyone else thinks of Milroe, the fact that he finished sixth in the Heisman voting would indicate that he's a Heisman quality quarterback. Does that necessarily mean that he should be our starter next year? No, but what I find more unbelievable is how certain a lot of people are that he should not be our starter.