National championships are a TEAM accomplishment, not an individual one.
We could have not played a single offensive snap in 2016, and we would still have won seven games.
We could have had me standing behind center on that same team, and we likely would have still won nine.
AJ McCarron DOES belong on the list but "national championships won" is about 20th in evaluation criteria.
Hank Bauer won seven World Series, Barry Bonds zero.
Bauer is not in the same solar system as Bonds as a player.
NC teams usually need/have great QB play. Might could argue 09 was one without it.
I know it takes a team, but there's a reason we associate great teams with great QBs.
But what I loved about AJ was his heart. He wasn't the most talented, which is evident by his NFL career as a backup, but he also is what I consider one of the greatest college QBs one could find.
And two of his most memorable games came under the greatest spotlight. His game against LSU in for the 2011 BCS was an incredible performance of leadership, skill and accuracy. And then his game against ND the next year, while seeming like a walk in the park, was a thing of beauty too.
And of course, while his game in 2012 against LSU in the regular season wasn't pretty, I'd put his game winning drive that culminated in "AJ to TJ" as one of the greatest drives in Bama history (right up there with Shula's drive and Tiffin's FG - "the kick"). Remember, before that drive we couldn't hardly make a first down or complete a pass against that LSU defense and then that drive happened. In context, it was almost unbelievable!!!
And remember AJ got his first ring as McElroy's backup. 3 NC rings.
He was a stud way before Brent Musburger realized it!