Question: Offseason Hypothetical: How would Brodie Croyle have done in a modern offense today?

[TideEngineer08]

Purely anecdotal, but I was in court years ago and one of the witnesses in a battery case was a starting DB for Arkansas back when Brodie played.

I recognized who he was and while we were waiting for the bailiff to open the courtroom, we talked about football, the SEC, etc. I asked him about playing Bama back then and specifically what he (and his teammates) thought of Brodie and his response was "meh, nothing special."

He also said that compared to many SEC teams he played that Bama was mentally and physically weak.

This is obviously true. We all saw the signs of this. Yet despite all of that, it amazes me how competitive we actually were. Most teams, with that kind of mental/physical makeup, are going 3-8 and getting blown out in most of those 8 losses. But, even in that 4-9 season Shula's first year, we were competitive in most all the games. Georgia and Ole Miss beat us down pretty badly but the final scores weren't terrible.

I guess you credit that to a core group of guys that included the likes of DeMeco Ryans. And to some extent, the pure talent of guys like Croyle. As to the original question, I echo others who say Croyle had the physical gifts but without the drive, he would have gone nowhere fast under CNS.

 

[BamaMoon]

I thought the OP was about talent more than drive, which I realize are hard to separate but I made the assumption that if he would have played under CNS he would have had the drive or he would have been kicked out of the QB room. Assuming CNS could get to him, he had the arm talent. I think few people would question that.

His problem would have always been the knees though.

I remember him blowing one of them out just making a simple cut. Don't even think he was hit. First or second game of the year.

IIRC, this was the "Darby and 3 yards and cloud of dust" year after Brodie got hurt.

 

[CoolBreeze]

Man, I am just glad those days are over. I love Croyle and Shula and all but the rearview is the best perspective for that era by far.

 

[mdb-tpet]

I thought the OP was about talent more than drive, which I realize are hard to separate but I made the assumption that if he would have played under CNS he would have had the drive or he would have been kicked out of the QB room. Assuming CNS could get to him, he had the arm talent. I think few people would question that.

His problem would have always been the knees though.

I remember him blowing one of them out just making a simple cut. Don't even think he was hit. First or second game of the year.

IIRC, this was the "Darby and 3 yards and cloud of dust" year after Brodie got hurt.

I could be wrong, but I believe your leg workout and conditioning can protect your knees somewhat. There is the genetic narrow ACL pocket issue that causes some ACL's to get stuck, and I don't know if he has that genetic issue or not. But I assume some part of his knee issues come from the lack of work in the weight room.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

Just a hypothetical question, obviously...
Croyle seemed to have good potential as a gunslinger in college, and while his injuries definitely hampered his game, how productive do you think he would be if he played in today's game?

I don't think Croyle would have made it through one spring practice or - if he did - he'd be in that transfer portal faster than you could say, "The other guy is starting."

He always struck me as a an entitled, selfish (fill in the blank) who used the fact his Daddy played at Alabama and the spinelessness of his second head coach to not work out or be the best he could be. He would have spent three years working on mechanics.

 

[bamadws56]

I think some folks on here are undervaluing the impact an insperational coach like Coach Saban can have on a player. There are several examples of players who flourished under Coach Saban and then imploded in the NFL - Rolando Mclain and to a lesser extent - Eddie Lacy come to mind. Lacy didn't have too much trouble with his weight in college, but when he stepped out from Coach Saban's structure - he did not have the personal discipline to maintain.

While we can't "know" whether or not Croyle would have flourished under Coach Saban, I tend to think there is a better than average chance he would have been great. Maybe not Mac or Bryce, but Coker or AJ type passing proficiency.

 

[lowend]

I think some folks on here are undervaluing the impact an insperational coach like Coach Saban can have on a player. There are several examples of players who flourished under Coach Saban and then imploded in the NFL...

I don't think it's as much inspirational as it is taking kids from rough home lives, putting them in a structured environment that controls every aspect of their lives, taking that way, and giving them complete freedom with millions of dollars. It's kind of like how a guy gets out of prison, can't handle the outside world, and then purposefully commits a crime so he'll get sent back.

 

[TideMan09]

Interesting question because it's hard to disentangle the coaching he received vs. the HC playing favorites and fracturing the locker room vs. his own lack of work ethic vs. the rules in place at the time.

Under Saban, he would have toed the line or been shown the door....demands that probably would have been good for his personal and professional development.

Whether the coaching itself would have been better is a more complicated question. For all his other failings, Shula is a good QB coach. I'm guessing, though, that the other coaching -- playcalling, offensive strategy (jumbo package, anyone?), etc. -- would have been better. The overall program leadership most certainly would have been.

Regarding Croyle's work ethic: It would have gotten better or he wouldn't have played. And that would have extended way past S&C into film study and leadership -- the mindset that leads to skipped workouts just doesn't lend itself to a lot of solitary hours in the film room. I think it would have gotten better under Saban's demands, but we'll never know for sure.

Regarding the rules and resulting offenses of today, I think Croyle would have flourished -- if he had applied himself. He accomplished what he did behind a crappy offensive line (remember Bucket-step Bob?) and without trying all that hard.

Yup..During the Shula years at Bama, our O'Line was horrendously bad, under the leadership of " Bucket Step Bob"..

I remember watching Chris Capps slapping the ground hard, many many many times, after being thrown down to the ground by a D-Lineman..Afer giving up a sack or for allowing them too pressure Brodie constantly..

I'm not trying too bad mouth Chris Capps, cause he was trying as hard as he could every play & I've always respected that about Capps, but, he simply didn't have D1 type talent & he wasn't the only one on our offensive line during the Shula years at Bama..

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Yup..During the Shula years at Bama, our O'Line was horrendously bad, under the leadership of " Bucket Step Bob"..

I remember watching Chris Capps slapping the ground hard, many many many times, after being thrown down to the ground by a D-Lineman..Afer giving up a sack or for allowing them too pressure Brodie constantly..

I'm not trying too bad mouth Chris Capps, cause he was trying as hard as he could every play & I've always respected that about Capps, but, he simply didn't have D1 type talent & he wasn't the only one on our offensive line during the Shula years at Bama..

Poor guy....I remember him literally running off the field in embarrassment after giving up multiple sacks against somebody who totally overmatched him. I don't remember specifically who that was, maybe because there were so many.

At a personal level, I felt sorry for him. I'm not sure whether he lacked talent, or S&C, or it was Bucket Step's coaching. Regardless, he was sadly ineffective.

 

[TideEngineer08]

Poor guy....I remember him literally running off the field in embarrassment after giving up multiple sacks against somebody who totally overmatched him. I don't remember specifically who that was, maybe because there were so many.

At a personal level, I felt sorry for him. I'm not sure whether he lacked talent, or S&C, or it was Bucket Step's coaching. Regardless, he was sadly ineffective.

Good.. no just decent OL coaching would have helped him immensely. I'm not saying he would have been all-conference. What I am saying is that the OL coaching he and the rest received was criminally bad.

 

[TideMan09]

Poor guy....I remember him literally running off the field in embarrassment after giving up multiple sacks against somebody who totally overmatched him. I don't remember specifically who that was, maybe because there were so many.

At a personal level, I felt sorry for him. I'm not sure whether he lacked talent, or S&C, or it was Bucket Step's coaching. Regardless, he was sadly ineffective.

I agree 100% brother & I'm not totally sure what was the problem, but, I've always thought, he lacked the speed needed on the D1 level of football & just couldn't process plays fast enough from a lack of quality coaching,..

Especially when playing SEC Football & when you factor in a lack of a quality S&C program..It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion..

 

[Bama197]

So hard to pull for BC at Bama after the whole Westbrook Christian vs. Parrish football game fiasco when the refs got beat-up.

 

[JohnD]

At a personal level, I felt sorry for him. I'm not sure whether he lacked talent, or S&C, or it was Bucket Step's coaching. Regardless, he was sadly ineffective.

It was mostly just awful coaching. Jeff Stoutland and Cochran would have made a world of difference with that team.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

I think some folks on here are undervaluing the impact an insperational coach like Coach Saban can have on a player. There are several examples of players who flourished under Coach Saban and then imploded in the NFL - Rolando Mclain and to a lesser extent - Eddie Lacy come to mind. Lacy didn't have too much trouble with his weight in college, but when he stepped out from Coach Saban's structure - he did not have the personal discipline to maintain.

While we can't "know" whether or not Croyle would have flourished under Coach Saban, I tend to think there is a better than average chance he would have been great. Maybe not Mac or Bryce, but Coker or AJ type passing proficiency.

None of knows the realities of any "what if" scenario, but I've long seen one inviolable reality when it comes to human beings - the one faithful in little is faithful in much aka you ARE who you ARE regardless. Given all the reports we had here regarding lack of preparation, sense of entitlement, et al, I'm not sure why anyone would think Saban could have overcome that from someone who appeared to be something of an entitled brat whose Daddy was a school legend and hung around. I'm not saying it's IMPOSSIBLE - but it seems from the outside that that approach works better with the guys who didn't have a father figure in their lives or a much more limited one - who wasn't around the program because of his status.

My suspicion given Saban's nature is that he and JC would have had a falling out pretty quickly and Brodie would have gone to Tennessee or Auburn in a snit to stick it to us.

Of course (caveat) - I don't KNOW this for a fact, either.

 

[Windsortide]

I think he would have been outstanding. He had a cannon and was mobile enough to extend plays.

 

[sononothing]

Poor guy....I remember him literally running off the field in embarrassment after giving up multiple sacks against somebody who totally overmatched him. I don't remember specifically who that was, maybe because there were so many.

At a personal level, I felt sorry for him. I'm not sure whether he lacked talent, or S&C, or it was Bucket Step's coaching. Regardless, he was sadly ineffective.

I was impressed his work ethic got him rewarded as honorary captain by Saban in '07 and earned back some playing time
saban names Capps honorary captain 3 times

 

[BamaMoon]

It seems this thread has spilled over into a judge fest of the Crowle family. What I know is they are really good people and have helped a lot of needy folks. Seems it should just stop right there.

The OP was a hypothetical if Brodie could have played under CNS/modern offense. I realize Brodie's alleged skipping of workouts play into the discussion, but a talented athlete being a little lazy isn't anything new.

I still contend if you put BC under CNS's watchful eye/disciple he would have been a star (if his knees would have held out).

 

[JustNeedMe81]

I know Brody. He skipped some of the conditioning drills. Coach Shula let him do it. Then it started spreading to the other guys.
That was the beginning of the end.
Mike lost control of part of the team.
Brody never really reached his potential. Prothro was very good, and caught passes anywhere near him. This covered up QB mistakes and made everybody look good. Then that day came when Prothro went up for a pass, and took a devastating hit. My heart was in my throat.

To give a long answer to your question... Brody had the talent, but I don't think he would fit very well today. Coach Saban wouldn't permit things that happened, back then.

I think he would be a decent qb in today's climate. He just needed a coach that was going to be on him about little thing.

 

[Tenntiderman]

If you can wave a magic wand and magically make him a real competitor, he'd probably have done well enough. But Brodie was too mentally weak to play under CNS.

And no amount of working out was going to save those knees.

But didn't he drop back and let fly with a BEAUTIFUL throw against UTee late in the game?? Back in 2005?

 

[Tenntiderman]

I think he would be a decent qb in today's climate. He just needed a coach that was going to be on him about little thing.

He would have been great even today had he been blessed to play behind GOOD OLs. Brodie never had a bodybuild as others did.
I recall wondering if he would walk again, and even suffered a shoulder separation. I imagine bodybuilding was low priority to him.