🏈 A question about recruits to Alabama

[Jseakin]

I would like to get some input and opinions from everyone on what you think draws players like Phillip Sims to come to Alabama considering our youth already at the QB position. Now I know that the most obvious answer is playing for coach Saban and the experience of learning from such a great coach, but all that is a wash in my opinion if you never get significant playing time.

With Star waiting in the wings and only a redshirt freshman, AJ is looking promising and if there is no injury will likely redshirt, and GM is only a junior, what is there to lure the #1 rated QB in the country to Alabama next year? Also Alabama has been and likely always will be a smash mouth running football team and not somewhere that produces a lot of spotlight on the QB position. I guess I could understand more also if he was an in-state kid that has always been an Alabama fan or something but that is not the case here.

So if it were up to you to recruit a player like P. Sims to come to Alabama what would be your pitch to him that could make him choose AL over all of the scholarships he has been offered by schools where he could play earlier and contribute more in the passing game?

 

[BamaPride]

Well a lot of teams are moving toward the "spread" type of offense. Bama runs more of a "Pro style" offense. I think that is one of the things that draws attention from a drop back QB.

He probably looks at the whole package though. CNS is building something pretty amazing and he wants to be part of it.

 

[Jseakin]

Well I get the whole idea of the pro style offense but certainly there are plenty of programs that still operate within that style that he could choose. Good point about being a part of something special it just seems that a common trend for players coming out of high school now is they look for early playing time and looking at Alabama's roster at the QB position especially doesn't look very appealing to me if I am a high school player looking to make an early impact. Both Star and AJ were pretty highly touted prospects coming in and will have time in the system and some game experience before Sims even graduates high school..

Don't take it as though I don't want him at Alabama cause I do I am just trying to understand the thought process of some of these kids plus it is pretty slow around here right now so I thought maybe we could get some good responses.

 

[Big_Fan]

Another thought is this...

If he is good, should he be afraid of competition? I mean, does he think that any of the QB's on campus now are better than he is? If he does, we probably don't want him.

The best are usually not afraid of competition. To be the best, you have to beat the best...on the opposite sideline, as well as your own.

 

[rammerjammer]

Big Fan hit the nail on the head. When you are a D1 type athlete you aren't afraid of the competition. Doemaster and I were talking about this a couple of months ago. He was telling me a story about Tommy Wilcox. Tommy basically told coach Bryant that he didn't mind who he brought in so long as that person didn't mind riding the bench. In other words.....he will not out work me of the spot I have earned.

I think those guys have to have that kind of "air" about them in order to be successful. It is arrogance more or less....but you have to have that in order to be competitive IMO.

 

[Southern Bama]

The best want to play with the best....and all of them feel that they are the best....they want to win championships and play for the man that will show them how to do it....Archie Manning was a very good QB surrounded by mediocre help at best....If he would have been in Dallas or Pittsburgh............:shock:

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

It was kinda touched on, but another angle is the style of offense that Saban can sell them. These kids want to play in the NFL, and this offense is going to prepare them for that as good or better than the other style that is out there (and much better than the spread).

He can also sell them on the surrounding cast that they will have with them... top notch RB's, WR's, TE's and most importantly, an top shelf OL.

Very few programs are able to offer all of the benefits that UA is able to offer, only a handful can do so... of course having Saban as the head man is just the icing on the cake.

 

[LBS]

For so many of these young men Football is their world, and hopefully their future. They are comfortable around their fellow players, talking football, being a football player. So they go where this existance is embraced.

If you want to be in Movies you go to Hollywood. If you want to be in stock trading you go to New York. If you want to surf, you go to Hawaii. So as long as you are going to leave home to play college football, where do you want to go?

Beyond that, one considers the players, playing time, coaches, systems,the education and educational support.... If you don't mind leaving home, and you don't have a loyalty to the team down the street, and you realize that its only 4-5years, then Tuscaloosa is not an issue.

 

[moreno_iv]

Man, I've been thinking this whole time that GMac was a senior. So he's got two years of eligibility left?

 

[UAgrad93]

I think it boils down to competition for these guys. The playing style and offense run plays a role for getting them to their ultimate goal of the NFL. Behind that tradition and the opportunity to play for championships at the college level factors in to where a kid will go to school.

 

[BamaPride]

Man, I've been thinking this whole time that GMac was a senior. So he's got two years of eligibility left?

Thats correct. He's a junior.