🏈 AJ McCarron and Phillip Sims get ready to do bat-tleh!

[joeman546]

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/01/alabama_quarterback_aj_mccarro.html

On Sims -

Jeff Sims sleeps 1.4 miles away from his son's Alabama dorm room just off the Jack Warner Parkway.

The 51-year-old left his wife of 25 years back in his home state of Virginia last April to help his son adjust to Crimson Tide football, and works in the local probation department of juvenile court.

"She understood that's just the way I am," Jeff Sims said. "He's all I got. I told her, 'You always made him go with me, so now I'm going with him.'"

Phillip Sims left 40 scholarship offers on the table, including those from Ohio State and UCLA that arrived after he already enrolled at Alabama.

The toughest part for Phillip, his father said, was having to sit on the bench for the first time in his life.

Phillip was not available for comment due to Alabama rules prohibiting interviews with freshmen.

"For a kid that never had to sit on the bench in his life and come to Tuscaloosa and have to be redshirted that's a big difference for a kid to adjust to," Jeff said. "He likes it here. He likes the atmosphere. The fans are crazy. And he loves (Alabama assistant Sal Sunseri). He was the difference maker."

Jeff said his son is eager to prove he can handle the challenge, and expects Alabama to honor its promise to allow his son to compete for the job.

"They brought Phil in back in January to compete for the job, that's what we were informed," Jeff said. "Hopefully the University of Alabama can live up to that."

From McCarron -

McCarron said he has coordinated with some returning receivers, and they agreed they would start throwing routs Wednesday to gain an edge.

"Come summer me and the other receivers are going to stay up there all summer while everybody else goes home," McCarron said. "We're gonna focus on everything, get our timing down to where no matter what a defense is throwing at us they can't stop us."

The 6-foot-4, 213-pound McCarron said he will approach the starting job as if it is his to lose.

"I'm going in being a leader," McCarron said. "I'm going to take this team and let's roll as if it's my team already. ... I think I'm really prepared. I have a lot of confidence in myself. I think that's something you have to have as a quarterback especially playing in the SEC."

This is gonna be one epic battle. I am torn, because McCarron is that classic QB we ove at Alabama, yet I want to believe. Friend, family, and anyone who is involved with Sims since highschool just know he will be good. They know, and they want to see it so much they go out of their way to see it for themselves.

It makes me want to believe too.

 

[Southern Bama]

I think its possible that if Simms doesnt win the starting role...he will transfer.

 

[planomateo]

I think sims wins - just a feeling...hell I have a 50/50 chance of being right

I like the idea of having competition, it will bring out the best in both of these guys, so whoever wins just makes us that much better.

 

[Rolling Tide]

No way he leaves

 

[Ump]

2 QB system @ Bama? Humm ... not gonna happen ... well maybe not. What say you ?

 

[bama29fan]

2 QB system @ Bama? Humm ... not gonna happen ... well maybe not. What say you ?

very possible....maybe more so if one was a better runner, but if they are both equal saban may do it to keep both happy and give other teams something different to prepare for.

 

[gumboman]

Competition will bring out the best in both of them. When we get comfortable and labeled as "Starters, " our edge declines. Remember how effective Ingram and Richardson were when they were competing? Now, look at the difference in the way they attacked the line of scrimmage this year vs. last year. They got too comfortable when the nicknames and all of that crap started after the national championship last year.

 

[BamaCore]

Competition will bring out the best in both of them. When we get comfortable and labeled as "Starters, " our edge declines. Remember how effective Ingram and Richardson were when they were competing? Now, look at the difference in the way they attacked the line of scrimmage this year vs. last year. They got too comfortable when the nicknames and all of that crap started after the national championship last year.

That in no way had anything to do with how effective they were. You can thank injuries along the offensive line and to Ingram and Richardson themselves. I think it's unfair to label them as that type of competitor just because they had a down year.

 

[Southern Bama]

No way he leaves

Hard for me to see Simms sitting for 3 years. Thats if AJ starts and plays the remaining years of his eligibility.

 

[planomateo]

Good thing we don't have a Simms on the team...

 

[joeman546]

Hard for me to see Simms sitting for 3 years. Thats if AJ starts and plays the remaining years of his eligibility.

A backup can becomne a starter for many reasons. I am also sure that in the event of McCarron winning the battle, the battle between the two will still happen every spring..

II dont think whoever wins will end up in any kind of comfortable spot over the long term in regards to keeping the starter role.

 

[Southern Bama]

A backup can becomne a starter for many reasons. I am also sure that in the event of McCarron winning the battle, the battle between the two will still happen every spring..

II dont think whoever wins will end up in any kind of comfortable spot over the long term in regards to keeping the starter role.

I agree....I just get the impression Sims wants to be the Alpha at the QB position...probably moreso than most and playing second fiddle isnt on his list of things to do. Especially when he could transfer and start at just about any school of his choosing.....given that hes that good obviously. Both of them are very talented and both highly motivated to play and start. I hope both stay though....but both want to play too.