BAMANEWSBOT
Staff
Alabamaās 2015 season begins in 239 days.
Thatās an awfully long time to sit and wait and wonder. And like every offseason, we will eventually slip into a state of surefire prognosis, where predictions morph into reality and what we think we know overrides all we are only on the cusp of understanding.
Itās a time when preseason polls rule the world and coaches fight helplessly against the never-ending tide of speculation.
Itās great fun.
But itās also dangerous, because all too often we get it wrong.
This sportswriter, along with scores of others, were dead wrong at this time last year when we thought we knew exactly who Alabamaās starting quarterback would be. Whatever we didnāt know about Jake Coker, we were certain we knew about Blake Sims. After four years of toiling in obscurity, there was no way it could be Sims, who didnāt match Alabamaās recent run of quarterbacks who were picturesque in the pocket with solid throwing motions and even more spectacular bangs.
There were other reasons for our opinions about Sims, of course, but thatās a moot point now considering the way he beat out Coker and went on to set a school record for passing yards in a single season. We looked foolish with each Sims touchdown and each win that led to Alabama reaching the inaugural College Football Playoff. We ate our crow along the way, and deservedly so.
With that said, how about we swallow that last bite of humble pie and start this offseason right? Letās try as best we can to not crown the next leader of the Crimson Tide so early. Letās not put that pressure on Coker or any other QB on Alabamaās campus.
It very well could be Coker who ends up winning the starting job a year late. We know he has taken some first-team snaps during the season, and weāre certain he should have a better grasp of the offense after spending a year in the system. But there is also Cooper Bateman, David Cornwell and Alec Morris to consider. And donāt count out Blake Barnett, the five-star prospect who enrolled in school this week.
If we learned anything from Sims, itās that anything is possible. Any of the five current candidates could develop into a starter.
Lane Kiffin might have driven Alabama fans crazy with his play-calling late in the game against Ohio State, but the offensive coordinator has shown he has the ability to coach quarterbacks. Like his clever use of misdirection in the passing game, he could surprise everyone with the quarterback he chooses coming out of fall camp.
With eight months remaining until that happens, letās just relax and see what happens.
Letās take a cue from someone who knows best: Coker, who is entering his third quarterback competition.
"Just trying to get better, thatās all you can do," he told reporters prior to the Allstate Sugar Bowl. "If thereās one thing Iāve learned over the years, you canāt worry about all the other stuff outside. I just try to go to practice and not read anything. Just stick to the program."
The program worked last season despite our best guesses. Maybe it will work again in spite of another offseason fraught with speculation.
ESPN's SEC BlogāContinue reading...
Thatās an awfully long time to sit and wait and wonder. And like every offseason, we will eventually slip into a state of surefire prognosis, where predictions morph into reality and what we think we know overrides all we are only on the cusp of understanding.
Itās a time when preseason polls rule the world and coaches fight helplessly against the never-ending tide of speculation.
Itās great fun.
But itās also dangerous, because all too often we get it wrong.
This sportswriter, along with scores of others, were dead wrong at this time last year when we thought we knew exactly who Alabamaās starting quarterback would be. Whatever we didnāt know about Jake Coker, we were certain we knew about Blake Sims. After four years of toiling in obscurity, there was no way it could be Sims, who didnāt match Alabamaās recent run of quarterbacks who were picturesque in the pocket with solid throwing motions and even more spectacular bangs.
There were other reasons for our opinions about Sims, of course, but thatās a moot point now considering the way he beat out Coker and went on to set a school record for passing yards in a single season. We looked foolish with each Sims touchdown and each win that led to Alabama reaching the inaugural College Football Playoff. We ate our crow along the way, and deservedly so.
With that said, how about we swallow that last bite of humble pie and start this offseason right? Letās try as best we can to not crown the next leader of the Crimson Tide so early. Letās not put that pressure on Coker or any other QB on Alabamaās campus.
It very well could be Coker who ends up winning the starting job a year late. We know he has taken some first-team snaps during the season, and weāre certain he should have a better grasp of the offense after spending a year in the system. But there is also Cooper Bateman, David Cornwell and Alec Morris to consider. And donāt count out Blake Barnett, the five-star prospect who enrolled in school this week.
If we learned anything from Sims, itās that anything is possible. Any of the five current candidates could develop into a starter.
Lane Kiffin might have driven Alabama fans crazy with his play-calling late in the game against Ohio State, but the offensive coordinator has shown he has the ability to coach quarterbacks. Like his clever use of misdirection in the passing game, he could surprise everyone with the quarterback he chooses coming out of fall camp.
With eight months remaining until that happens, letās just relax and see what happens.
Letās take a cue from someone who knows best: Coker, who is entering his third quarterback competition.
"Just trying to get better, thatās all you can do," he told reporters prior to the Allstate Sugar Bowl. "If thereās one thing Iāve learned over the years, you canāt worry about all the other stuff outside. I just try to go to practice and not read anything. Just stick to the program."
The program worked last season despite our best guesses. Maybe it will work again in spite of another offseason fraught with speculation.
ESPN's SEC BlogāContinue reading...
