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http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/i...mcelroy_says_blake_sims_i.html#incart_m-rpt-2
Former Alabama quarterback and current SEC Network analyst Greg McElroy weighed in on Alabama's quarterback situation on the Paul Finebaum Show Thursday, including on starterBlake Sims' accuracy.
Sims has completed 75.5 percent of his passes (48 of 64 for 646 yards)ā second in the SEC behind Ole Miss' Bo Wallace. He's been helped the most by Amari Cooper and his 33 catches for 454 yards through three games.
But Cooper will be tested Saturday by a cornerback in Florida's Vernon Hargreaves III, who is far more talented than any corner he'll have faced this season on Saturday in the Crimson Tide's 2:30 p.m. game against the Gators.
McElroy noted Cooper's ability to get "humongous separation" and said he's running NFL routes. But he'll get a bigger test against Florida's defensive backs.
And because of that, McElroy said, the game will come down to Alabama's quarterback play.
"I think it comes down to really Blake Sims, can he make the throws against tight coverage?" McElroy said on Finebaum's show. "I think that (the game) shouldn't necessarily be as competitive as it will be because I think (Florida head coach) Will Muschamp is going to do a great job of putting that game in Blake Sims' hands.
McElroy, who quarterbacked Alabama to the 2009 BCS championship, later added that defenders don't know the direction Cooper is going when he sets up to make his break.
"As a result, Blake Sims' accuracy has not been tested," McElroy said. "He's been able to throw behind receivers. He's been able to be late to receivers. In a couple of different situations, it didn't work out. In other situations, it hasn't been exploited."
First-year offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin's system has been beneficial for Sims' early success, McElroy said.
"Blake Sims is not the most accurate quarterback in the world," McElroy said. "He's a tremendous athlete and he's done a great job of using his legs and he's done a nice job on third down when Lane Kiffin has given him easier progressions.
"We don't know what Blake Sims can be until he goes up against one of those great defenses. He might respond great, but frankly right now we don't know exactly what we have."
McElroy doesn't see backup Jacob Coker getting any significant playing time against Florida. Coker, who transferred from Florida State this summer, has hit 20 of 31 passes for 248 yards. Sims took every meaningful snap against West Virginia and Southern Miss, while the two rotated against Florida Atlantic.
McElroy noted that Sims has played better than Coker, who has been trying to make up for lost time since he wasn't at Alabama in the spring.
"I don't think he's quite ready to manage this team and the offense Lane Kiffin has instilled," McElroy said.
Former Alabama quarterback and current SEC Network analyst Greg McElroy weighed in on Alabama's quarterback situation on the Paul Finebaum Show Thursday, including on starterBlake Sims' accuracy.
Sims has completed 75.5 percent of his passes (48 of 64 for 646 yards)ā second in the SEC behind Ole Miss' Bo Wallace. He's been helped the most by Amari Cooper and his 33 catches for 454 yards through three games.
But Cooper will be tested Saturday by a cornerback in Florida's Vernon Hargreaves III, who is far more talented than any corner he'll have faced this season on Saturday in the Crimson Tide's 2:30 p.m. game against the Gators.
McElroy noted Cooper's ability to get "humongous separation" and said he's running NFL routes. But he'll get a bigger test against Florida's defensive backs.
And because of that, McElroy said, the game will come down to Alabama's quarterback play.
"I think it comes down to really Blake Sims, can he make the throws against tight coverage?" McElroy said on Finebaum's show. "I think that (the game) shouldn't necessarily be as competitive as it will be because I think (Florida head coach) Will Muschamp is going to do a great job of putting that game in Blake Sims' hands.
McElroy, who quarterbacked Alabama to the 2009 BCS championship, later added that defenders don't know the direction Cooper is going when he sets up to make his break.
"As a result, Blake Sims' accuracy has not been tested," McElroy said. "He's been able to throw behind receivers. He's been able to be late to receivers. In a couple of different situations, it didn't work out. In other situations, it hasn't been exploited."
First-year offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin's system has been beneficial for Sims' early success, McElroy said.
"Blake Sims is not the most accurate quarterback in the world," McElroy said. "He's a tremendous athlete and he's done a great job of using his legs and he's done a nice job on third down when Lane Kiffin has given him easier progressions.
"We don't know what Blake Sims can be until he goes up against one of those great defenses. He might respond great, but frankly right now we don't know exactly what we have."
McElroy doesn't see backup Jacob Coker getting any significant playing time against Florida. Coker, who transferred from Florida State this summer, has hit 20 of 31 passes for 248 yards. Sims took every meaningful snap against West Virginia and Southern Miss, while the two rotated against Florida Atlantic.
McElroy noted that Sims has played better than Coker, who has been trying to make up for lost time since he wasn't at Alabama in the spring.
"I don't think he's quite ready to manage this team and the offense Lane Kiffin has instilled," McElroy said.
