🏈 Opinions on Who Will Win Starting Quarterback Job

[jlabit]

It's the typical slow portion of the year with not much happening. Just curious about differing opinions on who will win the starting job this fall. Jake Coker seems to be the favorite among sports writers, although they had him picked to win it all last season. I disagree with them. Just a hunch, but I believe that David Cornwell will make a final charge in fall practice, and maybe during the first several games, and win it. No inside information here. Just talking hunches. If Coker was as great as Jimbo Fisher stated, then he would have beaten out Blake Sims last year. Could be dead wrong buy I believe Cornwell will continue to shine, and is a redshirt freshman, with a few years of eligibility left. Cornwell had not get to complacent if he wins because Blake Barnett will be pushing him hard as he gets more experience. Again, just a question of personal opinion.

 

[JoshB]

I think Coker will get the nod early but before we even get to midseason Cornwell will be the guy.

 

[PhillyGirl]

It's definitely Coker vs. Cornwell at this point. I am rooting for Cornwell, because I am not sold on Coker (even though he is more familiar with things at this point). But Coach knows best!

 

[BamaFan334]

Going with Cornwell, my initial thought. He's younger, grasps the playbook, has a year in the program, and a few years left to play. All the signs are looking up for him. May take a couple of games to get going, but know Lane Kiffin will run the offense around him and get the support he'll need to take the extra pressure off.

 

[PhillyGirl]

Going with Cornwell, my initial thought. He's younger, grasps the playbook, has a year in the program, and a few years left to play. All the signs are looking up for him. May take a couple of games to get going, but know Lane Kiffin will run the offense around him and get the support he'll need to take the extra pressure off.

Would definitely prefer Cornwell for this reason. I think it's bad for player chemistry to have another "one and done" QB like Sims. Nothing against Sims or Coker, and especially nothing against Sims's great year last season, but I think it's good for QB development as well as team chemistry and development to work with the same QB over a few years (like AJ).

 

[Splittine]

Cornwell for the win.

 

[bama alum]

I think Coker will get the nod early but before we even get to midseason Cornwell will be the guy.

This ^^

 

[UAgrad93]

At the camp this past week with my 14 year old son and I noticed a few guys off to the side throwing some balls. With over 1200 campers, they didn't have too much room and couldn't really "hide". I walked closer to see which QB it was with these 3 WRs. It was David Cornwell throwing with Ridley, Foster, and I believe Falkins. I found it telling that this young QB was out doing "extra" and building that bond with his WRs. This isn't meant to be a knock on Coker. He very well could have come out earlier while I was back at my room.
My hunch is this. Coker will get the start in the opener and Cornwell will get several series as long as the game is going well. I see a 2011 start to the season that we had with McCarron and Simms. Saban wants one to step up and be "Tha Man". Hell, we all do!

 

[Destiny's Child]

I like Cornwell and thought he did some good things in the spring game but I was actually very encouraged by Coker in the Game.

In that game he showed that he has grown and I think he will win it easily. Has a great arm and really played very well in that game. There have been many over reactions to the mistakes he made in that game but if you watch it again with an open mind you may think differently.

A. he was going against the 1st team defense who will make many QB's look average this year.
B. His deep ball was pretty and he threw several good passes on the run.
C. really ran a very efficient two minute drill
D. the interception was to the wrong receiver as the seam was wide ope on the play but tried to force the out and missed it by inches.. truly could have been on the receiver.
E. we will be running it much more in the season giving him more space to throw and play action will actually work

We don't need AJ MaCarron this year we just need John Parker or Greg Mcelroy. Our D line is going to control games. Drake will be back and I expect him to really be an impact player this year along with riding Henry a bunch. Look for Lane to move Drake around and get him the ball like Cooper last year to spread out defense and create lanes for Henry and open space in the middle for OJ Howard.

Cornwell will be a competent back up and will compete for the job next year as the guy to beat but I think you will see the senior win it and Lane Kiffin will make him look good. Just like he made Blake look good last year.

 

[UAgrad93]

@Destiny's Child, Coker's INT was a wrong read. He forced that throw after staring down the receiver. That is a BIG no no! It also came against our secondary that gave up some HUGE plays late in the season last year. Agreed that we don't need a "gunslinger" like AJ but more "manager" like McElroy. JPW was more gunslinger than manager.
Drake will be used more as a slot receiver and moved around to give DCs headaches.
Nothing against Coker, but I think I would rather suffer a few growing pains with Cornwell at the controls and him gain that experience and have years to grow from it. Whereas, Coker makes those same mistakes and we are sitting in the same position next year playing "guess who the starter will be".

 

[Destiny's Child]

@Destiny's Child, Coker's INT was a wrong read. He forced that throw after staring down the receiver. That is a BIG no no! It also came against our secondary that gave up some HUGE plays late in the season last year. Agreed that we don't need a "gunslinger" like AJ but more "manager" like McElroy. JPW was more gunslinger than manager.
Drake will be used more as a slot receiver and moved around to give DCs headaches.
Nothing against Coker, but I think I would rather suffer a few growing pains with Cornwell at the controls and him gain that experience and have years to grow from it. Whereas, Coker makes those same mistakes and we are sitting in the same position next year playing "guess who the starter will be".

I don't think either of them are on par with what we are used to but Cornwell is way behind right now. I like the kid a bunch but I would be shocked if Cornwell wins the job.

Saban has every year played his most experienced scholarship QB. Not one time did he decide to take his lumps with a young kid and I would bet the house he won't.

As I stated above he made the wrong read on the interception and was forcing the ball in somewhere and my point was it was a glorified scrimmage. no way we throw it that much and run that vanilla of an offense during game. Don't read to much into a decision made during a scrimmage... There are more things going on and instructions that are given that we aren't privy to.

I coach competitive youth football and I can tell you there are times I have the QB throwing to a specific receiver to make sure my safety is making the right read.. It's a live scrimmage and that is the perfect time to work on those things. There is a bunch of coaching going on and a bunch of young guys getting their feet wet.

Anyway, not saying Coker is Tom Brady but the things you can judge from a practice is confidence, arm strength, leadership and accuracy.

His accuracy was best of the guys that were out there and so was his arm strength, ability to throw on the run and he looked the most comfortable. Mix that with Saban had always plays the experienced QB and that's why I think it's not close barring an injury.

 

[jdpas29]

If Cornwell's throwing mechanics have improved, i would like to see him get the nod. Sadly, Bateman looks the best to me... ;_:

 

[Destiny's Child]

@Destiny's Child, Coker's INT was a wrong read. He forced that throw after staring down the receiver. That is a BIG no no! It also came against our secondary that gave up some HUGE plays late in the season last year. Agreed that we don't need a "gunslinger" like AJ but more "manager" like McElroy. JPW was more gunslinger than manager.
Drake will be used more as a slot receiver and moved around to give DCs headaches.
Nothing against Coker, but I think I would rather suffer a few growing pains with Cornwell at the controls and him gain that experience and have years to grow from it. Whereas, Coker makes those same mistakes and we are sitting in the same position next year playing "guess who the starter will be".

Oh and p.s. I saw some photos of the deer you killed in the other forum you need to take me to hunt where you are hunting..lol

 

[TerryP]

We're going on Saban's ninth year in Tuscaloosa. We've seen what happened with the QB at LSU when he was in Baton Rouge. Yet, in this thread (and on other forums as well) people aren't even discussing Alec Morris. I don't understand how people aren't getting the progression of QB's under CNS. I'd have thought last year would have been telling.

What we know. If you are in a certain position in the spring under this staff you don't lose that position over the summer. Leaving spring, the team was being led by Coker with Morris running the 2's. The only thing that's capable of changing that is injury.

Now, here I see thoughts about Bateman, Cornwell, and Barnett taking the backup role going into fall camp. It's not happening. If fact, I wonder why some people are so focused on it coming into play.

I suppose this boils down to where these guys were ranked when they were coming out of high school. Think about it. No one has seen much of these guys at all: not a lot of Cornwell and certainly nothing with Barnett. There's no empirical data here to make a judgment, or guess, upon.

This is the same conversation we were having last year at this time. The media (those outside of the beat writers covering Bama) were throwing Coker's name out there. Yet, there were a group of us saying, "hang on a second...Saban doesn't work that way."

Barnett isn't going to get the nod unless the injury situation turns extreme. He's behind the others in learning the offense and certainly isn't in SEC football shape.

Things can change. But, in this situation, without some season ending injury thinking Cornwell gets the nod is anti-Saban.

Me? I'm looking to see what Morris can bring to the team...not what he lacks. We're looking at Morris being the backup for 2015 and the likely starter going into spring camp in 2016.

 

[UAgrad93]

@Destiny's Child, I agree that we won't and don't throw it that much in an actual game. The idea was to give each player a chance to prove themselves in the offense, also, the fact we were short handed at RB changed things up as well. Also, pass blocking keeps your Oline and Dline guys more up right and less chance for getting on someone's knees.
Now, I walked on there at UA back in 89 and 90. I have some idea about the position. I have coached at the HS level for more than 15 years. I too have had "scout team" guys to throw the ball to a particular receiver because that was the first or second read of the progression. While at UA, I was told many times to "throw it to the player with the red arrow on the card" even when there may have been 2 guys running wide ass open through the secondary. Coker wasn't told to throw into coverage. He simply freezes up at times or holds it too long. He doesn't have much of a leg up on any of the other QBs already on the roster, besides Blake Barnett only because Barnett arrived in January.
@TerryP, to be honest with you, I simply overlooked Alec Morris. Alec may be cut in more of the role of McElroy than any of the others on the roster. It seems that the kids we have recruited lately, have more of that gunslinger mentality like AJ or even JPW. I just don't see where Coker is going to be the man for 14-15 games. I looked at more of the stats at the spring game and looked at the attempts. Coker and Cornwell had the closest numbers if I recall correctly. I just went with the idea that Kiffin and Saban were looking at Coker and Cornwell the closest to be the next man.

 

[Destiny's Child]

@Destiny's Child, I agree that we won't and don't throw it that much in an actual game. The idea was to give each player a chance to prove themselves in the offense, also, the fact we were short handed at RB changed things up as well. Also, pass blocking keeps your Oline and Dline guys more up right and less chance for getting on someone's knees.
Now, I walked on there at UA back in 89 and 90. I have some idea about the position. I have coached at the HS level for more than 15 years. I too have had "scout team" guys to throw the ball to a particular receiver because that was the first or second read of the progression. While at UA, I was told many times to "throw it to the player with the red arrow on the card" even when there may have been 2 guys running wide ass open through the secondary. Coker wasn't told to throw into coverage. He simply freezes up at times or holds it too long. He doesn't have much of a leg up on any of the other QBs already on the roster, besides Blake Barnett only because Barnett arrived in January.
@TerryP, to be honest with you, I simply overlooked Alec Morris. Alec may be cut in more of the role of McElroy than any of the others on the roster. It seems that the kids we have recruited lately, have more of that gunslinger mentality like AJ or even JPW. I just don't see where Coker is going to be the man for 14-15 games. I looked at more of the stats at the spring game and looked at the attempts. Coker and Cornwell had the closest numbers if I recall correctly. I just went with the idea that Kiffin and Saban were looking at Coker and Cornwell the closest to be the next man.

So you where a walk on quarter back at Bama in 89 & 90? Sweet would have loved to play for Bama in any capacity. I have had several friends and people I grew up with that played there but you are a couple years ahead of them.

So in 90 was the year before they signed Barker right? And that was back when Jeff Dunn and Gary Hollingsworth were there too. What other Quarterbacks were on the roster?

 

[UAgrad93]

Dunn was the starter coming in to the 89 season, but went down in game 2 or 3 I think and Gary became the man. Curry had signed a guy out of New York named Ray Stanton and had given him #12. Danny Woodson was another guy on scholly. I was invited to walk on after I tore my rotator cuff in HS. Oline coach Jimmy Fuller was responsible for my area and said that they wanted me to walk on and we would see how my shoulder worked out. When Coach Stallings came in, Hollingsworth was the starter, Jeff Dunn had decided to give up football, and it was going to be a free for all for backup and 3rd.
I enjoyed my time there and wouldn't have traded it for anything.

 

[Destiny's Child]

Dunn was the starter coming in to the 89 season, but went down in game 2 or 3 I think and Gary became the man. Curry had signed a guy out of New York named Ray Stanton and had given him #12. Danny Woodson was another guy on scholly. I was invited to walk on after I tore my rotator cuff in HS. Oline coach Jimmy Fuller was responsible for my area and said that they wanted me to walk on and we would see how my shoulder worked out. When Coach Stallings came in, Hollingsworth was the starter, Jeff Dunn had decided to give up football, and it was going to be a free for all for backup and 3rd.
I enjoyed my time there and wouldn't have traded it for anything.

My dad played at Georgia Tech in the 60's. He liked Curry and always felt like we did him wrong. I always thought Curry seemed like s horses ass.

How was he to play for?

 

[TerryP]

I simply overlooked Alec Morris. Alec may be cut in more of the role of McElroy than any of the others on the roster. I

He doesn't remind me of Greg when I watch him but that doesn't mean AM doesn't have the same mentality GM brought to the position. Physically, he does remind me of a more mobile Freddie.

 

[Destiny's Child]

Use to love me some fat Freddie! Could throw it through a brick wall but couldn't muster enough touch to throw an out or a fade.