I thought this was an interesting interview with Gary Danielson. Sometimes Gary's comments get on my nerves but overall he seems to be a well researched student of college football. He says that Florida was a train wreck last season and that a sleeper in the SEC East this season may be Tennessee. :headscratch: What do you think?
Q. What's in front of Alabama?
A. Alabama, I really say, don't underrate the value that (Greg) McElroy brought to the team. He ran Nick's offense the way he wanted it run. When you're wanting a ball-control offense ... I had to do that a bit when I played for the Lions. That team was not built around me, obviously. I was a journeyman quarterback who had to get the ball to (RB) Billy Sims and good receivers, but you have that urge as an athlete to try to show what you can do. In Nick Saban's offense, the way he has it with (offensive coordinator Jim) McElwain, you have to be a player within the system. It was great for Greg. So as McCarron and Sims come in there with that urge to prove how good you are ... the quarterback position at Alabama, you have to play within. It's really hard for a four- or five-star athlete coming into college and now you've got to submit yourself into doing what he wants to do. It's going to be tough. So as good as they are - we all know this quarterback position is the key to it - they're just going to be fascinating to watch.
Q. How about LSU?
A. I have question marks, and I think deservedly so. Jordan Jefferson, they keep saying, "Oh, he's a new man! He's a new man!" I say, "Show me. I've seen you do it in a couple bowl games. I've seen you do it when you've had some time off. I want to see you do it every week." It's not about whether I believe in him. It's whether he shows me that he deserves to be believed in. I'm for everybody doing well. It's just, he's going to have a very talented backup behind him. He's going to have a short leash. The fans and talk radio, you know how that is. When you play quarterback, it's what you sign up for when you come to one of these top schools. He has a bad quarter, he has a bad half, the pressure will build, and Les Miles will have a long year if it doesn't go great. And when does it go great every week? That's almost impossible. LSU is very talented. We all know that. The top two teams, it's very interesting. A young quarterback and a veteran quarterback, both about which we have huge question marks about. Read more of the interview of Gary Danielson by Don Kausler here.
Q. What's in front of Alabama?
A. Alabama, I really say, don't underrate the value that (Greg) McElroy brought to the team. He ran Nick's offense the way he wanted it run. When you're wanting a ball-control offense ... I had to do that a bit when I played for the Lions. That team was not built around me, obviously. I was a journeyman quarterback who had to get the ball to (RB) Billy Sims and good receivers, but you have that urge as an athlete to try to show what you can do. In Nick Saban's offense, the way he has it with (offensive coordinator Jim) McElwain, you have to be a player within the system. It was great for Greg. So as McCarron and Sims come in there with that urge to prove how good you are ... the quarterback position at Alabama, you have to play within. It's really hard for a four- or five-star athlete coming into college and now you've got to submit yourself into doing what he wants to do. It's going to be tough. So as good as they are - we all know this quarterback position is the key to it - they're just going to be fascinating to watch.
Q. How about LSU?
A. I have question marks, and I think deservedly so. Jordan Jefferson, they keep saying, "Oh, he's a new man! He's a new man!" I say, "Show me. I've seen you do it in a couple bowl games. I've seen you do it when you've had some time off. I want to see you do it every week." It's not about whether I believe in him. It's whether he shows me that he deserves to be believed in. I'm for everybody doing well. It's just, he's going to have a very talented backup behind him. He's going to have a short leash. The fans and talk radio, you know how that is. When you play quarterback, it's what you sign up for when you come to one of these top schools. He has a bad quarter, he has a bad half, the pressure will build, and Les Miles will have a long year if it doesn't go great. And when does it go great every week? That's almost impossible. LSU is very talented. We all know that. The top two teams, it's very interesting. A young quarterback and a veteran quarterback, both about which we have huge question marks about. Read more of the interview of Gary Danielson by Don Kausler here.
