Alabama Football: Ranking opposing regular-season Quarterbacks
By Ronald Evans
A reasonable question for the Alabama football season is, do any opposing quarterbacks have what it takes to beat the Crimson Tide? A short answer is not likely, but more correctly the answer is maybe. Why maybe? From last season, an example is an ‘average’ QB led the Aggies to an upset over the Crimson Tide. Another ‘average’ QB did enough to take a poor team to overtime against the Crimson Tide.
So many factors determine the outcomes of games, placing too much emphasis on quarterback play can be a mistake. Without help from teammates and mistakes and missed opportunities by the Crimson Tide, no SEC quarterback is good enough to provide a victory over Alabama.
A better way of looking at opposing quarterbacks is to rank them. The quarterbacks of 10 Crimson Tide opponents are ranked below. The quarterbacks for ULM and Austin Peay are not included.
Alabama Football Opposing QBs
No. 10 – Mike Wright – Vanderbilt
Finishing last in the rankings might not be fair to Mike Wright. He is hampered by his teammates. Last season he passed for 1,042 yards and rushed for 376 yards more. He and Vandy will be better in Clark Lea’s second season.
No. 9 – Hudson Card – Texas
Most Texas fans have been sure Hudson Card was not the guy to turn the offense around. Now they are not so sure. According to multiple reports, Quinn Ewers, in fall practice and one scrimmage, has given Steve Sarkisian no reason to start him. As I wrote yesterday, Steve Sarkisian would be wise to not put Ewers through a trial by fire by the Alabama football defense.
No. 8 – Zach Calzada – Auburn
Calzada is the presumed, perhaps unlucky winner of Auburn’s QB competition. The Aggies upset of Alabama last season gives Calzada enough cred to at least begin the season as the starter. He passed for 2,185 yards at Texas A&M last season.