Alabama’s final game of the 2013 season did not end the way senior quarterback AJ McCarron had hoped. He peeled off his crimson jersey for the final time after a 45-31 loss to Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl.
But McCarron will leave Tuscaloosa as one of the most decorated football players to ever wear the crimson uniform.
“[McCarron is] one of the greatest quarterbacks that Alabama’s ever had,” center Ryan Kelly said. “I’m just really going to miss him.”
The fifth-year senior signal caller from Mobile reeled in some hardware in his final season with the Crimson Tide, including a second-place finish for the Heisman trophy.
McCarron brought home the Maxwell Award, given to the country’s top college football player, and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given to the nation’s top senior quarterback.
He was also named to the Walter Camp All-American team as the first-team quarterback, ahead of Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston of Florida State.
But McCarron said he could not have been mentioned for the awards without the other 10 players on Alabama’s offense.
“I’ve had a lot of great teammates in my five years here, in three years that I started,” McCarron said. “Nothing’s ever possible without great guys around you. I owe everything to them.”
McCarron threw for a career-high 387 yards and became the first Alabama quarterback to throw for more than 3,000 yards in a single season, against Oklahoma. He compiled 3,063 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2013.
Earlier in the season, he outdueled Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel in College Station, leading the Crimson Tide to a 49-42 victory. McCarron completed 20-of-29 of his passes for 334 yards and four touchdowns.
In his junior season, McCarron set the school record with 30 passing touchdowns and for his career, he threw for 9,019 yards and 77 touchdowns.
As a starter, McCarron led Alabama to two national championships and a 36-4 record over three seasons. His numbers and reputation are also well-respected by his opponents.
“He knows what he’s doing at all times,” Oklahoma defensive back Aaron Colvin said. “Most of the time, he knows what the defense is doing, as well.”
However, the one aspect about McCarron that sticks out to his teammate the most is his leadership.
“He’s meant a lot to me as far as just talking to me, things like that. He’s a great leader,” wide receiver Amari Cooper said. “He’s a caring person as well, so if he sees you down in practice or outside of practice, he’ll come and talk to you, say, ‘What’s up man? What’s going on?’ I think that’s the thing that separates him from a lot of other people.”
McCarron, linebacker C.J. Mosley and wide receiver Kevin Norwood were the permanent team captains for the 2013 team and will have their names immortalized in the concrete in front of Denny Chimes before the A-Day game April 19.
Norwood, who came to Alabama in the same recruiting class as McCarron, said McCarron’s development as a leader has been a big reason for the team’s success in the last three seasons.
“AJ’s still AJ, man. He’s still the humble guy that I met when we first got here. He really hasn’t changed much,” Norwood said. “The only thing that’s really changed on him is probably his leadership. He does a great job managing this offense. Everybody knows that. He has a great arm, of course. But what people don’t know is that he, outside of football, is still AJ. Even if we’re on the field, he’s just AJ. He just does a great job with everything. He’s a real fun guy to be around.”
McCarron’s focus now shifts to preparing for the 2014 NFL Draft. He has been labeled as a game manager that does not have the tools to orchestrate a pro-style offense.
But those labels are fine with him.
“When my time comes at the next level, I’ll come out to prove myself and hopefully disappoint a lot of people that would have passed over me,” McCarron said.
