I’m sure most of the people reading this watched the Tide roll over Kent State this weekend. And I’m sure you all noticed the failed attempt to rotate the quarterbacks every three series.
On the surface, the quarterback battle seems to be over after just one game. Look closer though and you will see that Phillip Sims never had a fair chance in game one.
Before you start to disagree, hear me out. Once Sims entered the game, he faced an enormous amount of pressure to come in and play a near perfect game. Not because AJ McCarron actually played great, but because the perception of McCarron’s first three series was that he played great. And we all know perception is everything.
McCarron received an added bonus by being able to “start” the first three series. Those bonuses were fresh offensive lineman, fresh skill players and a captivated audience. Sims, on the other hand, waited on the sideline for three offensive and defensive possessions before getting his chance. He went from warmed-up and ready to play to being put on hold until further notice. AJ would have had to throw three consecutive interceptions for Sims to get the upper hand.
Now I know some of you will look at the stats and say AJ had a great passing game, throwing for 226 yards, but if you really paid attention you will see that the bulk of McCarron’s yards came on screens and short passes that his wide receivers (particularly Marquis Maze) and running backs (particularly Eddie Lacy) turned into big gains. So the stats in a glorified scrimmage against Kent State don’t really mean much.
Another moot point is the fact that both players threw two interceptions. One of AJ’s interceptions came off a tipped pass and the other was an overthrow on third and long that was basically the equivalent of a punt. Sims’ interceptions came on consecutive drives with his first coming on a blown offensive line assignment where he was blindsided and the ball sailed before the defensive back was able to catch it. His second was a little more alarming due to the fact that it was returned to the three-yard line (Sims did make a touchdown saving tackle).
The only way to make the quarterback “competition” fair is to let Sims start the first three series at Penn State. That way he plays loose and doesn’t have the added pressure of following McCarron’s performance. If Sims “starts” the first three series at Penn State and doesn’t perform well, then and only then will it be okay to begin to write him off.
At the end of the day, I just want the best quarterback to lead the team this season. The only way to see which one is the best quarterback is to give each one an equal opportunity to showcase their talents. A hostile crowd at Penn State will provide one quarterback with the opportunity to emerge and become the next signal caller for the Tide.
If Sims doesn’t get to start the first three series at Penn State, then he will never have had a fair chance to compete for the starting job.
