Nick Marshall pre-season top SEC QB

[WarEagle84 0]

Marshall is a no brainer. In fact Marshall should be the leading contender for the Heisman. As for Wallace, I realize everyone else here agrees with him at 2nd, but I think both Mauk and Franklin at MO are better.

As for Coker, there is less reason to presume he will be an excellent QB this year than there was to presume that for Marshall last year. Marshall did at least play somewhere the previous season. Coker hasn't had any significant playing time since he was a sr in high school. And, of course, he won't be showing up on campus until Aug. Maybe he'll get good and Kiffinized in time to be the greatest thing since sliced bread, just like all other bama QBs. Note though; the last QBs from bama to make any significant contribution in the NFL were Namath and Stabler, and that's been a while. Some of their proclaimed saviors haven't even made a significant contribution in T'town.

I wouldn't think it wise to even presume that Coker will be their starter. I think it would be more prudent to approach things with the idea that someone already on hand, with someexperience, will start until and unless Coker steps up and shows differently.

Marshall is being mentioned for the Heisman. And Franklin is no longer at Mizzou. Mauk will be without DGB and one of their other top WRs who graduated, so he may not be able to duplicate his performance from last year.

Coker is presumed to be the starter because the other QBs on Bama's roster suck, and he was neck and neck with Winston for the starting job last year (not unlike JJ and NM). Given the level of talent Bama has recruited for the last 5 years, there is no reason to believe whoever starts at QB won't be successful. They don't need NFL talent at QB to win championships.

[Eagle Eye 7 2,535]

I disagree a little. I think Blake will start for uat and I think most folks in t-town will be totally devastated by how bad their offense is this year. The saben/kiffen experiment will cost them dearly. I am almost believing at this point that saben brought lame in to be the fall guy as he exits the scene with uat's money in hand. JMHO. WDE

[AUbritt 611]

Marshall is a no brainer. In fact Marshall should be the leading contender for the Heisman. As for Wallace, I realize everyone else here agrees with him at 2nd, but I think both Mauk and Franklin at MO are better.

As for Coker, there is less reason to presume he will be an excellent QB this year than there was to presume that for Marshall last year. Marshall did at least play somewhere the previous season. Coker hasn't had any significant playing time since he was a sr in high school. And, of course, he won't be showing up on campus until Aug. Maybe he'll get good and Kiffinized in time to be the greatest thing since sliced bread, just like all other bama QBs. Note though; the last QBs from bama to make any significant contribution in the NFL were Namath and Stabler, and that's been a while. Some of their proclaimed saviors haven't even made a significant contribution in T'town.

I wouldn't think it wise to even presume that Coker will be their starter. I think it would be more prudent to approach things with the idea that someone already on hand, with someexperience, will start until and unless Coker steps up and shows differently.

a4e, is that you?

[quietfan 233]

Meh, to be honest, I don't have a problem with Coker at #5, because playing QB at Bama successfully means limiting mistakes. Saban's offense isn't set up to be based around the QB, which is why AJ McCarron got so much hype (he WAS an actual play maker, even if he would have had a lot more difficulty playing for a team that pays less than NFL salaries).

I agree, sort of.

I agree that playing QB at Bama does not require a great skill set, just enough competence to avoid mistakes and let the other parts of the Saban machine (on offense & defense) do the work. That's why I never saw McCarron as a reasonable Heisman candidate: At any other school, without his supporting cast, A.J. would have been only a fair to middlin' (B or C grade) QB in my opinion. IMO, his career W-L record and BCS rings were due to the rest of the team. I never saw McCarron as having the personal talent of a Manziel, Murray, Mettenberger, or Nick Marshall.

But I do have a problem with Coker at #5 on the list. He hasn't even had enough snaps to evaluate his chances in the SEC, and was surrounded by great talent and only played mop up against already beaten teams at FSU. I'd have just left his name out of pre-season SEC QB ratings all together, neither rating him good or bad at this point. He could turn out to be the next superman, but at this point we don't even know if he'll be the starter in Tuscaloosa. (Although admittedly, all signs point to him starting.)