CullmanTimes.com - Cullman, Alabama

Top Sports

Related Photos

  • Alabama coach Nick Saban reacts during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Western Carolina at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012. Saban was angered when he felt a referee allowed an extra five seconds to run off the clock near the end of the first half. AP Photo/Dave Martin

    Western Carolina Alab

Discussion

November 17, 2012

TALKIN' TIDE: Blake Sims is a great athlete ... but is he a QB?

By Trent Moore Associated Press

TUSCALOOSA — With Bama’s blowout win well in hand before the end of the second quarter, backup quarterback Blake Sims checked in to lead a touchdown drive in the second quarter and held onto the reins the entire second half.

He ran all over Western Carolina for 70 yards and 1 touchdown. But when it came time to throw the ball, he was just 2-6 for 27 yards, with one misfired screen pass going behind the intended receiver causing a mad dash scramble to recover it. His only deep ball flew into double coverage, and luckily bounced off the hands of a Catamount safety.

Even in obvious passing situations Sims was able to use his feet to make plays against the Catamounts, breaking one third quarter dash for 23 yards and a long first down. But that won’t work against — and no disrespect to the 1-10 Catamounts — better teams.

Sims is a stud when it comes to the read option, but he looked lost Saturday in obvious passing situations. If his first read was covered he ran, and though it worked out well this time, a team like LSU or Florida would snuff that one-trick pony out pretty quickly.

On the same day that junior quarterback A.J. McCarron took over as the team’s single season passing leader with 21 touchdown tosses this year, it also became pretty obvious that he is the only legitimate passing threat on the roster. With A.J., so goes (what’s left of) the season. If he were to go down in the home stretch, the Tide’s prolific offense would turn one-dimensional very, very fast.

There’s no arguing that Sims is one of the best athletes the Tide has fielded in recent years, which is why Nick Saban & Co. have moved him all over the roster to try and get him on the field. But when heir apparent QB Phillip Sims opted to transfer to Virginia instead of ride the pine behind McCarron, it left the Tide a lot thinner than most fans would care to admit.

Fellow back-up Phillip Ely, a redshirt freshmen, has looked decent in his brief time on the field in mop-up duty this season, but Saban seems keen to give the extremely athletic Sims some time to grow in the role to see if he can finally give the Tide the run-pass threat they haven’t had in years.

Saban himself admitted Sims still has a long way to go, which is why he wanted to give him as many snaps as possible against the Catamounts.

“We wanted to put [Sims] in at least one series with the first-team offense and I thought he did a good job,” Saban said. “I think we still have work to do. Blake has ability to throw the ball, but he gets real antsy sometimes, especially in the pocket. I think the experience today probably would help him, but all in all I thought he did a pretty good job.”

More than anything, Saturday’s game raises the question of who will take over for McCarron after next season. With the talent Saban has brought in, Bama should have a championship caliber team for years to come — but they better start developing a few more field generals to lead the way in the future.

 

Text Only
Top Sports
Facebook
SEC Video
AP Video
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools $1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids Raw: Bear Falls From Tampa Tree Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel? Wash. State Releases Draft Rules for Legal Pot Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction Officials: Texas Tornado Likely Had 200 Mph Wind Brothers Arrested in NOLA Parade Shooting Raw: School Bus Crash Injures Five Children Quick Response Saved Baby on Phila. Train Tracks One Million Evacuated As Cyclone Hits Bangladesh
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com