Greg McElroy explains why he is so high on Alabama's offense

The Alabama offense faces a lot of question marks heading into the 2023 season. Every position group has significant unknowns in the middle of July — most notably at the quarterback position.

That has led to a lot of people hedging their bets against the Crimson Tide. But not Greg McElroy. On the Always College Football with Greg McElroy podcast, McElroy ranked Alabama as the No. 3 team in the country heading into the season.

“A lot of people have been talking about how this group is taking a step back,” McElroy said. “The coordinators are changing. The quarterback’s a problem and the offensive line isn’t as good as it used to be and the running backs are a question mark and you have the receivers that aren’t as good as they once were. It’s like, goodness gracious alive. They’re still pretty dang good. At what point are we going to start to evaluate Alabama not based on what Alabama’s been but based on what Alabama is up against. Last I checked, I know Georgia is superhuman. I get that and they have been the last couple years. But they had to replace a lot too. Everyone’s just looking at Carson Beck, oh Carson Beck’s gonna step right in and he’s gonna be an All-American. How do we know Ty Simpson won’t step right in for Alabama and be an All-American? Or Tyler Buckner or Jalen Milroe. I don’t know. I don’t know who the guy is going to be.”

Alabama has had 12 different starting quarterbacks on offense since Nick Saban‘s first season back in 2007. The success of the quarterbacks has spanned the gauntlet — from Bryce Young winning the Heisman to Blake Barnett losing his starting job to Jalen Hurts less than one half into the season.

But for the most part, there has been a steady level Saban’s quarterbacks — from John Parker Wilson to Blake Sims to Mac Jones — have attained during his tenure.

That success leads McElroy to believe that standard will continue in 2023, no matter who ends up taking most of the snaps.

“But Ohio State, we give them the benefit of the quarterback. When was the last time the quarterback spot was a liability at Alabama? You’re gonna say 2010, 2009. Fair enough. I was quarterback then. I get it. I can take those jabs. Have absorbed them before and will do so again. But it has not been a liability enough to the point in which they are losing a bunch of games because of their quarterback play. It’s been since 2007 since that’s been the case. Or even before that, I don’t even know when. That was Nick Saban’s first year. I mean, I don’t even know. It’s been a while since they’ve lost a bunch of games in the season because of their quarterback play.

“It wasn’t in 2007 either. I was the backup of that team. John Parker Wilson had a good year. Couple interceptions but he had a good year. I think about it like that. It’s like I’m just not worried about the quarterback spot at Bama. I think we’re gonna be fine. I think Tommy Rees’ offense will protect that guy. I also think the way they’re going to practice here in 2023 is going to be with more of an emphasis along the line of scrimmage. There’s going to be more of an emphasis on the downhill A-gap to A-gap run game. I’m very optimistic about their offensive line’s progress and the depth that they have at running back.”

Greg McElroy likes players at each position on Alabama’s offense

Quarterback isn’t the only position on the Alabama offense where the team is replacing a now NFL-bound player. Running back is another, for example.

But McElroy likes the depth and potential of the position.

“Now a lot of people don’t know about Jam Miller,” McElroy said. “A lot of people talking about Jase McClellan. A lot of people are going to talk about the other backs that are gonna get some carries. I think they’re going to have a committee approach. I think they’re pretty dang deep at that position. I think the offensive line, the emergence of Tyler Booker, he’s got a chance to be one of the best offensive linemen in the SEC. I think they’re really solid with (Darrian) Dalcourt, (Seth) McLaughlin, whoever it is at center. Both tackles. (JC) Latham, really good. Maybe a true freshman at the other tackle. They’re in good shape. The offensive line is gonna be really solid.”

While the running back room has the potential to be great once again, McElroy admits that the wide receiver room doesn’t have the ceiling the room has had in recent seasons. But the group still has plenty of talented players.

“Then a wide receiver, well, it’s not the 2017 team with DeVonta Smith, (Henry) Ruggs, (Jerry) Jeudy and all these other guys,” McElroy said. “It’s not that. But I do believe that this wide receiver core is actually going to take a little bit of a step forward. There were some pretty positive signs last year. Jermaine Burton, another year in the system. I think they’re going to be all right. I think at tight end, they’re gonna be pretty good. CJ Dippre, the transfer from Maryland, he’s got chance to be a real impactful player within this offense. You hear about a bunch of other names too as you kind of listen to the scuttle butt and you try to get through what’s real and what’s not. People I talk to are very excited about their weapons this year. It’s an unselfish group that has a high ceiling.”

Another ready why McElroy remains high on the Alabama offense is the brand it will be trying to play.

For the last half-decade, the Crimson Tide have played a more air-it-out passing attack. Not this year. The team is expected to go back to its run-heavy, establish-the-line-of-scrimmage-first game it established as its identity for the first half of Saban’s tenure.

“I happen to think that this offense is going to be balanced and it’s going to play ball control, and that’s what it needs to look like,” McElroy said. “If you think about Alabama, when they were ball control — 2009 to 2015: ball control, take the air out of the football. Murderball is what they’ve called it around Tuscaloosa. When they play Murderball, they won four national championships in what, a seven-year period…Since they’ve gone more to a pass-happy attack, where they’ve really emphasized the quarterback position, they’ve won just two titles. Two titles: 2017 and 2020. Came up short in ’16, came up short in 18, came up short in ’19, came up short in ’21, came up short in ’22. So I think getting back to what led to them winning nearly half the national championships and a six-, seven-year period — more than half, excuse me, in a seven-year period — that’s what its gonna look like a little bit more here in 2023.”