JD PicKell explains how Alabama's A-Day impacted perception of quarterback room

Alabama is still one of the most dominant programs in all of college football. However, as the Crimson Tide are moving on from Bryce Young, there are concerns about the quarterback position. That’s especially true after A-Day, the Alabama spring game.

As On3’s J.D. PicKell explained on The Hard Count, Alabama’s A-Day was ugly and that’s going to have an impact on the perception of the quarterback room.

“We saw Jalen Milroe a season ago,” PicKell said. “I don’t know that we saw his best. In fact, I know we didn’t see his best based on what we saw in the spring game. There’s plenty of ugly to go around from the spring football game.”

“Ty Simpson made some poor decisions. Jalen Milroe threw two picks. Heck, they got Jalen Milroe tagged for seven sacks. Now, Jalen Milroe, I don’t know if you’ve seen the clip of him hang cleaning, I don’t know that you’re getting him on the ground seven times in that spring game but, hey, it is what it is,” PicKell said.

“But my encouraging thing I would say about this spring game is from my thought process with viewing Ty Simpson and Jalen Milroe, I went from a, ‘Man, can they? Can they make the throw downfield? Can they create with their legs the way we need them to and then be able to push the ball downfield off that extended play?’ to ‘Will they?'”

As J.D. PicKell explained, wondering if they are going to do something and wondering if they are capable of doing something are two different conversations. If the question is a matter of ability, Alabama needs to go to the portal.

“If I’m questioning your ability, I need to get somebody that can get it done for us because at Alabama the standards are way the heck up here, right? National title, SEC title, we don’t lack ability at Alabama. That’s just the reality.”

Instead, PicKell sees the ability in the room. So, he feels that they just need more practice to be able to play at the level that they need for Alabama. He saw flashes of talent.

At the same time, there are rumors that Alabama may be heading to the transfer portal for a quarterback. Specifically, Notre Dame quarterback Tyler Buchner is expected to visit the Crimson Tide and worked with offensive coordinator Tommy Rees over the past two seasons.

“I don’t know that you leave that game, or you should leave that game, rather, watching that game, as dejected as some of these Bama fans might. Because what you’re going to see is the stat line that looked a little bit lackluster and you’re gonna see all the incompletions and you’re gonna see all the interceptions, but there’s more to it than what meets the eye.”

Paul Finebaum on quarterback concerns at Alabama

Analyst Paul Finebaum thinks that the quarterback situation at Alabama could be an issue. In fact, it could mean the Crimson Tide need to dial down expectations.

On the quarterback situation, I think we’re exactly where we all thought we would be. In a state of confusion. However, I don’t think this means as much as some on social media are saying that it will. It’s worth remembering that two years ago, I don’t think anyone was 100% sure or even remotely sure that Stetson Bennett could lead Georgia to a national championship and he did. They did it for a lot of reasons other than the quarterback position,” Finebaum said on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning.

“So, ultimately, and I feel stupid saying this in front of a guy who led Alabama to a national championship as a quarterback, but the quarterback can do you harm and that’s what you don’t want. That’s probably the most negative takeaway from Saturday is it looked like, at least in the initial sampling, that those two could do a little harm. But, I think, ultimately it will get settled, and I think what it will mainly mean is that expectations for Alabama are going to be dialed down just a hair. You already have Alabama below Georgia in the SEC and probably in the national championship race and I don’t think much has changed there.”