Nick Fanuzzi Will Transfer

by outsidethesidelines on Aug 25, 2008 12:46 PM CDT Comment 20 comments

According to Nick Saban in his weekly SEC conference call, he has had discussions with Nick Fanuzzi and has been informed that Fanuzzi intends to transfer.

You hate to see people go, but it should come as no surprise. Fanuzzi was a last-minute signee shortly after Saban arrived (largely due to the influence and connections of Major Applewhite in the greater San Antonio area), but being honest he looked very bad in Spring practice and seemed to have a very limited future. With Star Jackson now in camp, and A.J. McCarron soon to follow, it became pretty obvious that Fanuzzi did not factor into Alabama's long-term plans as anything other than a back-up. Honestly, I would wager that at the moment Fanuzzi was fifth on the QB depth chart behind John Parker Wilson, Greg McElroy, Star Jackson, and Thomas Darrah. Apparently Fanuzzi saw all of that and decided to transfer.

You hate to see anyone leave, but it's hard to rationally say that this move wasn't the best for both parties. Being quite frank, if Fanuzzi legitimately wants to be a starter, he was in the wrong place. And as for us, this just opens up a scholarship for us to bring in another player that will most likely be a better player.

Either way, I wish Fanuzzi the best at whatever school he decides to attend.

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What are the odds...

…that Thomas Darrah is no longer a walk on?

Roll Bama Roll

by Todd on Aug 25, 2008 12:45 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Honestly...

Probably zero.

I like Darrah as a prospect, and he certainly has the physical tools you are looking for, but even so, you don’t start handing out scholarships to third or fourth string walk-on freshmen quarterbacks. If he continues to do well and moves up the depth chart in time and can get the back-up job, then he has a great chance of getting a scholarship. And obviously, if he ever got the starting job, it would be a foregone conclusion.

That said, until he reaches that level, I don’t think it’s a legitimate possibility. With scholarship limits, there just aren’t enough to go around in order to hand them out in that manner, especially after you’ve just awarded scholarships to your walk-on kicker and walk-on punter.

by outsidethesidelines on Aug 25, 2008 12:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also...

Also hurting Darrah’s chances is his arrest last year on the Strip. Obviously, things like that can never help your case.

by outsidethesidelines on Aug 25, 2008 12:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Forgot about...

…the arrest. Yeah, probably no scholly for Darrah after that, though I imagine if he does well this year and keeps his nose clean he may get a “one year” scholarship next year.

Roll Bama Roll

by Todd on Aug 25, 2008 12:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Missed it today

Did Saban give a depth chart, or is it still a “secret”?

by tjua97 on Aug 25, 2008 12:52 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

No big shocker here...

Wish him the best.

Dude, here it is. Boner Jams.... It's a mix tape I made of all these great scenes that I was really into in the summer of 03.

by MotorboatinSOB on Aug 25, 2008 1:24 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

Im not shedding a tear.

Don't take life to seriously, you'll never get out alive.

by bammer on Aug 25, 2008 1:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

My question is

are they going to redshirt Star Jackson or is he going to play this year or be a grass killer on the sideline waisting a year of eligability?

Hell, no! A tie is like kissing your sister!

by comer4tide on Aug 25, 2008 1:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I say

Let him play this year and Red Shirt AJ next year. Giving them a 2 year gap.

Don't take life to seriously, you'll never get out alive.

by bammer on Aug 25, 2008 2:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jackson should redshirt...

…unless something happens (like an injury, God forbid)

Roll Bama Roll

by Todd on Aug 25, 2008 2:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah..

I agree with the redshirt, McElroy can back up JP. If we redshirt Jackson, who do you think the starter will be next year?

by BAMA.13 on Aug 25, 2008 3:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Reshirt Jackson...

…and let him and McElroy duke it out next spring. I think McElroy is better than he’s getting ready for and could become the starter next year.

Roll Bama Roll

by Todd on Aug 25, 2008 4:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I can't think of his name...

…but someone connected with UA that spoke at the kickoff party at WorkPlay last week said he thought Star Jackson would see limited playing time. His guess is probably just as good as ours, but this was from someone that works for the school and regularly attends practices.

Anyway, just throwing that out there.

by Nico2.0 on Aug 25, 2008 6:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

see if it were me

i would not redhsirt him. I would let him be number 3 on the depth chart but be the real back-up.

Now listen as to why….he is our next “real” QB. Ok, lets break him in slow this year, let him play in blow outs or come in to mix things up in some SEC games to get some experience. Because, let him and Julio get some chemistry together and hopefully both will stay for the full 4 years and have a run at a NC either next year or the year after. Just a thought

Hell, no! A tie is like kissing your sister!

by comer4tide on Aug 26, 2008 9:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Brian Cook can. . . . .

. . . . smoke pole! (either that, or he should stop) Either way, the guy’s categorically retarded. For accusing Coach Saban in the first place, and for not redeeming himself with a heartfelt “I was wrong” speech when he found out he was!

"Surround yourself with people who can't live without football" - 1st tenet of 3 for Bear Bryant's 3 Rules of Coaching . . . . .

by BixBeiderbecke on Aug 25, 2008 3:02 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Who cares? I think he was proven wrong, and it does not matter if he admits it or not.

See you Fanuzzi, best of Luck!

by Kenny483 on Aug 25, 2008 3:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jackson...

Jackson playing is a possibility, and to be frank I think it may very well be something that we should hope to see. If we can play Jackson this year, as mentioned earlier, we can stagger the years of eligibility of Jackson and McCarron to where they are not so similar, and it would allow us to get the most out of both. I think that would be the proper course.

Will it work, though? Honestly, a lot will depend on how the team plays. We’re not going to throw Jackson out there just randomly in a tough game just to get some snaps. He’s the third-stringer now, and for him to get some snaps we are really going to have to beat up on a few teams to give us the garbage time needed for him to get into the game. If all of the games go down to the wire like they did last year, getting him time is going to be difficult.

Don’t forget, though, Fanuzzi played last year as a true freshman, and undoubtedly Jackson is far ahead of where Fanuzzi was last year, so at the very least there’s a great possibility that it will happen.

by outsidethesidelines on Aug 25, 2008 7:53 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think

Its important to stagger AJ and Star’s eligibility. It makes no sense to waiste talent. If Star play this year and AJ redshirts next year, that puts two years in between them which set us up perfectly in the future.

Don't take life to seriously, you'll never get out alive.

by bammer on Aug 26, 2008 8:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

One more thing on Fanuzzi...

Saban confirmed in his press conference this afternoon that he was effectively the fifth quarterback going into the season. The depth chart has Wilson and McElroy at the top, and he stated that the decision had been made to split third team snaps between Jackson and Darrah. Fanuzzi was looking to do little more than run the scout team when we were facing teams with athletic quarterbacks.

Without having a definitive source, I would assume that was the final straw.

by outsidethesidelines on Aug 25, 2008 7:55 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs