…never sold on Barnes, but I was a huge Prince Hall fan after his freshman year. This was a good read.

what to make of JPW. The fact that he actually made a pro team, even if just for one year, makes me think he was better than we thought. Furthermore, other teams may not have been afraid of him, but then he goes out and goes 12-0 and really we could have beat UF in 08 if the D had held together.

The truth is because of the situations- Shula leaving- Saban coming, 3 OC’s in 3 years, textbook gate in his junior year, etc., we may never know how good he could have been. I don’t know who BamaMag picked for QB of the decade, but I’d vote JPW and Croyle a tie.

JPW was really that bad of a QB. He wasn’t great, but given the situation he was in – 3 OCs in 3 years, spent his first as starter running away from the defense because the O-line couldn’t block at all (which I think created the mentality in his head to make some decisions that he had made later on in his career), and not necessarily having the physical skills to make all of the throws. His first year as starter, he threw pretty well given that teams could stop our running game by breathing on our O-line. His second year, he was adjusting (along with everyone else) to CNS, CMA, and a new offense. His last year, our running game showed up, but once we played a team with a great defense (like Florida), our passing game turned into something where the D dictated when we could pass, not the O. I like JPW, but I certainly wouldn’t name him among the best we’ve had.

I don’t think any of our opponents ever said, "Oh, shit, Alabama has JPW behind the trigger We’re screwed."

I don’t think any of our opponents except Tennessee ever said, "Oh, shit, Alabama has JPW behind the trigger We’re screwed."

Qualified that for ya.

…what our opponents said, but JPW was always better than average. True, the fact that he ranks at the top of some major statistical categories overstates his abilities as a passer, and I don’t think anyone would argue he is the best QB we’ve ever had. However, the kid had plenty of toughness and poise, and there were few losses that lay squarely on his shoulders, despite the turnover at OC during his time at the Capstone. And as talented as some of his receivers were in 2006 and 2007, there were too many games where I felt like they weren’t doing their part. I’m very happy he earned a spot with the Falcons last year.

Burnthall left the team before the 2008 season for the usual “personal reasons.” He transferred to UNA, played there a few games in 2008, and then got suspended. I remember the UNA coach had some pretty harsh words about him at the time — basically saying that he wasn’t focused on either school or football — and I haven’t heard anything out of him since. I imagine he got kicked off the team then and never played again.