The glory position in football is quarterback. It is the position that gives schools the most prestige when alumni succeed in the pros. Alabama's drafted quarterbacks the past 2o years: AJ McCarron (2014), Greg McElroy (2011), Brodie Croyle (2006), Jay Barker (1995). That's it.
None of them ever accomplished anything in the NFL.
Not exactly like the 1950s and 60s, when Alabama alumni Bart Starr, Joe Namath and Ken Stabler became superstars in the NFL and won Super Bowls. Alabama is expected to win its fourth college football national championship under coach Nick Saban Monday Night when they play Clemson at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Crimson Tide are a touchdown favorite over the Tigers.
When the Pittsburgh Steelers take the field against the Cincinnati Bengals today the Steelers will be 2.5 favorites because McCarron is playing for injured starting QB Andy Dalton. The Begnals are a better team up and down the field and are the home team but are underdogs because Dalton broke his thumb a few weeks ago.
The Bengals have no won a playoff game in forever--or 1991. Since then the Crimson Tide have won four titles. They always win titles. And all that SEC and college playoff money is split within the conference anyway.
But the Bengals never win anything and it's been decades since an Alabama drafted QB brought some glory and brand building to the university. Beating Pittsburgh would accomplish that.
That's why If McCarron wins today it is bigger for Alabama than if Jake Coker wins Monday.
