“In my mind, Michigan is the logical choice if you want to play in the Big Ten. The only thing they’re lacking is elite quarterback talent and an upgrade at offensive line. David solves their quarterback problem the minute he steps onto campus. With him there, they will also attract better recruits who will want to play with him, including linemen. His addition would, in my opinion, put Michigan on an equal footing with Ohio State.
“I think that the same can be said for USC. You make them not only the conference favorite, but put them in the hunt for a national championship.
“The other school you should consider is Oklahoma. In their offense, you would be a lock as a first-round draft pick. You might actually put up record-book type numbers. If I were you, those would be my top three,” Bo said.
“Why not Alabama or Clemson?” Dad asked.
“I’ll take Clemson,” I said before Bo could answer. “It’s the competition at quarterback. They will keep recruiting the top quarterbacks and then throw them together and see who comes out on top. I already have to gray-shirt due to my movies. That means I’ll miss a semester of practice, giving my competition a leg up. I know that I’ll eventually show that I’m the best, but if I ever get dinged up and have to sit out a game, I might never get back on the field.
“I like USC’s approach better. They decide on who their man is and then focus on coaching him up. They seem good at spacing out when they bring in their next choice at my position. That way, there isn’t the constant hard-assed competition among quarterbacks each and every day. That stress is gone, and you can work to make the team better instead of fighting for your job. It seems to work for them because every starter has played in the NFL,” I said.
“Now let me tell you why I don’t think Alabama is a fit for David,” Bo said. “We need our quarterback, more than anything else, to be a game manager. The first time you take off and do what makes you special, the coaching staff will crush you. They have enough talent that they don’t need to do anything risky. They will turn you into an Alabama quarterback. When was the last time you saw one have success in the NFL?”
“Kenny Stabler and Joe Namath,” Fritz answered.
Both played in the Stone Age.
“My point exactly. Yes, AJ McCarron, Greg McElroy, and Brodie Croyle made it to the NFL. Only McCarron is still in the league and looks to be a career backup. If you came here, I would probably suggest that you switch to defense. You could make a lot of money as a lockdown corner or speed-rush defensive end,” Bo said.
Dad saw the gleam in my eyes and shut that down.
“No. You’ve worked too hard and spent too much time and money developing your quarterbacking skills.”
“Because of the Alabama system for offense, you see a lot of turnover on the offensive side of the ball as far as coaches go. They stay around for a year or so to add Alabama to their résumés and then move on to where they can be more creative,” Bo shared.
“You’re thinking of leaving?” I asked.
“I’m on my second offensive coordinator in as many years. It’s only a matter of time until they make another change, and the new coordinator wants their own guy, or I need to make a move for my own career advancement.”
“Honestly, you were the main reason I wanted to come here. Well, that, and I planned to win four national championships,” I said with a straight face.
◊◊◊
I was grateful that Bo had planned ahead and had us taken on our campus tour in six-person golf carts decked out in the Alabama colors and logo. Fritz had insisted that Cassidy drive ours. Brook and I kept our comments to ourselves as she learned how to drive it. She finally figured out that we didn’t need to be going full tilt on the sidewalks. I’m sure the coeds appreciated not having to dive out of the way when Cassidy tried to kill them.
I tried to remember the history of the university I’d learned when I was here last. Alabama was one of the older universities in the United States. During the Civil War, it was nicknamed the ‘West Point of the Confederacy.’ Just five days before General Lee surrendered at Appomattox, Brigadier General John T. Croxton crippled Tuscaloosa by destroying everything of value. That included this academic institution turned makeshift military academy.
At the time, the tragedy could have been much worse. The 300 cadets at Alabama were severely outnumbered by the Union troops. Although the corps had field pieces, the Union troops captured them before they could be brought into play. Then the Union trained them on the bridge and its approaches to the city from the Northport side. The Union was armed with repeater rifles that outclassed the young cadets’ one-shot models.
