H2 For You: Even Alabama football fans couldn’t have dreamed this scenario – Bama Maven

Alabama's faithful haven't dealt with much adversity since coach Nick Saban arrived prior to the 2007 season. But for all the Crimson Tide's trophies and talent, there'd beenone stigma to its name, the one even Saban hadn't been able to rid the program of, the absence of a former player who'd sustained a starting quarterback gig in the NFL.

That's not really news, either, considering how often Alabama fans have been ribbed about it since Hall of Famers Joe Namath and Ken Stabler laced 'em up one last time in the pros.

What is news, though, is how quickly the dynamic has shifted, and how within two or three years the perception of the Alabama quarterback has changed dramatically, save for the same 'ol clich of, "But, but, look who they're throwing to."

Let's think about it. Let's really consider the likelihood, if only in 2017, of then-current Crimson Tide quarterbacks Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa, and Mac Jones all starring in the crimson and white then being named starters in the NFL within 12 months of each other.

Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins arrived to Tuscaloosa with the most expectation, Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles arrived to Tuscaloosa with the most mystery, and Jones of the New England Patriots arrived to Tuscaloosa with the most, rather the least of anything relative to those two.

Yet here they are, after each having been announced the starting quarterback, the on-and-off field 'CEO' of their respective pro franchise.

And no disrespect to AJ McCarron or Greg McElory or John Parker Wilson or Jake Coker, partially because of the run-first, rigid schemes they operated, but pre-2017 was there ever a thought of Alabama football producing three starter-worthy quarterbacks to the NFL?

Um, no, nor did that thought coincide with the probability of all three, Jones, Hurts, and Tagovailoa, sharing the same locker room for two seasons.

Prior to, the most productive pro Alabama had produced at the position was Richard Todd of the New York Jets, from 1976-83, and that's back when bellbottoms were not only in-vogue but imperative to the audio experience of The Four Seasons.

More than anything, though, the development of those three is indicative of Alabama football's offensive evolution in its dynastic reign under Saban.It's the same Crimson Tide team, just one now that favors deep-bombed touchdowns through the air over hard licks in a cramped box of muscular defenders all in the name of winning more games, thanks to overall trends of the game.

And subsequently, its offensive-dominate ideological shift favors the development of its quarterbacks, the players pro teams formerly viewed as future-coach-types with as illuminated IQs as shortcomings for the sake of political correctness.

Those days are now gone and, as crazy as it sounds, even though three NFL starting quarterbacks from one college roster likely won't be duplicated, the rise and perception change of the position at Alabama is as stark to its previous plight as anything I've seen in sports.

Enjoy it, Crimson Tide-rs ... you've earned it.

Alabama's faithful haven't dealt with much adversity since coach Nick Saban arrived prior to the 2007 season. But for all the Crimson Tide's trophies and talent, there'd beenone stigma to its name, the one even Saban hadn't been able to rid the program of, the absence of a former player who'd sustained a starting quarterback gig in the NFL. Subscribe for full article

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H2 For You: Even Alabama football fans couldn't have dreamed this scenario - Bama Maven