Every Alabama football season-opening starting quarterback for the last 20 years

AJ Spurr
·5 min read

Alabama football fell just short of the national championship last season, but there’s good reason to expect them to make another run for title No. 19 in 2022. For starters, the Crimson Tide will get back quarterback Bryce Young for at least one more season.

Young was a first-year starter in 2021 as a sophomore with the program. Some had questioned whether he would be able to follow up the likes of those who came before him: Mac Jones, Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts.

The young quarterback responded in the best way possible. He won the Heisman Trophy.

With Young being the clear and undisputed starting quarterback for 2022, let’s go back in time and revisit the last 20 season-opening quarterbacks for the Crimson Tide.

Aug. 31, 2002: Tyler Watts

(Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Season-opener vs. Middle Tennessee stats:

  • 16/22 completions, 235 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs

2002 Season stats:

  • 61.9% completion, 1,414 yards, 7 TDs, 4 INTs

Aug. 30, 2003: Brodie Croyle

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports © 2005 John David Mercer

Season-opener vs. South Florida (W, 40-17):

  • 14/27 completions, 203 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs

2003 Season stats:

  • 53.4% completion, 2,303 yards, 16 TDs, 13 INTs

Sept. 4, 2004: Brodie Croyle

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports (c) Copyright 2006 Tim Heitman

Season-opener vs. Utah State (W, 48-17):

  • 16/22 completions, 205 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs

2004 Season stats:

  • 66.7% completion, 534 yards, 6 TDs, 0 INTs (3 Games)

Sept. 3, 2005: Brodie Croyle

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Season-opener vs. Middle Tennessee (W, 26-7):

  • 16/24 completions, 210 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs

2005 Season stats:

  • 59.6% completion, 2,499 yards, 14 TDs, 4 INTs

Sept. 2, 2006: John Parker Wilson

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Season-opener vs. Hawai’i (W, 25-17):

  • 16/29 completions, 253 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs

2006 Season stats:

  • 57% completion, 2,707 yards, 17 TDs, 10 INTs

Sept. 1, 2007: John Parker Wilson

Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Season-opener vs. Western Carolina (W, 52-6):

  • 17/25 completions, 189 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs

2007 Season stats:

  • 55.2% completion, 2,846 yards, 18 TDs, 12 INTs

Aug. 30, 2008: John Parker Wilson

Michael Patrick/News Sentinel

Season-opener vs. Clemson (W, 34-10):

  • 22/30 completions, 180 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs

2008 Season stats:

  • 57.9% completion, 2,273 yards, 10 TDs, 8 INTs

Sept. 5, 2009: Greg McElroy

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Season-opener vs. Virginia Tech (W, 34-24):

  • 15/30 completions, 230 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

2009 Season stats:

  • 60.9% completion, 2,508 yards, 17 TDs, 4 INTs

Sept. 4, 2010: Greg McElroy

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Season-opener vs. San Jose State (W, 48-3):

  • 13/16 completions, 218 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs

2010 Season stats:

  • 70.9% completion, 2,987 yards, 20 TDs, 5 INTs

Sept. 3, 2011: AJ McCarron

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Season-opener vs. Kent State (W, 48-7):

  • 14/23 completions, 226 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs

2011 Season stats:

  • 66.8% completion, 2,634 yards, 16 TDs, 5 INTs

Sept. 1, 2012: AJ McCarron

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Season-opener vs. Michigan (W, 41-14):

  • 11/21 completions, 199 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs

2012 Season stats:

  • 67.2% completion, 2,933 yards, 20 TDs, 3 INTs

Aug. 31, 2013: AJ McCarron

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Season-opener vs. Virginia Tech (W, 35-10):

  • 10/23 completions, 110 yards, 1 TDs, 1 INT

2013 Season stats:

  • 67.3% completion, 3,063 yards, 28 TDs, 7 INTs

Aug. 30, 2014: Blake Sims

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Season-opener vs. West Virginia (W, 33-23):

  • 24/33 completions, 250 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT

2014 Season stats:

  • 64.5% completion, 3,487 yards, 28 TDs, 10 INTs

Sept. 5, 2015: Jake Coker

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Season-opener vs. Wisconsin (W, 35-17):

  • 15/21 completions, 213 yards, 1 TDs, 0 INTs

2015 Season stats:

  • 66.9% completion, 3,110 yards, 21 TDs, 8 INTs

Sept. 3, 2016: Blake Barnett

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Season-opener vs. USC (W, 52-6):

  • 5/6 completions, 100 yards, 1 TDs, 0 INTs

2016 Season stats:

  • 57.9% completion, 219 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs (3 Games)

Sept. 2, 2017: Jalen Hurts

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Season-opener vs. Florida State (W, 24-7):

  • 10/18 completions, 98 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs

2017 Season stats:

  • 60.4% completion, 2,081 yards, 17 TDs, 1 INTs

Sept. 1, 2018: Tua Tagovailoa

(AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

Season-opener vs. Louisville (W, 51-14):

  • 12/16 completions, 227 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs

2018 Season stats:

  • 69% completion, 3,966 yards, 43 TDs, 6 INTs

Aug. 31, 2019: Tua Tagovailoa

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Season-opener vs. Duke (W, 42-3):

  • 26/31 completions, 336 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs

2019 Season stats:

  • 71.4% completion, 2,840 yards, 33 TDs, 3 INTs

Sept. 26, 2020: Mac Jones

Mac Jones
Mac Jones

Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Season-opener vs. Missouri (W, 38-19):

  • 18/24 completions, 249 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs

2020 Season stats:

  • 77.4% completion, 4,500 yards, 41 TDs, 4 INTs

Sept. 4, 2021: Bryce Young

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Season-opener vs. Miami (W, 44-13):

  • 27/38 completions, 344 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs

2021 Season stats:

  • 66.9% completion, 4,872 yards, 47 TDs, 7 INTs

1

1

Recommended Stories