Can Alabama's Greg McElroy Be College Football's First Undefeated Quarterback?

Larry Burton (Panama City Beach, FL) Remember last season about this time when people were saying that Alabama might be a good team, but with a new quarterback they could only go so far.

I guess they were right, he could only take them as far as winning the BCS Championship and going undefeated. Alabama wasn't eligible to play in the Super Bowl.

Now, Greg McElroy is poised to do something no other college quarterback has ever done, go back-to-back perfect seasons, win a second consecutive national championship, and finish college football with at least two seasons undefeated.

Can he do it?

Last year certainly had some close calls as well as some games that were below his usual standards, but he did win them. And that in a nutshell is the best explanation of Greg McElory. To borrow a quote and bend it just a bit, from Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, he ain't nothing but a winner.

The Auburn game was a perfect example of Greg McElroy's first season. Alabama was having a good game, but Auburn's big plays in the first quarter had them ahead going into the final minutes of the game. It was do or die time for Alabama when Greg McElroy took the field.

When Alabama took the field with 8:27 left to go, behind by one point, it was pretty obvious that this could be the last chance they would have to score to regain the lead. Until that point, he was 12-of-23 for only 158 yards.

With Auburn keying on the run, it was clear that it was up to McElroy to make something happen. He responded by going 7-of-8 for 60 yards including seven in a row and a game winning touchdown pass with just 1:24 left on the clock. He killed both the clock and Auburn's hopes of winning.

In other words, Greg McElroy didn't have to have the best stats, the glory of  highlight moments on ESPN, or personal acclaim. He was simply content to be a team player and a winner.

But the main thing is, that he has won over his opponents. They know the dangers of selling out to stop the run. If they don't, then they need only watch the replay of the Arkansas game where the hogs completely sold out to stop the run and force Alabama to beat them with McElroy.

They held Ingram to 50 yards and Richardson to 65 yards, but McElroy burned them for 291 yards and three touchdown passes and seemed to do it effortlessly.

And against Florida, arguably the best defense Alabama faced this year, he out Tebowed Tim Tebow. He passed for 239 yards and picked up a critical first down with a sideline one foot hopping feat that was absolutely incredible.

He ended the game not only with an SEC Championship, but a higher quarterback rating than the man that many were sure would hand the Tide their first defeat in that season, just like the previous one.

In the BCS Championship Game, Alabama simply wanted to run clock and pound the Texas defense into submission. There was no need for Greg McElroy to have to throw the ball, so he ended the game 6-of-8 for only 58 yards and yet he did everything Nick Saban wanted him to do and Alabama won their 13th championship because of it.

If Alabama had needed him to step up, he would have. That just seems to be Greg McElroy's way.

Now, with a year of college football experience, going through the SEC's toughest defensive coordinators without a scratch and a national championship under his belt, the question is not can he do it again, which obviously he's already proven he can, but how much better can he be in doing it?

Last year, McElroy went to the Manning Passing Academy as a virtual unknown. Before he left, everyone knew him and the talent he possessed. This year, when he goes back, he will be greeted as the conquering hero.

Last year, Alabama fans were nervous with a novice quarterback with less than a solid quarter of playing time taking the reigns of the team. Perhaps there were even some players who had reservations. Now he has solidly won over every player and 99 percent of the Alabama fans.

You can't please everyone. I'm sure that one percent of the fans still haven't made their mind up about Nick Saban either.

Saban has hinted that despite having a loaded backfield of world class running backs, he is wanting to see a little more passing and that means more Greg McElroy.

Trust is something you have to earn with Nick Saban and McElroy has earned that trust. Nick is content to let McElroy cut loose. With both Julio Jones and deep threat Marquis Maze returning with a myriad of other great new talented receivers coming into the picture, there is no reason to think he won't cut loose with quite a bit of success.

Despite being an undefeated national championship winning quarterback, for Alabama's opponents, the scary thing is that Greg McElroy is still improving and you haven't seen the best of him yet.

Can he end his college career as the only back-to-back national championship quarterback with a perfect record? Why not?