B/R Exclusive: Alabama's Greg McElroy Gets Advice From The Only Undefeated QB's

Larry Burton (Panama City Beach, Fla.) Only two men before have ever played more than one season in college football as quarterbacks and finished their career without a loss.

Only Bleacher Report is able to give you the interview with both men and their advice to Greg McElroy of Alabama in his quest to join their elite group.

I have already printed one article on one of these men, Chuck Ealey. He was undefeated in high school and college, going undefeated in three years for Toledo in the early 70's.

He is alive and well sought out to speak on being a winner.

You can find that article at:http://bleacherreport.com/articles/373807-alabamas-greg-mcelroy-is-chasing-an-unknowns-legend

Next, I found James "Jim" Harris, yet another undefeated amateur athlete having gone undefeated in high school and college. He quarterbacked the Oklahoma Sooners three years from 1954-1956 and back-to-back national championships.

Both men were genuinely warm and humble, and both offered similar advice to Greg McElroy for his quest to become only the third undefeated high school and college quarterback in the history of Division I NCAA football.

Chuck Ealey's advice was simple and direct.

"Take it one play at a time. Forget the bad ones and just focus on the next thing you're supposed to do. Don't look back, don't look too far ahead, focus on the moment and the next play," he advised.

Ealey also said it's about trust, yes you have to trust your teammates, but you have to trust your coaches, they wouldn't have you out there if your weren't the best choice they had, and to trust in yourself.

All the training and practice you've worked so hard on is there, so trust yourself too.

Jim Harris was aware of McElroy's achievements so far and the team he is on and saw many similarities between the two of them.

"I played for the man I think was the best coach in football at the time, Bud Wilkinson. He was a proven winner just like Nick Saban is now," Jim Harris said.

"I was also blessed to have two All American running backs, Tommy McDonald and Clendon Thomas, who went on to great pro careers." (Much like Alabama's Ingram and Richardon).

"I was surrounded by great players and there was very little difference between the first and second teams, and I knew I didn't have to [do] it all myself," said Harris.

"You have to trust in your team. You do your job, but trust them to do theirs too. No championship is won by one man, so don't think you're the only solution or the only problem. Everyone can be replaced. Don't ever panic, you are part of a team and the parts interchange."

"You're bound to make mistakes, even the very best do. Let people pick you up if you make them (mistakes) and you pick them up when they do. That's a team," he said.

"And take it one game at a time and never overlook anyone," Harris warned.

"We had just beaten a great Notre Dame team something like 40-0 my senior year, and we thought we were invincible. Our next game was against little Colorado, who didn't have much that year and we thought we would beat the tar out of them," Harris recounted.

"But about halfway through the game we're behind and getting our butts handed to us. Coach Wilkinson talked us through that at halftime, and we came back and won 27-19, but after the game, felt like losers.

"We had let a nobody beat up on us because we didn't take them seriously. It was a good learning experience, and that didn't happen again," he stated.

So Jim Harris' advise in a nutshell, was to take comfort that you're surrounded by a great team and trust in them.

Don't try and do it all yourself, and don't look to the past but what's right in front of you.

Like Chuck Ealey, Jim is enjoying success beyond football.

He owns Midroc Operating Company, an Oil and Gas company, where he put his degree in Geology to work.

He lives in Shreveport, Louisiana, and ironically, just bought a summer house near me down here on the coast of Florida where we plan to meet up soon.

At 75, he still enjoys following football and athletics. He plays a mean game of tennis and is still active in his business and community affairs.

Both of these men are members of a club much rarer than the Heisman Trophy winners, membership into this club doesn't come every year or even every decade.

Whether or not Greg McElroy will gain membership is up to the fate of another long and arduous season, but should he accomplish it, these two men will be grinning and will welcome McElroy into their ranks.

The other advice that both men want to give?

Earn your degree. Your life after football is much longer and can be a lot more rewarding.

That's good advice all the way around, and I hope Greg McElroy can learn from.

(authors note) I plan on an in-depth story about the life of Jim Harris as it is a colorful and inspiring one to be told. Stay tuned for that.