Alabama Football: McElroy, Carpenter and Dial and the Senior Bowl Performances

Larry Burton (Syndicated Writer)

The Senior Bowl couldn't have happened on a prettier day. The stands were full, the scouts were there and all the players had to do was show what they could do.

For some of the Alabama players, it was good that they had a great week of practice, because they didn't get the chance they had hoped for.

Preston Dial had only one ball thrown his way, but then the South only had two receivers who had more than one thrown their way. He did, however, catch it.

So what may seem like a lackluster day was really a good week as far as Dial was concerned. Besides the one catch, he had some stellar blocks. What else helped was a great week of practice.

Dial did a one hand catch in traffic down around his waist that raised a lot of eyebrows and had a great time of showing his run blocking skills.

Some of the scouts interviewed said that Dial had moved himself up a few notches and one said his work may have moved him off the bubble.

Greg McElroy led all quarterbacks in completion percentage, but still did not have the game he wanted to be remembered for. He was 5-8 for just 36 yards, but he had one ball simply dropped that hit a receiver right in both hands.

He suffered an injury to his hand that caused the coaches to keep him out of the game for much of the second half. It was not a serious injury, perhaps a crack or small fracture after hitting a lineman in the helmet following through a throw, but the coaches didn't want to risk any further injury.

His work during the week, and even when he wasn't playing, impressed the scouts. In the second half he was the one "atta boying" the players after a scoring drive as they came to the sidelines. That was just one of things the scouts noticed.

One told me that Greg was like another coach on the field and while all the scouts knew he was cerebral, he impressed them with his mechanics, footwork and touch on the ball.

"He may not have the strongest arm on the field, but he places the ball in the right spot and doesn't make mistakes," one scout told a group of us listening.

It was also said that he may have moved himself up a round or two with this week of work.

But the clear winner of the week was James Carpenter, who thoroughly impressed the scouts.

In the game, the records show he allowed one sack, but the replay also shows that the rusher was clearly off sides on a dead run when he did so.

During a week of practice he went up on almost every scout's list. Quotes were things like this from Tim Yotter, who saw all the practices: "James Carpenter continues to look stout." Others said things like "his footwork and quickness was better than we thought in pass protection and he has proven to able to handle anyone who has lined up against him."

Most feel that Carpenter helped himself the most and separated himself from a previous image that most had of him. Most felt that he was an adequate pass protector and a better-than-most run blocker.

After seeing him play against other "stars" this week in a game and in practices all week, his pass protection was much better than what they had in mind.

Following the game, all the players felt that they had a good week and made some good points with the scouts. After evaluating them in person, I would have to agree.