TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) -Greg McElroy for Heisman?
Barely a month into his career as a starter, No. 3 Alabama’s quarterback is putting up strong enough numbers that Heisman Trophy talk is starting up. At least at his own Sunday night cookouts with buddies.
“They were giving me a hard time about it, saying ‘Oh yeah, New York’ and all that stuff,” McElroy said.
Playing for a national title contender helps any player’s chances of getting to New York for the presentation.
McElroy’s numbers have been impressive if not dazzling, too. His 175.2 rating is third nationally in passing efficiency. Since a rough opening half in his first career start against Virginia Tech, McElroy has thrown for 844 yards and seven touchdowns with no interceptions while completing 76 percent of his passes.
While he is flattered by the Heisman buzz, McElroy says that’s not his focus.
l around you. … It’s not something I’m going to be thinking about or consciously worrying about.”
Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban isn’t set to launch a Heisman campaign for his junior quarterback either.
“I don’t think about things like that,” Saban said. “If you play well and you win, those kinds of things seem to take care of themselves. I know in this day and age we’re all concerned about how we market things and ourselves. But we’re concerned about how well we do as a team, and I know Mac is as well.”
—
JOB SHARING: Georgia’s starting tailback is … well, the Bulldogs say it doesn’t really matter.
Coach Mark Richt expects Richard Samuel and Caleb King to share the load again when No. 18 Georgia (3-1, 2-0 SEC) hosts fourth-ranked LSU on Saturday.
Samuel has started every game this season, the first two while King was sidelined by a sore hamstring that cost him most of the preseason. But they have largely shared the load over the last two games: Samuel has run 27 times for 129 yards, while King has 22 carries for 114 yards.
“Richard and Caleb are going to be the guys,” Richt said. “Right now, they’re 50-50 in my mind.”
“I’m all right with that,” he said. “He’s a good back. There’s no reason he shouldn’t be on the field to help with the running game. I expected that.”
Georgia’s running game ranks next-to-last in the SEC at 112.2 yards per game.
—
CAN YOU SPARE A LB? No. 21 Mississippi is dangerously thin at linebacker.
Injuries have sidelined two of the team’s top three reserves, including D.T. Shackelford, a true freshman who was becoming one of the Rebels’ top playmakers before spraining his ankle against South Carolina.
Shackelford is questionable for this week’s game at Vanderbilt. Also out is Lamar Brumfield (foot/ankle), leaving just true freshman Joel Kight to spell starters Jonathan Cornell, Patrick Trahan and Allen Walker.
“D.T. is still hobbling along,” coach Houston Nutt said. “We don’t know yet. We don’t think that he will be ready but we don’t know.”
Shackelford returned an interception for a touchdown and two fumble recoveries against Southeastern Louisiana two weeks ago and has a knack for finding the ball.
“We have never had two freshmen linebackers like Joel Kight and D.T. Shackelford,” Nutt said. “They are just outstanding guys who are relentless and big playmakers.”
—
BATTERED AND BRUISED: Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson can’t remember ever seeing so many major and minor injuries hit a team a month into a season, a count that is up to at least nine for the Commodores.
Defensive end Steven Stone hurt his foot in the preseason and won’t be back Saturday against No. 21 Mississippi. Linebacker Brandon Bryant (leg) and receiver Justin Wheeler (knee) were lost for the season early. Linebacker Michael Garcia and safety Jay Fullam are out indefinitely.
Then Johnson lost two starters for the season, safety Ryan Hamilton and right tackle James Williams, in a loss at LSU. Receiver John Cole (broken hand) and safety Sean Richardson (torn tendon in thumb) had surgery last Sunday.
That has left coaches scrambling and players learning new positions.
It doesn’t help that Vanderbilt (2-2, 0-2) has no open date this season, playing 12 straight weeks.
“It would be nice to have it this week. We’d probably have a chance to get some guys back … We’re not going to cry about it,” Johnson said.
—
STICKING TO THE SCRIPT: Kentucky offensive head coach Joker Phillips, like a lot of coaches, puts together a script of 10-15 plays to use early in the game.
Considering the way the Wildcats sputtered early in a 41-7 loss to top-ranked Florida, expect there to be a rewrite before Kentucky faces Alabama Saturday.
n quarterback Mike Hartline called an audible.
“When you’re changing plays at the line of scrimmage, you have to get that play in quick,” coach Rich Brooks said. “You have to get lined up and you have to give your quarterback enough time to make those changes.”
That didn’t happen against the Gators. But Brooks said he can live with a slow start against Alabama – minus the sloppy mistakes.
“We’re going to change fewer plays,” Brooks said. “So if we get stoned on a few plays in the early part of the game, you’ll know we didn’t change it.”
—
AP Sports Writers Paul Newberry in Athens, Ga., Teresa M. Walker in Nashville, Tenn., Will Graves in Lexington, Ky., and Chris Talbot in Oxford, Miss. contributed to this report.
Add A Comment