All eyes on Wilson as spring practice begins

Ken Rogers
Median General News Service
Published: March 12, 2008

TUSCALOOSA — Quarterback John Parker Wilson, whose prolific offensive numbers were often overshadowed by costly turnovers last season, opens his final spring drills at the University of Alabama today.

If he stays healthy, Wilson almost certainly will throw more passes, make more completions and gain more yardage than any quarterback in school history before his senior season is complete this fall.

But he continues to draw the ire of fans tired of third-and-long incompletions, sacks and fumbles deep in Tide territory — not to mention interception returns for touchdowns.

Alabama coach Nick Saban still had to address a question about the senior-to-be’s status as the starting quarterback on Tuesday.

“John Parker is our quarterback until somebody beats him out,” Saban said. “... I think he has the capabilities of being an outstanding quarterback for us. I think he played outstanding at times last year. There were other times when his consistency wasn’t what we would like it to be.”

One thing Wilson has is adapting to change. Jim McElwain is Alabama’s third offensive coordinator in three years.

“I’ve gotten good at learning stuff, if anything else,” Wilson said with a smile Tuesday.

The quarterback said he had “not a clue” who McElwain was when the coach was hired from Fresno State. McElwain was only there one season, but Fresno quarterback Tom Brandstater’s quarterback efficiency rating went from 89th in the country to 23rd during that year.

Even before he arrived in Tuscaloosa, Wilson said, “We were watching stuff from where he had been before. (Just to) learn what he is like and know what he likes — how he calls plays.”

Today is the first day of real on-field instruction between the two. “It’s been more mental,” he said of the work between he and McElwain.

“I like everything we are doing, everything we changed up,” Wilson said. “I think he has a different teaching style which i like a lot, so I think it’s going great so far.”

Center Antoine Caldwell isn’t worried about the transition.

“John Parker, he’s a smart kid. I’m sure he’s gonna put double the time in that he did last year with Coach McElwain,” Caldwell said. “I know Coach McElwain puts a lot on his shoulders. As the center on the offensive line, I’ve talked to him a lot.

“He’s gonna expect a lot from JP and JP understands his role. He’s gonna step up and take care of it.”

Some things Wilson is eager to find are new targets to throw to.

DJ Hall rewrote many school records last year. Matt Caddell and Keith Brown are gone, too. Nikita Stover and Mike McCoy are two receivers who played a good bit last year. Neither, however, was a featured target. Wilson said there is talent, though untested, coming back.

“I think the guys we have are really good,” he said. “I think they work harder than I’ve ever seen anybody work, and they come to practice wanting to learn, wanting to do things the right way, which is good.

“... We don’t have one big DJ Hall kind of guy, but we have a bunch of guys who can come in and get open and hopefully some news guys who can do it as well.”

When pressed, Wilson listed some of those targets.

“(Darius) Hanks and (Brandon) Gibson are the big parts,” he said. “Will Oakley. Earl Alexander. And then you have some new guys coming in.

“I think with those guys, the ball will be spread around a lot. I don’t think we will have three or four receivers, I think we will have five or six.”

He corrected an omission. “Marquis Maze. I left him out, but he has shown a lot, I think. He is very quick and I think he can get great separation from a DB.”

Saban credited Wilson’s work in the offseason.

“Hopefully, we’re going to build on the positive things that John Parker can do,” the coach said. “I’m very much in support of his leadership. He’s done a great job in the offseason program, a great job with leadership.

“Hopefully, the presentation of the system, the way we can simplify what he needs to do in order for him to be able to execute better. Hopefully, that will be a positive for him and for us as we go through this spring and next fall.”