The 2011 season gave us a rare opportunity: Because the quality of teams Alabama played in the second half of the year was highly comparable to the first half of the year, a look at Alabama’s second-half report card is not encumbered by a schedule that got substantially tougher as the season progressed.
In the second half of the year, Alabama recorded its only loss (against LSU), but also put up decisive wins over SEC bowl teams Mississippi State and Auburn. Here’s a look at how Alabama progressed from the first half of the 2011 season to the second half.
Quarterbacks: B (first-half grade: B+)
Like Greg McElroy in 2010, A.J. McCarron hit a rough patch around the middle of the season. McCarron’s low point came at the wrong time – against LSU – but in his defense, LSU hasn’t made things easy for any opposing quarterback. The fact is, McCarron was passable in every game he played, and even his lesser performances (LSU, Mississippi State) were good enough to win games. McCarron finished the regular season on a high note against Auburn, looking sharp in his decision-making and his downfield passing with the exception of one play, a fumble that Auburn recovered for a touchdown. McCarron held the ball too long and did not show good pocket awareness on the play. Other than that, there are few complaints for a sophomore in his first year as a starter. As for backup Phillip Sims, he barely played in the second half of the year and really only served as a human handoff when he did play...
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