"It was just a great experience for A.J.," added
Tony McCarron, A.J.'s father. "The kids looked to be having a good time.
The speed of the game was a lot faster. For me it was fun because he got some
blocking up front."
The Mississippi squad came in with all of the
offensive pub, but the Alabama team held them without a touchdown.
"I
was surprised Mississippi did not score more than they did. That was the talk
all week. The local coaches were telling us how explosive their team was, so we
figured we were going to have to outscore them. We did not think there was anyway
we could just flat out stop them. Sometimes that is how the game goes, nothing
like you expected."
A.J. McCarron committed to Alabama early in the
recruiting process, but he has decided that he wants to take all of his official
visits before signing. Just how solid is A.J.'s commitment?
"I do
not think anything has changed. He is still solid with his decision. He just wants
to take a couple of visits to make sure in the back of his mind that he is making
the right decision."
The Mobile resident has tentatively set up the
dates for his official visits.
"He is going to Alabama on the 9th
and Ole Miss on the 16th (of January). We told Oklahoma we are coming on the 23rd
and Miami will be after that (on the 30th). We are still trying to figure it all
out. We are trying to get all four of them in, but he has Christmas coming up,
and then he has the Army All-American game, so that takes two weekends away right
there. He also has a lot of important basketball games on the weekends, so it
makes it hard. Add that to my schedule at the fire station, and you can see what
we are dealing with (laugh). But we have tentatively set his visits for those
dates."
Despite the interest from all of these colleges, the McCarron's
have yet to host a house visit.
"The week of the AL/MS All-star game,
he was secluded away, and I have not talked to any of them (colleges) lately.
Nobody has been by our house, and I am not sure if any of them have been by his
school or not. I am one of those dads that changes gears when the next sport is
in season, and it is now basketball season, so I am all into that. To tell you
the truth, I enjoy basketball more than any of them. But A.J. told me some coach
came by to see him play in a basketball game, but he did not know who it was,
or if he did, he did not mention it to me. Purdue did come down here to see him
play in a game though."
What has Alabama told the McCarron's about
the plan they have in store for A.J.?
"They have not said anything
to us about that issue since the first time we met. Coach Saban said that he is
bringing back two experienced QB's, so he will have to beat out two great QB's
if he wants the job next season. If not, we do not mind at all if he takes a redshirt.
That is not an issue with us. We just want everybody to be upfront about everything.
That is all we ask for. And as far how many QB's Alabama is going to bring in,
Coach Saban never said."
The Rebels have been keeping close tabs with
the McCarron's since A.J. came over for an unofficial visit last summer.
"Coach
Dickerson was in contact last week, and Coach Nutt was in contact with us this
week. He just called and asked how everything was going, but I let A.J. talk to
the coaches for the most part. When Ole Miss calls though, they really do not
talk recruiting. It is not like people think. They do not put pressure on you.
Coach Dickerson nor Coach Nutt ever does that. A.J. will keep his promise to visit
Ole Miss. He was just trying to find a good date because of our crazy schedule."
Ole
Miss is also recruiting a former Mobile QB that A.J. roomed with at the Elite
11 combine.
"A.J. and Raymond Cotton have known each other for a while,
but they became really close friends out there in California when they roomed
at the Elite 11 camp. They still keep up with each other."
Has Oklahoma
been in contact lately?
"Not unless they have spoken to one of his
coaches. I have not been in touch with Oklahoma in a few weeks. Now A.J. might
have spoken to Oklahoma, and Miami for that matter. This has just been a long/long
process. We are blessed to be in this position, but I can see how everyone can
get worn down from this process. We still have not even begun the visit process
either. January will be a long month (laugh)."
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