In parts of four seasons at quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide from 2010-13, A.J. McCarron was a part of two national championship teams and enjoyed four victory cigars against the Tennessee Volunteers in the ‘Third Saturday in October’ rivalry.
It’s been over 10 years since McCarron last suited up in an Alabama uniform, but the former quarterback isn’t happy with what he sees from the Crimson Tide, especially after last week’s 24-17 loss to Tennessee that dropped Alabama to 5-2 and marked their second loss in three games under first-year coach Kalen DeBoer.
Appearing on the McCready & Siskey podcast this week with hosts Neal McCready and Tyler Siskey, McCarron tore into what he called a “different era” at Alabama, one that has seen a noticeable lack of discipline.
He claims that players are too focused on social media apps like TikTok and on the “personal gain” they can get from NIL initiatives.
“I think for sure the standard that everybody was used to for so long after Alabama went through a bunch of hell leading up to those glorious years, I think it’s definitely a different era,” McCarron said on the podcast. “I don’t think you’ll see the same standard from discipline, just things that the team seems to do.
“And it’s a new day and age. Everybody’s worried about f****** TikTok and having a reel and being on highlights from their personal self and personal gain and how much money they can get from NIL. I mean, we just didn’t have that s*** back then. So, it was a team sport. You came together as a team because you had one common goal, because you knew that’s how you were going to make your money was by winning.
“Winning attracts people to that program. It attracts scouts, GMs. It attracts ownership to allow yourself to have that opportunity to go make yourself a lot of money and change your family tree for a long period of time. You can just tell it’s not the same. So, I would think ‘Bama fans should get used to that in a way of, ‘Hey, it’s not gonna be what you knew from 2008 up ’til last year where there was just a certain standard.'”
McCarron was quick to add that he wasn’t attacking DeBoer or any other members of the Crimson Tide’s coaching staff.
“That’s not a knock on the coaching staff or a knock on anybody,” he said. “It’s just a different era. I think it’s just something that (the fans are) gonna have to buckle up if they’re not ready for it.”
It’s not the first time McCarron has sounded off on his former team.
Following Alabama’s 23-17 loss to Ole Miss in October 2014 during McCarron’s first year away from the program as a rookie with the Cincinnati Bengals, he called out the team for not having “true leaders.”
Nick Saban responded to McCarron’s comments at the time by saying, “I don’t know how A.J. would really know, but I don’t necessarily see that as the case.”
Alabama is ranked No. 15 in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll. The Crimson Tide host the No. 17 Missouri Tigers this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game can be seen on ABC.
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