A.J. McCarron re-signed with UFL franchise St. Louis Battlehawks earlier in April. The quarterback led the team's backfield during the 2023 season but went on to take up a backup role with the Cincinnati Bengals before returning for another season this year.
While his professional career hasn't been eventful, McCarron had a noteworthy college career. The quarterback played college football at Alabama from 2009 to 2013 and had significant success with the Crimson Tide. Let us take a look at his college career in Tuscaloosa.
A.J. McCarron Alabama career and stats
A.J. McCarron was born and brought up in Mobile, Alabama. He played high school football at St. Paul's Episcopal in Mobile and was a highly-rated quarterback in his class. His performance earned him offers from several college football programs and he finally decided to commit to Alabama.
McCarron joined Alabama during the 2009 season, opting to redshirt. The team went on to win the BCS National Championship with a perfect 14–0 record. He started playing in his redshirt freshman season in 2010, appearing in 13 games of which he started none. He threw for 389 yards and 3 touchdowns.
In the 2011 season, McCarron was named Alabama's co-starting quarterback alongside Philip Sims. However, he became the de facto starter, leading the team in all 13 games that season. He threw for 2,634 yards and 16 touchdowns as the Crimson Tide retained the national title.
In his second year as the starting quarterback for Alabama, McCarron led the Crimson Tide to a strong start with a 9–0 record to begin the season. He was considered a dark horse in the media for the Heisman Trophy race. He recorded 2,933 yards and 30 touchdowns overall.
A.J. McCarron retained the starting job for the third straight season in 2013. He threw for 3,063 yards and 28 touchdowns as he led the program to another national championship. He finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting that season, losing out to Florida State's Jameis Winston.
His outstanding performance during the season allowed him to surpass John Parker Wilson and become Alabama's all-time passing yard leader. He left an enduring legacy at Alabama, which made many refer to him as one of the program's greatest players.
During his time in Tuscaloosa, A.J. McCarron won three national championships, the most by a college football quarterback. He also won the Maxwell Award, the John Unitas Golden Arm Award and the Kellen Moore Award in his final season with the Crimson Tide.
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