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Crimson Tide to go with two QBs in fall

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Posted: Wednesday April 14, 1999 11:59 PM

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) -- With three days left before Alabama's A-Day game, coach Mike DuBose has still not settled on a starting quarterback.

Don't expect him to come to a decision any time soon, either. DuBose said Wednesday the Crimson Tide will use both Andrew Zow and Tyler Watts in the fall.

"Unless something unforeseen happens, we will go into the fall playing two quarterbacks in the first one or two or three games," DuBose said. "One of the things I did learn, and I'm continuing to go through a learning process as a young head coach, is it's very hard to evaluate a quarterback just based on practice."

Based on practices last year, DuBose thought senior John David Phillips was Alabama's best quarterback. But midway through the fourth game of the season, he realized Zow, then a redshirt freshman, was the better quarterback and started him the rest of the way.

"If you just looked at him [Zow] in practice, he was not ready," DuBose said. "But then all of a sudden he gets a chance against a very good Florida defensive football team ... and he played better in a game than he did in practice."

DuBose doesn't want to make the same mistake with Watts, a highly rated prospect who has made tremendous strides this spring in learning the offense.

"Tyler Watts is a guy that you see improving every time you go out at practice," DuBose said. "He is closing the gap somewhat and he can play."

DuBose said neither of the quarterbacks consider the situation a controversy. Instead, they see it as a competition that raises each other's level of play.

"I am convinced that Tyler has made Andrew a better quarterback at this stage, I am convinced that Andrew has made Tyler a better quarterback, and I am convinced that both of them will make us a better football team in the fall," DuBose said. "They've both made us a better football team right now."

In fact, DuBose has been so pleased this spring with Watts and Zow, he said he wished every player on the team would follow their example.

"I've said this several times, if we get the type of competition at each position that we've got at the quarterback position, then we'll contend for that 13th national championship again," he said.

 

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