Crimson Tide quarterback still looking to improve

TUSCALOOSA | It’s a little bit like that Skee-lo song you probably couldn’t get out of your head a couple of years ago.

His shoulders are a little bit broader.

His footwork is a little bit faster.

His release is a little bit quicker.

No wishing necessary at this point.

Welcome to maybe not the new-and-improved, rather the updated version of University of Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson. He’s a year older, maybe more bolder, and still headlining the Crimson Tide offense no matter what kind of plays are called.

“John Parker is probably the best leader we have on this football team," sophomore center Antoine Caldwell said.

When we last saw the 6-foot-2 quarterback (who might seriously be 6-3 now), he had just completed 216 of 379 passes for 2,707 yards, 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and had a passing efficiency of 126.51 last season. Wilson averaged 208.2 passing yards per game, completed 57 percent of his passes, and was even second in Tide carries with 82 (behind Kenneth Darby’s 210).

In the process, he set school records for passing yards, pass attempts, touchdown passes and pass completions.

That was as a sophomore.

Here’s what he’s been working on since:

“Footwork, release, drops, arm-strength, everything," he said. “Conditioning. We got in shape, big-time. It’s good for us though, we came together as a team, big-time."

Wilson estimated that he played most of last season between 205 and 207 pounds. After sliming down by running as part of the rigorous “fourth-quarter program," he gained muscle and is now closing in on 215 pounds.

Already he sees a bit of difference on the practice field, even though coaches are otherwise staying clear of his mechanics. Instead, they’re having him focus on learning the new offense and its required reads and progressions – a strength of Wilson’s in the previous scheme.

“It’s getting the ball to the right guy, getting it to the open guy," Wilson said. “As easy it sounds, that’s the biggest thing, protecting the ball and making good decisions.

“The defense, they’re throwing a lot at us, they’re blitzing all over the place. Our guys are responding to it well. The receivers are breaking off [their routes], and getting open. When they do that it makes easy to throw to them."

One week into spring, coach Nick Saban has, by in large, only signaled out only two players to reporters, Wilson and junior wide receiver D.J. Hall. Others have been more outspoken with their praise.

“You can tell he’s getting a little more experience," Hall said. “He knows what to look for, knows how to look a safety off. You can tell he has a year with experience and under his belt."

As for the new, yet-to-be-unveiled offense, coaches and players still won’t discuss specifics, but it already appears that (as expected):

- More players will be involved as a whole.

- When asked if there was the kind of big-play potential that the wide receivers could get excited about, sophomore Nikita Stover said, “Oh yeah."

- Alabama will run more plays out of the shotgun.

“Yeah, I’m having to do that with coach [Joe] Pendry," Caldwell said. “The first day he was hired he said 'We going to doing some stuff out of shotgun, so you’re going to have to learn real quick.’ I’ve been doing a lot on my own before spring ball, so right now it’s coming pretty easy for me."

Players have also spent significant time watching game film from both LSU and the Miami Dolphins, with both offenses run by big, mobile quarterbacks, who weren’t afraid to tuck the ball and run.

During Saban’s final season at LSU, 2004, quarterback Marcus Randall ran for 393 yards (but lost 146 for a 247 net). JaMarcus Russell didn’t post comparable numbers until this past season (282 gained, 140 lost, 142 net).

Last year, the Miami Dolphins traded for Dante Culpepper.

Additionally, offensive coordinator Major Applewhite helped coach Vince Young at Texas before moving on and eventually landing at Rice.

“He’s been a guy who has been eager to chew on the offense and learn," Applewhite said about Wilson last week. “He’s been eager to watch film. I come into my office sometimes and he’s in there after we break meetings, so his intensity and passion are there. We’ve just got to channel those things in the right direction and teach him and get him studying the right way and he’ll be good to go."

Another player teammates have been impressed with this spring is freshman Greg McElroy, who is getting some extra practice time while sophomore Jimmy Barnes is still limited following knee surgery. It could eventually lead to competition on the depth chart, but for now the quarterbacks have the same daily goal as Wilson, both individually and for the team.

Just a little bit better.

“Just being a quarterback, you’re naturally going to take a leadership position, but he does a lot extra for us," Caldwell said. “He sees guys naturally get tired and start slacking around, and knows what to do to kind of light a fire under everybody. You need that. Even during a football game, you’ll see a guy get knocked down once or twice, he gets up, he pats you on the back and says 'Let’s go. Pick your head up.’ That’s kind of what you need. John Parker’s done that ever since he’s been here, even when Brodie Croyle was here. There’s something special about John Parker in the huddle, and we appreciate it."

Reach Christopher Walsh at christopher.walsh@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0196.