Greg McElroy: 2022 Alabama was negatively impacted by ‘star-driven entity’

Published Jul. 22, 2023, 2:28 p.m.
By Mark Heim |
Alabama’s 11-2 record in 2022 was widely considered a disappointment because the Crimson Tide failed to make the College Football Playoffs.
Could it be because Nick Saban’s team was too star driven?
The Alabama coach was armed with the Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Bryce Young, then there was Will Anderson Jr., considered by many to be the best defensive player in the country.
SEC Network analyst Greg McElroy, a former Alabama quarterback himself, contends it very well could have had an impact on the rest of the team.
In his podcast, “Always College Football Podcast,” McElroy named Alabama as the team keep an eye on this upcoming season for its ability to come together as a team.
“They were a star-driven entity last year,” he said. “A team that relied on a star offensively in Bryce Young and a star defensively in Will Anderson. And the other 10 guys that were on offense and defense looked at their star and said ‘That guy is going to bail us out, I don’t necessarily have to completely go over the top with my responsibility because I know that guy is going to play hero ball and he’s going to make it happen for us.’”
That, he said, contributed to the Tide falling short of its season’s lofty goal.
“When you have hero ball and you put so much stock into that one player, it can have a negative impact on everyone else on the team,” McElroy said. … “Now those 2 guys are gone, and I think there’s going to be a more collective approach on the roster to elevate their play.”