It was after a 10-0 Alabama victory over LSU in 2016 that Greg McElroy and Danny Kanell had an old-fashioned Twitter feud.
The two former college quarterbacks-turned ESPN analysts went back and forth on whether the low-scoring game was due to porous quarterback play or dominant defense. SEC-bred vs. #SECSpin.
The two no longer have to settle their disputes on social media as they co-host “The First Team” weekdays on SiriusXM’s ESPNU Radio.
“I think he stirs the pot, which is never a bad thing because it invigorates conversation,” McElroy said of Kanell after launching the show together in August.
“I’d see him on Twitter and be like, ‘Dude, what is wrong with this guy?’ Now that I get to spend 15 hours a week with him, when he actually gets the chance to explain it a little bit deeper I can understand where he is coming from, even if I do disagree with him.”
Kanell, who starred at Florida State in the mid-90s before playing three seasons with the Giants, is somewhat infamous for his SEC hate. McElroy, a backup Jets quarterback for two seasons, led Nick Saban to his first national championship with the Crimson Tide in 2009.
“That was Greg’s really nice way of saying, ‘I can’t stand Danny on Twitter,’ which I get a lot of. My wife is convinced, I need to shut down Twitter before it gets you fired again,” said Kanell, who was part of the ESPN layoffs in 2017.
Even Kanell is salivating over Saturday’s showdown between No. 2 LSU and No. 3 Alabama. This likely won’t be a final score of 10-0 or 9-6 like the 2011 slugfest, which came when the Tigers were No. 1 and the Crimson Tide No. 2.
“I cannot wait to watch this on Saturday,” Kanell said. “I think we are going to see, for the first time in the history of this rivalry, a potential shootout. Those offenses scoring points at will. These quarterbacks squaring off are two of the best in the country. And the defenses aren’t quite as dominant.”
Alabama has long been led by its imposing defense, but its offense has caught up in recent years. It took a little longer for LSU, but they are finally there. The hiring of Joe Brady away from the Saints as LSU’s passing game coordinator unleashed the skill-position players and unearthed the abilities of quarterback Joe Burrow.
It’s Burrow who comes into the game as the Heisman front-runner. Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa is among those close behind, however an ankle injury kept him out of a 48-7 victory over Arkansas two weeks ago. He is expected to be back Saturday for a game that will severely alter the College Football Playoff picture.
“This offense has really allowed him to come to the forefront,” McElroy said of Burrow. “It requires a cerebral quarterback who is accurate and drives the ball down the field and that can diagnose pre-snap. Those are things he does on a consistent level each week.”
However, McElroy and Kanell differ on Burrow’s potential. Where McElroy sees a solid system quarterback who is headed for a Day 2 selection in next year’s NFL draft, Kanell is convinced a future star on Sundays is developing before our eyes.
“I am way more bullish on Burrow than Greg,” Kanell said. “I look at a guy who clearly has the arm talent. … But I still think his arm strength is plenty enough to thrive at the NFL level. What impresses me more are the intangibles: the leadership, toughness, ability to rise to the occasion. He’s performed some of his best football in crunch-time situations.
“If I am an NFL evaluator, though, the first tape I am going to throw in is Alabama. He can increase his stock with a strong performance. I think he’s a first-round pick in the NFL, if he can avoid a disastrous performance against Alabama.”
Ref;nypost.com